Candel Therapeutics, Inc. Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase 3,333,333 Shares 10,000,001 Shares Common Stock ($0.01 par value) Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
Execution Version
Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase 3,333,333 Shares
10,000,001 Shares
Common Stock
($0.01 par value)
December 12, 2024
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
BofA Securities, Inc.
Canaccord Genuity LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
c/o Canaccord Genuity LLC
▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Suite 3000
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Candel Therapeutics, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, in the amount set forth in Schedule I hereto of (i) shares of common stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”) of the Company (the “Firm Stock”), and (ii) pre-funded warrants of the Company to purchase shares of Common Stock, in a form to be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives (the “Warrants”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to the amount of additional shares of Common Stock set forth in Schedule I hereto (the “Option Stock”). The shares of Common Stock issuable upon
exercise of the Warrants are hereinafter referred to as the “Warrant Stock.” The Firm Stock and the Option Stock are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Stock,” and together with the Warrants are referred to as the “Securities.” To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule II other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires.
As used in this underwriting agreement (this “Agreement”), the “Registration Statement” means the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) hereof, including the exhibits, schedules and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock that is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act”) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, as amended on each Effective Date, and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”) becomes effective prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be; the “Effective Date” means each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective; the “Base Prospectus” means the base prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) hereof contained in the Registration Statement at the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “Execution Time”); the “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) hereof which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus; and the “Final Prospectus” means the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.
Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
As used in this Agreement, the “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, (iii) any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), identified in Schedule III hereto, and (iv) any other free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (a “Free Writing Prospectus”), that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.
2
1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section 1.
(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act and has prepared and filed with the SEC a registration statement (the file number of which is set forth in Schedule I hereto) on Form S-3, including a related Base Prospectus, for the registration of the offering and sale of the Securities under the Securities Act. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed with the SEC, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the SEC a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock in accordance with Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time. As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the Securities Act and the rules thereunder and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Securities Act. The initial Effective Date of the Registration Statement was not earlier than the date three years before the Execution Time.
(b) On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Stock are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date, at the Execution Time and on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Final Prospectus (together with any amendment or supplement thereto) 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. provided, however, that the representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any
3
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 8 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit thereto which have not been described or filed as required.
(c) (i) The Disclosure Package, (ii) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, and (iii) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined herein), when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.
(d) As of the determination date referenced in Rule 164(h) under the Securities Act, the Company was not, is not or will not be (as applicable) an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the SEC in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act, including timely filing with the SEC, retention and legending, as applicable, and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus unless such information has been superseded or modified as of such time. The representations and warranties set forth in the immediately preceding sentence do not apply to statements made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information described in Section 8 below. Except for the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule III (the “Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses”), and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to you before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), prepare, use or refer to, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each electronic road show, when considered together with the Disclosure Package, did not, as of the Execution Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4
(e) The interactive data in the eXtensible Business Reporting Language (“XBRL”) included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the SEC’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(f) From the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement with the SEC (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.
(g) The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule IV hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405.
(h) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and each other 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 so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below) .
(i) Each of the Company’s “subsidiaries” (for purposes of this Agreement, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has the power and authority (corporate or other) to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. Each of the
5
Company’s subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company, as applicable, 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. All of the issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity or ownership interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, charge or adverse claim. None of the outstanding capital stock or equity interest in any subsidiary was issued in violation of preemptive or similar rights of any security holder of such subsidiary. The constitutive or organizational documents of each of the subsidiaries comply in all material respects with the requirements of applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and are in full force and effect. The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(j) The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans, or upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in each case described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus). The shares of Common Stock of the Company (including the Securities) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries other than those described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. The descriptions of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus accurately and fairly presents in all material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(k) The Warrants have been duly authorized and validly issued, and, when executed and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally or by general equitable principles. The Warrants will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the
6
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. The Warrant Stock has been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance upon exercise of the Warrants in a number sufficient to meet the current exercise requirements. The Warrant Stock, when issued and delivered upon exercise of the Warrants in accordance therewith, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, and free and clear of any preemptive or other similar rights, and will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; and the issuance of the Warrant Stock is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights that have not been validly waived or satisfied.
