LPATH, INC. REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.18
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of November 16, 2010, between Lpath, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and each of the several purchasers signatory hereto (each such purchaser, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”).
The Company and each Purchaser hereby agrees as follows:
1. Definitions
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“415 Cutback Shares” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Advice” has the meaning set forth in Section 6(d).
“Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 120th calendar day after the Closing, and with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the 90th calendar day following the date on which an additional Registration Statement is required to be filed hereunder; provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the Commission that one or more of the above Registration Statements will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, and provided further, if the Effectiveness Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other date the Commission is closed for business, the Effectiveness Date shall be extended to the next business day on which the Commission is open for business.
“Effectiveness Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Event Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Filing Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, the 30th calendar day following the Closing and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required pursuant to Section 3(c), the earliest practical
date on which the Company is permitted by SEC Guidance to file such additional Registration Statement related to the Registrable Securities; provided however, if the Filing Date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other date the Commission is closed for business, the Filing Date shall be extended to the next business day on which the Commission is open for business.
“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
“Indemnified Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Indemnifying Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c).
“Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement.
“Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).
“Plan of Distribution” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus, including any free-writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act.
“Registrable Securities” means (i) all Shares, (ii) all Warrant Shares (assuming on the date of determination the Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations therein), (iii) any additional shares of Common Stock issuable in connection with any anti-dilution provisions in the Warrants (in each case, without giving effect to any limitations on exercise set forth in the Warrants) and (iv) any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing.
“Registration Statement” means the registration statement required to be filed hereunder and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 3(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Selling Shareholder Questionnaire” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“SEC Guidance” means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests of the Staff and (ii) the Securities Act.
“Staff” means the staff of the Commission.
2. Required Registration
(a) On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all or such portion of the Registrable Securities as permitted by SEC Guidance (provided that the Company shall use diligent efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance) that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate form the Company is eligible to use, such as Form S-1) and shall contain the “Plan of Distribution” substantially in the form attached hereto as Annex A. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause a Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the earlier of (i) 120 days after none of the Purchasers is an affiliate of the Company, (ii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold, (iii) the date on which all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(b)(1), and (iv) three (3) years from the Closing (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 5:00 p.m. New York City time on a Trading Day. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders via facsimile or other electronic transmission of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement on the same Trading Day that the Company telephonically confirms effectiveness with the Commission, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of a Registration Statement. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. New York City time on the Trading Day after the Effective Date, file a final Prospectus with the Commission as required by Rule 424. Failure to so notify the Holder within two (2) Trading Days of such notification of effectiveness or failure to file a final Prospectus as foresaid shall be deemed an Event under Section 2(c).
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement or in the event the Staff seeks to characterize any offering pursuant to a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement as constituting an offering of securities by or on behalf of the Company such that Rule 415 is not available to the Company to register the resale of such Registrable Securities and as a result the Staff or the SEC does not permit such Registration Statement to become effective and used for resales in a manner that permits the continuous resale at the market by the Holders participating therein (or as otherwise may be acceptable to each Holder) without being named therein as an “underwriter,” unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will first be reduced by Registrable Securities represented by Warrant Shares (applied, in the case that some Warrant Shares may be registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Warrant Shares held by such Holders), and second by Registrable Securities represented by Shares (applied, in the case that some Shares may be registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of unregistered Shares held by such Holders) (such reduced Registrable Securities, the “415 Cutback Shares”). The Company may include in a Registration Statement any shares underlying any warrants issued to the placement agents in the transactions contemplated hereby, provided, that if any Registrable Securities are required to be cut back, then such placement agent shares shall be cut back prior to any Registrable Securities held by any Holder.
(c) If: (i) the Initial Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its Filing Date (if the Company files the Initial Registration Statement without affording the Holders the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3(a) herein, the Company shall be deemed to have not satisfied this clause (i)), (ii) the Company fails to have the a Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act prior to the applicable Effectiveness Date, or (iii) after the Effectiveness Date of a Registration Statement, such Registration Statement ceases for any reason to remain continuously effective as to all Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement, or the Holders are otherwise not permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell such Registrable Securities, for more than 30 consecutive calendar days or more than an aggregate of 60 calendar days during any 12-month period (which need not be consecutive calendar days) (other than during an Allowable Grace Period (as defined below), or (iv) a Grace Period (as defined below) exceeds the Allowable Grace Period (any such failure or breach being referred to as an “Event”, and for purposes of clause (i) and (ii), the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of clause (iii) the date on which such 30 or 60 calendar day period, as applicable, is exceeded, or for purposes of clause (iv) the date on which the Allowable Grace Period is exceeded, being referred to as “Event Date”), then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement for the number of shares of unregistered Registrable Securities then held by such Holder, except for: (1) any 415 Cutback Shares, (2) any Warrants or Warrant Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the maximum aggregate liquidated damages payable to a Holder under this Agreement shall be 6.0% of the aggregate Subscription Amount paid by such Holder pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, (B) no liquidated damages shall accrue after the
Effectiveness Period, (C) no liquidated damages shall accrue during any period during which the Company has advised the Holders of Registrable Securities to suspend the use of any Prospectus pursuant to Section 3(d), and (D) no liquidated damages shall accrue as the result of the occurrence of any event or the passage of time described in Section 3(d)(v) that occurs prior to the Effectiveness Date. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven calendar days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 18% per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an “Event” shall not include (i) a failure of a Registration Statement to be declared effective as a result of the Commission’s refusal to accept the Plan of Distribution contained in such Registration Statement, (ii) a Registration Statement not being filed, not being declared effective, or not remaining effective if a Purchaser has failed to timely provide the Company with information requested by the Company and necessary to complete the Registration Statement in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act (in which the Effectiveness Date would be extended with respect to Registrable Securities held by such Purchaser), (iii) a Registration Statement not remaining effective if the Company has advised the Holders of Registrable Securities to suspend the use of any Prospectus pursuant to Section 3(d), (iv) a Registration Statement not being filed, not being declared effective, or not remaining effective due to the occurrence of any event or the passage of time described in Section 3(d)(v) that occurs prior to the Effectiveness Date, or (v) events or circumstances that are not in any way attributable to the Company.