(l) The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Securities or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Final Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(m) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents, as applicable, or is in default (or, with the giving of notice or lapse of time, would be in default) (“Default”) under any indenture, loan, credit agreement, note, lease, license agreement, contract, franchise or other instrument (including, without limitation, any pledge agreement, security agreement, mortgage or other instrument or agreement evidencing, guaranteeing, securing or relating to indebtedness) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of their respective properties or assets are subject (each, an “Existing Instrument”), except for such Defaults as would not be reasonably expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Warrants, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Warrant Stock (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) (i) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws or similar organizational documents, as applicable, of the Company or any subsidiary (ii) will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or Default or a Debt Repayment Triggering Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, or require the consent of any other party to, any Existing Instrument and (iii) will not result in any violation of any law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Warrants and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state
7
securities or blue sky laws or Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). As used herein, a “Debt Repayment Triggering Event” means any event or condition which gives, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time would give, 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 any of its subsidiaries.
(n) The Company and its subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(o) There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(p) The financial statements filed with the SEC as a part of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto and except in the case of unaudited financial statements, which are subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments and do not contain certain footnotes as permitted by the applicable rules of the SEC. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus. The financial data set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” fairly present in all material respects the information set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no person who has been suspended or barred from being associated with a registered public accounting firm, or who has failed to comply with any sanction pursuant to Rule 5300 promulgated by the PCAOB, has participated in or otherwise aided the preparation of, or audited, the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the SEC as a part of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.
(q) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, stockholders’ equity, business, properties, operations, operating results, assets, liabilities or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions
8
in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any losses or interference with their business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, and have not entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, by any of the Company’s subsidiaries on any class of capital stock, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(r) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation brought by or before any legal or governmental entity now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which if determined adversely to the Company would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent.
(s) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all of the real and personal property and other assets reflected as owned in the financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above (or elsewhere in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus), in each case free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except such as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries are held under valid and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property by the Company or such subsidiary.
(t) To the knowledge of the Company, KPMG LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the SEC as a part of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.
9
(u) The Company and its subsidiaries have filed all material United States federal, state and non-U.S. income and other material tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and have paid all material taxes required to be paid by any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against any of them except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(m) above in respect of all material taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has not been finally determined. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes and policies covering the Company and its subsidiaries for product liability claims and clinical trial liability claims. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of its subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) 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 reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.
(w) No subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary.
(x) The Company and its subsidiaries possess such valid and current licenses, certificates, authorizations, approvals, consents or permits required by state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus (“Permits”), except where the failure to possess or obtain the same or so qualify would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any of the Permits or has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or material modification of, or non-compliance with, any of the Permits, except for any such violations, defaults, or proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such Permits that would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, to have a Material Adverse Change.
10
(y) The Company and each of its subsidiaries make and keep books and records that are accurate in all material respects and maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(z) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared, it being understood that neither subsection (l) nor subsection (m) requires the Company to comply with Section 404 of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002, as amended, as of an earlier date than it would otherwise be required to so comply under applicable law) and (ii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(aa) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the shares of Common Stock of the Company or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the shares of Common Stock of the Company, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.
(bb) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change: (i) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries 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, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances,
11
petroleum or petroleum products (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) 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; (iii) there are no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, 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 of its subsidiaries; and (iv) there are no events or circumstances that might 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 body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.
(cc) Except as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) each “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) is in compliance with ERISA; (ii) 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; (iii) 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); and (iv) neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (B) 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 has received a favorable determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service upon which it can rely and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification. “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.
(dd) 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 with any applicable provision of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇ Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.
12
(ee) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors, officers, or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury of the United Kingdom, or the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”); nor is the Company or any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the Crimea region and the non-government controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria; and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of this offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, or any joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of such financing, is the subject or the target 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 applicable Sanctions. For the past ten years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any country or territory that is the subject or the target of Sanctions.
(ff) 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 applicable rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(gg) The Company and its subsidiaries own, or have obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them or which are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted (collectively, “Company Intellectual Property”); provided that the foregoing representation is made only to the Company’s knowledge as it concerns third party patent rights, trade secrets and trademarks. To the Company’s knowledge the conduct of their respective businesses does not and will not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise conflict in any material respect with any Intellectual Property rights of others. The Intellectual Property owned by the Company has not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and the Company is
13
unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such adjudication. To the Company’s knowledge: (i) there are no third parties who have rights to any Company Intellectual Property, including liens, security interests or other encumbrances, except for customary reversionary rights of third-party licensors with respect to Intellectual Property that is disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as licensed to the Company or one or more of its subsidiaries; and (ii) there is no infringement by third parties of any Company Intellectual Property. There is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Company Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Company Intellectual Property, including interferences, oppositions, reexaminations, or similar government proceedings, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates, or would, upon the commercialization of any product or service described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as under development, infringe, misappropriate or violate, any Intellectual Property rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim: in each case of (A)-(C) which could be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company and its subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company or any subsidiary, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the patents or patent applications included in the Company Intellectual Property that is material to the Company. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect, maintain and safeguard their Intellectual Property, including the execution of appropriate nondisclosure, confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements and invention assignments with their employees, and to the Company’s knowledge no employee of the Company is in or has been in violation of any material term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement, or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company. The duty of candor and good faith as required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office during the prosecution of the United States patents and patent applications included in the Company Intellectual Property have been complied with; and in all foreign offices having similar requirements, all such requirements have been complied with. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company owned Intellectual Property or technology (including information technology and outsourced arrangements) employed by the Company or its subsidiaries has been obtained or is being used by the Company or its subsidiary in material violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons. The product candidates described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as under development by the Company or any subsidiary (except for the CAN-2409 product candidate specifically indicated from the treatment of pancreatic cancer) fall within the scope of the claims of one or more patents or patent applications owned by, or exclusively licensed to, the Company or any subsidiary.
14
(hh) There are no business relationships or related-party transactions involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus that have not been described as required.
(ii) All of the information provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and, to the Company’s knowledge, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities is true, complete, correct and compliant in all material respects with FINRA’s rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct.
(jj) All statistical, demographic and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects. To the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.
(kk) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any applicable law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.
(ll) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director, officer, or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company or any of its subsidiaries (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken any act in furtherance of an offer, promise, or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or public international organization, or any political party, party official, or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), the UK Bribery Act 2010, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, authorized, requested, or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective 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.
15
(mm) Except pursuant to this Agreement, there is no broker, finder or other party that is entitled to receive from the Company any brokerage or finder’s fee or other fee or commission as a result of any transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrants.
(nn) Each “forward-looking statement” (as defined by Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus was so included by the Company in good faith and with reasonable basis.
(oo) The Company does not have any outstanding extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
(pp) The Company and its subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and its subsidiaries as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data, including “Personal Data,” used in connection with their businesses. “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) “personal data” as defined by General Data Protection Regulation; (iv) any information which would qualify as “protected health information” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (collectively, “HIPAA”); and (v) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. There have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material 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 Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.
16
(qq) The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in material compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). In furtherance of its efforts to comply with the Privacy Laws, the Company and its subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). The Company and its subsidiaries have at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable Privacy Laws, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements in any material respect. The Company further certifies that neither it nor any subsidiary: (i) has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.
(rr) The preclinical tests and clinical trials, and other studies (collectively, “studies”) that are described in, or the results of which are referred to in, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the protocols, procedures and controls designed and approved for such studies and with standard medical and scientific research procedures; each description of the results of such studies is accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly presents in all material respects the data derived from such studies, and the Company and its subsidiaries have no knowledge of any other studies the results of which are inconsistent with, or otherwise reasonably call into question, the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus; the Company and its subsidiaries have made all such filings and obtained all such approvals as may be required by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any committee thereof or from any other U.S. or foreign government or drug or medical device regulatory agency, or health care facility Institutional Review Board (collectively, the “Regulatory Agencies”) to conduct their businesses as currently conducted and as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of, or correspondence from, any Regulatory Agency requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any clinical trials that are described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus; and the Company and its subsidiaries have each operated and currently are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable rules and regulations of the Regulatory Agencies.
17
(ss) The Company and its subsidiaries are, and at all times have been, in compliance with all Health Care Laws. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.), the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and foreign health care fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal false statements law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, the health care fraud criminal provisions HIPAA (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the ▇▇▇▇▇ Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1395nn), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7a), the exclusion law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7), the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1320-7h), and applicable laws governing government funded or sponsored healthcare programs; (iii) HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, HITECH (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.); (iv) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010; (v) licensure, quality, safety and accreditation requirements under applicable federal, state, local or foreign laws or regulatory bodies; and (vi) all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company or its subsidiaries, and (vii) the directives and regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any federal and/or state 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 nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened. The Company and its subsidiaries have filed, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws, and all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission). Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority. Additionally, neither the Company, any of its subsidiaries nor any of their respective employees, officers, directors, or agents has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any U.S. 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.