(d) Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed Selling Shareholder Questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B not more than five (5) Trading Days following the date of this Agreement. At least ten (10) Trading Days prior to the first anticipated filing date of a Registration Statement for any registration under this Agreement, the Company will notify each Holder of the information the Company requires from that Holder other than the information contained in the Selling Shareholder Questionnaire, if any, which shall be completed and delivered to the Company promptly upon request and, in any event, within three (3) Trading Days prior to the applicable anticipated filing date. Each Holder further agrees that it shall not be entitled to be named as a selling securityholder in the Registration Statement or use the Prospectus for offers and resales of Registrable Securities at any time, unless such Holder has returned to the Company a completed and signed Selling Shareholder Questionnaire and a response to any requests for further information as described in the previous sentence. If a Holder of Registrable Securities returns a Selling Shareholder Questionnaire or a request for further information, in either case, after its respective deadline, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts at the expense of the Holder who failed to return the Selling Shareholder Questionnaire or to respond for further information to take such actions as are required to name such Holder as a selling security holder in the Registration Statement or any pre-effective or post-effective amendment thereto and to include (to the extent not theretofore included) in the Registration Statement the Registrable Securities identified in such late Selling Shareholder Questionnaire or request for further information. Each Holder acknowledges and agrees that the information in the Selling Shareholder Questionnaire or request for further information as described in this Section 2(d) will be used by the Company in the preparation of the Registration Statement and hereby consents to the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, at any time after any Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission, the Company may delay the disclosure of material non-public information concerning the Company if the disclosure of such information at the time is not, in the good faith judgment of the Company, in the best interests of the Company (a “Grace Period”); provided, however, the Company shall promptly (i) notify the Holders in writing (including via facsimile or other electronic transmission) of the existence of material non-public information giving rise to a Grace Period (provided that the Company shall not disclose the content of such material non-public information to the Holders) or the need to file a supplement or post-effective amendment, as applicable, and the date on which such Grace Period will begin, and (ii) notify the Holders in writing (including via facsimile or other electronic transmission) of the date on which the Grace Period ends; provided, further, that no single Grace Period shall exceed thirty (30) consecutive days, and during any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period, the aggregate of all Grace Periods shall not exceed an aggregate of sixty (60) days (each Grace Period complying with this provision being an “Allowable Grace Period”). For purposes of determining the length of a Grace Period, the Grace Period shall be deemed to begin on and include the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (i) above and shall end on and include the later of the date the Holders receive the notice referred to in clause (ii) above and the date referred to in such notice; provided, however, that no Grace Period shall be longer than an Allowable Grace Period.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Not less than 5 Trading Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement and not less than one Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (not including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and not including a supplement or amendment filed solely for the purpose of adding the contents of a Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filed at such as time as the Registration Statement is on a form that does not permit “forward” incorporation by reference), the Company shall (i) furnish to each Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference, and other than a supplement or amendment filed solely for the purpose of adding the contents of a Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K filed at such as time as the Registration Statement is on a form that does not permit “forward” incorporation by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith, provided that the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than 3 Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of a Registration Statement or 1 Trading
Day after the Holders have been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B (a “Selling Shareholder Questionnaire”) by the earlier of (i) two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date or (ii) by the end of the fourth Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section 3(a).
(b)(i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities (except during an Allowable Grace Period); (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (except during an Allowable Grace Period); (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably possible to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration Statement (provided that the Company may excise any information contained therein which would constitute material non-public information concerning the Company); and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented; provided, however, that each Purchaser shall be responsible for the delivery of the Prospectus to the Persons to whom such Purchaser sells any of the Shares or Warrant Shares (including in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act), and each Purchaser agrees to dispose of Registrable Securities in compliance with the plan of distribution described in the Registration Statement and otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.