(tt) The issuance and sale of the Securities and the Warrant Stock as contemplated hereby will not cause any holder of any shares of capital stock, securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or options, warrants or other rights to purchase capital stock or any other securities of the Company to have any right to acquire any shares of preferred stock of the Company.
18
(uu) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement, which threat of termination or non-renewal has not been rescinded as of the date hereof.
Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
2. Purchase and Sale.
(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase prices set forth in Schedule I hereto, the number of shares of Firm Stock, and the number of Warrants, as set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.
(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to the number of shares of Option Stock set forth in Schedule I hereto at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the shares of Firm Stock, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Stock but not payable on the Option Stock. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Final Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of shares of Option Stock as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of shares of Option Stock to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of shares of Option Stock to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the shares of Firm Stock, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.
3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Stock, the Option Stock (if the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the first Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) and the Warrants shall be made at 9:00 a.m. New York City time, on December 16, 2024, or at such time on such later date not more than one Business Day after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). As used herein, “Business Day” shall mean
19
any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City. Delivery of the Firm Stock and the Option Stock shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Warrants shall be made by the Company to the purchasers thereof against payment by such purchasers. Delivery of the Firm Stock and the Option Stock shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company and delivery of the Warrants shall be in definitive paper form, unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.
If the option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof is exercised after the first Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Stock (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within one Business Day after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. If settlement for the Option Stock occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Stock, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Stock shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 6 hereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 3, the Company and the Representatives shall instruct purchasers of the Warrants in the offering to make payment for the Warrants on the Closing Date to the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company at a purchase price of $5.9900 per Warrant, in lieu of payment by the Underwriters for such Warrants, and the Company shall deliver such Warrants to such purchasers on the Closing Date in definitive form against such payment, in lieu of the Company’s obligation to deliver such Warrants to the Underwriters; provided that, the underwriting discounts and commissions in respect of the Warrants, as calculated for each Warrant by subtracting the Price per Warrant to the Underwriters from the Price per Warrant to the Public set forth on Schedule I hereto, shall be deducted and withheld from the amount otherwise payable by the Representatives to the Company for the Firm Stock and Warrants as set forth on Schedule I.
In the event that any purchaser of the Warrants in the public offering fails to make payment to the Company for all or part of the Warrants (the “Failed Warrants”) on the Closing Date, the Representatives may elect, by written notice to the Company and payment of the purchase price for the Firm Stock set forth in Schedule I hereto by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company at the location and time designated in this Section 3 for the Closing Date, to receive a number of shares of Common Stock equivalent to the number of Failed Warrants at the purchase price for the Firm Stock set forth in Schedule I hereto in lieu of the Failed Warrants that were otherwise to have been delivered to the purchasers thereof under this Agreement.
20
4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.
5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the SEC pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the SEC, (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the SEC or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.
(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
21
(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Final Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the SEC, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Final Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Final Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.
(d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(e) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.
(f) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.
22
(g) For a period of 75 days after the date of this Agreement (such period, being referred to herein as the “Lock-up Period”), the Company will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BofA Securities, Inc. and Canaccord Genuity LLC, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the SEC in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable for, shares of Common Stock; or (ii) publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, provided, however, that the Company may (A) effect the transactions contemplated hereby; (B) issue shares of Common Stock or options to purchase shares of Common Stock, or issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of options or the vesting of restricted stock units, pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, or issue warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock in exchange for or upon conversion of outstanding warrants to purchase preferred shares, or issue shares of Common Stock upon conversion of outstanding preferred shares, each as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, but only if the holders of such shares of Common Stock, options, restricted stock units, warrants or preferred shares, as the case may be, agree in writing with the Underwriters not to sell, offer, dispose of or otherwise transfer any such shares of Common Stock or options during such Lock-up Period without the prior written consent of the Representatives (which consent may be withheld in their sole discretion); (C) file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 with respect to any shares of Common Stock or Related Securities issued or issuable pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus, or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; (D) issue shares of Common Stock in connection with the acquisition or license by the Company of the securities, business, property, technology or other assets of another person or business entity or pursuant to any employee benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with any such acquisition; (E) issue shares of Common Stock or Related Securities, or enter into an agreement to issue shares of Common Stock or Related Securities, in connection with any merger, joint venture, strategic alliance, commercial or other collaborative transaction; provided that, in the case of immediately preceding clauses (D) and (E), (x) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued or underlying such Related Securities issued in connection with all such acquisitions and other transactions does not exceed 7% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis after giving effect to the consummation of the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the recipients of the shares of Common Stock or Related Securities provide to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto; (F) assist any stockholder of the Company in the establishment of a trading plan by such stockholder pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, and the establishment of such plan does not require or otherwise result in any public filings or other public announcement of such plan during such Lock-Up Period and such plan is otherwise permitted to be implemented during the Lock-up Period pursuant to the terms of the Lock-Up Agreement between such
23
stockholder and the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities; and (G) following the date that is 60 days after the date of this Agreement, any shares of Common Stock issued in an “at-the-market” offering pursuant to that certain Open Market Sale AgreementSM, by and between the Company and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLC, dated August 5, 2022, as amended from time to time. For purposes of the foregoing, “Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock.
(h) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.
(i) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the SEC of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities and any Warrant Stock, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities and any Warrant Stock, as well as the preparation and printing of any paper forms of the Warrants; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Stock and any Warrant Stock on the Nasdaq Global Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); provided that the amount payable pursuant to this clause (vi) and clause (vii) above shall not exceed $25,000 in the aggregate; (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.
24
(j) 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 (a) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act and (b) completion of the Lock-Up Period.
(k) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any event occurs as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.
(l) At all times while any Warrants are outstanding, to reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued and otherwise unreserved shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of enabling it to issue Warrant Stock upon exercise of such Warrants, the number of shares of Warrant Stock that are initially issuable and deliverable upon the exercise of the then outstanding Warrants.
6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section 3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) shall have been filed with the SEC within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(b) The Company shall have requested and caused ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Procter LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(c) The Company shall have requested and caused ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Procter LLP, intellectual property counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives an opinion with respect to intellectual property matters, dated the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
25
(d) The Representatives shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date, or the settlement date, as applicable, and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Warrant Stock, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(e) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and this Agreement and that:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Change in the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(f) The Company shall have requested and caused KPMG LLP to have furnished to the Representatives, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, letters (which may refer to letters previously delivered to one or more of the Representatives), dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date or the settlement date, as applicable, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters.
26
(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
(i) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.
(j) The Stock and Warrant Stock shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.
(k) At the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each officer and director of the Company addressed to the Representatives.
(l) The Representatives shall have received a form of the Warrant, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.
27
The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered electronically to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, on the Closing Date.
7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Citigroup Global Markets Inc. on demand for all reasonably incurred and documented expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities; provided that if this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company will have no obligation to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter.
8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other U.S. Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any other preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities and the Warrant Stock, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any documented out-of-pocket legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
28
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and, under the heading “Underwriting,” (ii) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances, if any and (iv) the paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding
29
in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding 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.
(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively, “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the
30
Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).
9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such non-defaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the SEC or the Nasdaq Global Market or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on either of such exchanges, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities, (iii) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).
11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
31
12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: General Counsel, facsimile number: ▇▇ (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇; BofA Securities, Inc., One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036; and Canaccord Genuity LLC, ▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ or, if sent to Candel Therapeutics, Inc., will be mailed, delivered or sent via electronic mail to ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇.
13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.
14. Jurisdiction. The Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding.
15. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
As used in this Section 15, “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); “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); “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 “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.
32
16. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
17. Integration. 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.
18. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.
19. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company 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.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall 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.
21. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
33
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| CANDEL THERAPEUTICS, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, M.D., Ph.D., FMedSci | ||
| Title: President and Chief Executive Officer | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
| The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date hereof. | ||
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| CANACCORD GENUITY LLC | ||
| CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| BOFA SECURITIES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
| CANACCORD GENUITY LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Managing Director | ||
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I
Underwriting Agreement, dated December 12, 2024
Registration Statement No. 333-266605
Representative(s): Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BofA Securities, Inc. and Canaccord Genuity LLC
Title, Purchase Price and Description of Securities:
Title: Common stock, $0.01 par value
Number of Shares of Firm Stock to be sold by the Company: 10,000,001
Number of Warrants to be sold by the Company: 3,333,333
Number of Shares of Option Stock to be sold by the Company: 2,000,000
Price per Share to Public of Firm Stock: $6.0000
Price per Share to the Underwriters of Firm Stock: $5.6400
Price per Warrant to the Public: $5.9900
Price per Warrant to the Underwriters: $5.6306
Exercise price per Warrant: $0.01
Other provisions: None
Type of Offering: Non-Delayed
I-1
SCHEDULE II
| Underwriters |
Number of Shares of Firm Stock to be Purchased |
Number of Warrants to be Purchased |
||||||
| Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
3,900,000 | 1,300,000 | ||||||
| BofA Securities, Inc. |
3,900,000 | 1,300,000 | ||||||
| Canaccord Genuity LLC |
1,900,001 | 633,333 | ||||||
| ▇.▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. LLC |
300,000 | 100,000 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
10,000,001 | 3,333,333 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
II-1
SCHEDULE III
Schedule of Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package
None
III-1
SCHEDULE IV
Schedule of Written Testing-the-Waters Communication
None
IV-1
| Form of Lock-Up Agreement | EXHIBIT A |
A-1
Form of Lock-up Agreement
December ___, 2024
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
BofA Securities, Inc.