(c) If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable Securities at any time exceeds 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any case prior to the applicable Filing Date, an additional Registration Statement covering the resale by the Holders of not less than the number of such Registrable Securities, subject to any limitations pursuant to SEC Guidance.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than one Trading Day prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing (including via facsimile or other electronic transmission) no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement is proposed to be filed; and (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(f) RESERVED.
(g) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3(d).
(h) The Company shall cooperate with any registered broker through which a Holder proposes to resell its Registrable Securities in effecting a filing with FINRA pursuant to NASD Rule 5110 as requested by any such Holder and the Company shall pay the filing fee required for the first such filing within two (2) Business Days of the request therefore.
(i) Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the Registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the
disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(j) If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement and applicable state and Federal laws, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.
(k) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(d), as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses (iii) through (vi) of Section 3(d) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3(k) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus, subject to the payment of partial liquidated damages otherwise required pursuant to Section 2(c), for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12 month period.
(l) Comply in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
(m) In addition to providing the information required in the Selling Shareholder Questionnaire, the Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and, if required by the Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over the shares. During any periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities solely because any Holder fails to furnish such information within three Trading Days of the Company’s request or fails to deliver its Selling Shareholder Questionnaire on a timely basis pursuant to Section 3(a) hereof, any liquidated damages that are accruing at such time shall be tolled and any Event that may otherwise occur solely because of such delay shall be suspended, until such information is delivered to the Company.
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and auditors) (A) with respect to filings made with the Commission, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities) and (D) if not previously paid by the Company in connection with an Issuer filing, with respect to any filing that may be required to be made by any broker through which a Holder intends to make sales of Registrable Securities with the NASD pursuant to NASD Rule 5110, so long as the broker is receiving no more than a customary brokerage commission in connection with such sale, (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any underwriting, broker or similar commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, members, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, shareholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), as incurred, arising out of or relating to (1) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent arising out of or based solely upon: (x) such Holder’s failure to comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act or (y) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (i) to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that such information relates to such Holder’s proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (iii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(d). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within twenty Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses previously disbursed and that are applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is judicially determined to be not entitled to indemnification hereunder.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification under Section 5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as set forth in the Purchase Agreement or the SEC Reports, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in a Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement, other than the Registrable Securities. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be prohibited from preparing and filing with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering of Common Stock by existing stockholders of the Company under the Securities Act pursuant to the terms of registration rights held by such stockholder or from filing amendments to registration statements filed prior to the date of this Agreement.
(c) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement.
(d) Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(d)(ii) through (vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as it practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2(c).
(e) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of a majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. If a Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that in the event the Company shall deliver written notice to a Holder with respect to a requested waiver or amendment, such Holder shall be deemed to have consented and agreed to such amendment or waiver if such Holder does not provide written notice to the Company indicating such Holder’s non-consent within ten (10) calendar days of delivery by the Company of such written notice; provided, further, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6(e).
(f) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign (except by merger, consolidation or similar transaction) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
(h) No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as set forth in the Purchase Agreement or in the SEC Reports, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.
(i) Execution and Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
(j) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement.
(k) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.
(l) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(m) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of the Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
(n) Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be
deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Purchaser acknowledges that no other Purchaser has acted as agent for such Purchaser in connection with making its investment hereunder and that no Purchaser will be acting as agent of such Purchaser in connection with monitoring its investment in the Shares and Warrants or enforcing its rights under the Purchase Agreement or any other agreement entered into in connection with the Purchase Agreement. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
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[Signature pages follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
| LPATH, INC. | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF PURCHASERS FOLLOWS]
[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO LPATH REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
PROVIDED IN THE SUBSCRIPTION DOCUMENT PACKAGE]
Plan of Distribution
Each Selling Stockholder (the “Selling Stockholders”) of the common stock and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of common stock on the OTCBB or any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
| • | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
| • | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
| • | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
| • | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
| • | privately negotiated transactions; |
| • | settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; |
| • | broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share; |
| • | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; |
| • | a combination of any such methods of sale; or |
| • | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with NASD Rule 2440 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”); and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA’s NASD IM-2440.
In connection with the sale of the common stock or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the common stock in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares of the common stock short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the common stock to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions for the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares offered by this prospectus, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock. In no event shall any broker-dealer receive fees, commissions and markups which, in the aggregate, would exceed eight percent (8%).
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Because Selling Stockholders may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act, they will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act including Rule 172 thereunder. In addition, any securities covered by this prospectus which qualify for sale pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under Rule 144 rather than under this prospectus. There is no underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with the proposed sale of the shares registered hereunder by the Selling Stockholders.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the shares may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume limitations by reason of Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect, (ii) all of the shares have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect, or (iii) three years from [INSERT CLOSING DATE]. The shares registered hereunder will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, such shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the shares registered hereunder may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of shares of the common stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).