Canaccord Genuity LLC
As Representatives of the several Underwriters,
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
New York, New York 10013
c/o BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036
c/o Canaccord Genuity LLC
▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Suite 3000
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
| RE: | Candel Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) |
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an executive officer or director of the Company or a record or beneficial owner of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (“Shares”) or of securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Shares. The Company proposes to conduct a public offering of Shares and pre-funded warrants to purchase Common Stock (together with the Shares, the “Securities”) (the “Offering”) for which Citigroup Global Markets Inc., BofA Securities, Inc and Canaccord Genuity LLC (collectively, the “Representatives”) will act as the representatives of the underwriters. The undersigned recognizes that the Offering will benefit each of the Company and the undersigned. The undersigned acknowledges that the underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the undersigned contained in this letter agreement in conducting the Offering and, at a subsequent date, in entering into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and other underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the Offering.
Annex A sets forth definitions for capitalized terms used in this letter agreement that are not defined in the body of this letter agreement. Those definitions are a part of this letter agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, during the Lock-up Period, the undersigned will not (and will cause any Family Member not to), subject to the exceptions set forth in this letter agreement, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, who may withhold their consent in their sole discretion:
| • | Sell or Offer to Sell any Shares or Related Securities currently or hereafter owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by the undersigned or such Family Member, |
A-2
| • | enter into any Swap, |
| • | make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares or Related Securities, or cause to be filed a registration statement, prospectus or prospectus supplement (or an amendment or supplement thereto) with respect to any such registration, or |
| • | publicly announce any intention to do any of the foregoing. |
The foregoing will not apply to the registration of the offer and sale of the Securities, and the sale of the Securities to the underwriters, in each case as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (a) the transfer of Shares or Related Securities by gift, or by will or intestate succession to a Family Member; or to a trust whose beneficiaries consist exclusively of one or more of the undersigned and/or a Family Member; (b) pursuant to a court order in respect of, or by operation of law as a result of, a divorce, or (c) if the undersigned is a non-individual, transfer of Shares or Related Securities to any affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), limited partners, general partners, limited liability company members, trust beneficiaries or stockholders of the undersigned, or, if, in any case, such transfer is not for value; provided, however, that:
| • | for any of (a), (b) or (c), it shall be a condition to such transfer or disposition that each transferee executes and delivers to the Representatives an agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives stating that such transferee is receiving and holding such Shares and/or Related Securities subject to the provisions of this letter agreement and agrees not to Sell or Offer to Sell such Shares and/or Related Securities, engage in any Swap or engage in any other activities restricted under this letter agreement except in accordance with this letter agreement (as if such transferee had been an original signatory hereto), and |
| • | it shall be a condition to such transfer or disposition that (1) for (a), if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act related thereto, such report shall include a statement describing the circumstances of such transfer, and (2) for (b) and (c), prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, no public disclosure or filing under the Exchange Act by any party to the transfer (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall be required, or made voluntarily, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Shares in connection with such transfer. |
Furthermore, notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by this letter agreement, the undersigned may (i) transfer Shares to the Company upon the exercise of options or warrants or the vesting of restricted stock units during the Lock-up Period to cover tax withholding obligations in connection with such exercise or vesting or for the primary purpose of paying the exercise price of options or warrants to acquire Shares, in each case pursuant to a stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement or warrants existing as of the date hereof or described in the Final Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and any Shares acquired upon such exercise or vesting shall remain subject to this letter agreement, provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report under the Exchange Act related thereto, such report shall include a
A-3
statement to the effect that the filing relates to the “net” or “cashless” exercise of options to purchase shares of common stock for the purpose of exercising such options including, if applicable, the payment of taxes due as a result of the exercise of options or vesting of restricted stock units, (ii) establish a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, (a “10b5-1 Plan”), provided that no sales or other dispositions of Shares or Related Securities may occur under such plan during the Lock-up Period and to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such 10b5-1 Plan during the Lock-up Period, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Shares may be made under such 10b5-1 Plan during the Lock-up Period, (iii) transfer or dispose of Shares or Related Securities pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan that has been entered into by the undersigned prior to the date of this letter agreement; provided, that, no amendments or other modifications are made to such 10b5-1 Plan during the Lock-Up Period and that, to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding such sale or transfer, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that the sale or transfer was made pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan, (iv) transfer or dispose of Shares or Related Securities pursuant to mandatory sell-to-cover provisions of a restricted stock unit award agreement existing as of the date of this letter agreement; provided, that, to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding such sale or transfer, such announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that the sale or transfer was made pursuant to mandatory sell-to-cover provisions of such award agreement, or (v) transfer the undersigned’s Shares or Related Securities pursuant to a bona fide third-party offer for all outstanding voting stock of the Company, whether pursuant to a merger, tender offer or otherwise, to a third party or group of third parties, provided that in the event that such merger, tender offer or other transaction is not consummated, such Shares or Related Securities held by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of Shares or Related Securities held by the undersigned and the undersigned’s Family Members, if any, except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
With respect to the Offering only, the undersigned waives any registration rights relating to registration under the Securities Act of the offer and sale of any Shares and/or any Related Securities owned either of record or beneficially by the undersigned, including any rights to receive notice of the Offering.
The undersigned confirms that the undersigned has not, and has no knowledge that any Family Member has, directly or indirectly, taken any action designed to or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Securities. The undersigned will not, and will cause any Family Member not to take, directly or indirectly, any such action.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment advice nor have the underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Offering and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate.
A-4
Whether or not the Offering occurs as currently contemplated or at all depends on market conditions and other factors. The Offering will only be made pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the underwriters.
This letter agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further effect upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of Securities to the underwriters, (ii) the Registration Statement (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the Offering is withdrawn, and (iii) January 1, 2025, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by such date (provided that the Company may by written notice to the undersigned prior to January 1, 2025, extend such date for a period of up to three additional months).
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power, capacity and authority to enter into this letter agreement. This letter agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned and the successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns of the undersigned.
This letter agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
A-5
|
|
| Securityholder Name |
|
|
| Signature |
|
|
| Printed Name of Person Signing |
| (Indicate capacity of person signing if signing as custodian or trustee, or on behalf of an entity) |
A-6
Certain Defined Terms
Used in Lock-up Agreement
For purposes of the letter agreement to which this Annex A is attached and of which it is made a part:
| • | “Call Equivalent Position” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act. |
| • | “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. |
| • | “Family Member” shall mean the spouse of the undersigned, an immediate family member of the undersigned or an immediate family member of the undersigned’s spouse, in each case living in the undersigned’s household or whose principal residence is the undersigned’s household (regardless of whether such spouse or family member may at the time be living elsewhere due to educational activities, health care treatment, military service, temporary internship or employment or otherwise). “Immediate family member” as used above shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(e) under the Exchange Act. |
| • | “Lock-up Period” shall mean the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing through the close of trading on the date that is 90 days after the date of the Final Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement). |
| • | “Put Equivalent Position” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act. |
| • | “Related Securities” shall mean any options or warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or any securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares, or to acquire other securities or rights ultimately exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Shares. |
| • | “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. |
| • | “Sell or Offer to Sell” shall mean to: |
1. – sell, offer to sell, contract to sell or lend,
2. – effect any short sale or establish or increase a Put Equivalent Position or liquidate or decrease any Call Equivalent Position
3. – pledge, hypothecate or grant any security interest in, or
4. – in any other way transfer or dispose of,
in each case whether effected directly or indirectly.
| • | “Swap” shall mean any swap, hedge or similar arrangement or agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of Shares or Related Securities, regardless of whether any such transaction is to be settled in securities, in cash or otherwise. |
Capitalized terms not defined in this Annex A shall have the meanings given to them in the body of this letter agreement.
A-7