Exhibit 1.1
[Form of Underwriting Agreement]
1,300,000 SHARES OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK
VASO ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
, 2003
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corp.
As Representative of the
several Underwriters named
in Schedule A annexed hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Vaso Active Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
confirms its agreement with ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Davidson Securities Corp. ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇") and
each of the underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the
"Underwriters," which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as
hereinafter provided in SECTION 11), for whom ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ is acting as
Representative (in such capacity, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ shall hereinafter be referred to as
"you" or the "Representative"), with respect to the sale by the Company and the
purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the
respective number of shares ("Shares") of the Company's Class A Common Stock,
$0.0001 par value per share ("Class A Common Stock"). The aggregate 1,300,000
shares of Class A Common Stock are hereinafter referred to as the "Firm
Securities."
Upon your request, as provided in Section 2(b) of this Agreement, the
Company shall also issue and sell to the Underwriters, acting severally and not
jointly, up to an additional 195,000 shares of Class A Common Stock for the
purpose of covering over-allotments, if any. Such 195,000 shares of Class A
Common Stock are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Option
Securities." The Company also proposes to issue and sell to you warrants (the
"Representative's Warrants") pursuant to the Representative's Warrant Agreement
(the "Representative's Warrant Agreement") for the purchase of an additional
130,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. The shares of Class A Common Stock
issuable upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants are hereinafter referred
to as the "Representative's Securities." The Firm Securities, the Option
Securities, the Representative's Warrants and the Representative's Securities
(collectively, hereinafter referred to as the "Securities") are more fully
described in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus referred to below.
1A. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. The Company represents
and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, each of the Underwriters as of
the date hereof, and as of the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and each
Option Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement, and an
amendment or amendments thereto, on Form SB-2 (No. 333-106785), including any
related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses (each a "Preliminary
Prospectus"), for the registration of the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which
registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the
Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the Act. The Company will not file any other
amendment to such registration statement to which the Underwriters shall have
objected in writing after having been furnished with a copy thereof. Except as
the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on
file with the Commission at the time the registration statement becomes
effective (including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits
and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein
(including, but not limited to those documents or information incorporated by
reference therein) and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of such
time pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430(A) of the Regulations), is
hereinafter called the "Registration Statement", and the form of prospectus in
the form first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the
Regulations, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus." For purposes hereof, "Rules
and Regulations" mean the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission under
either the Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), as applicable.
(b) Neither the Commission nor any state regulatory authority has
issued any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any part of any thereof and no
proceedings for a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any of the Company's securities have been instituted or are pending
or threatened. Each of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied with the requirements of
the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and none of the Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that this representation and warranty does not apply to
statements made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by or on behalf of the
Underwriters expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The
Company has filed all reports, forms or other documents required to be filed
under the Act and Exchange Act and the respective Rules and Regulations
thereunder, and all such reports, forms or other documents, when so filed or as
subsequently amended, complied in all material respects with the Act and the
Exchange Act and the respective Rules and Regulations thereunder.
(c) When the Registration Statement becomes effective and at all
times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date (as defined herein) and each
Option Closing Date (as defined herein), if any, and during such longer period
as the Prospectus may be required to be delivered in connection with sales by
the Underwriters or a dealer, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will
contain all statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance
with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and will conform to the requirements
of
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the Act and the Rules and Regulations; neither the Registration Statement nor
the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, will contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements made or
statements omitted in reliance upon and in strict conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter expressly
for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, Registration Statement or Prospectus or
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
(d) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Company
does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture
or other business entity. The Company is duly qualified and licensed and in good
standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or
leasing of any properties or the character of its operations requires such
qualification or licensing. The Company has all requisite power and authority
(corporate and other), and has obtained any and all necessary authorizations,
approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and permits of and from
all governmental or regulatory officials and bodies (including, without
limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters), to
own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the
Prospectus; the Company is and has been doing business in compliance with all
such authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and
permits and all federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations to
which it is subject; and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any such authorization, approval,
order, license, certificate, franchise, or permit which, singly or in the
aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would
materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the
earnings, position, prospects, stockholders' equity, value, operations,
properties, business or results of operations of the Company.
(e) The Company has a duly authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under "Capitalization" and
"Description of Capital Stock" and will have the adjusted capitalization set
forth therein on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, based
upon the assumptions set forth therein, and the Company is not a party to or
bound by any instrument, agreement or other arrangement providing for it to
issue any capital stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities, except
for this Agreement, the Representative's Warrant Agreement and as described in
the Prospectus. The Securities and all other securities issued or issuable by
the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if
any, conform or, when issued and paid for, will conform, in all respects to all
statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and the
holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not
subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such
securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holder of
any security of the Company or any similar contractual right granted by the
Company. The Securities are not and will not be subject to any preemptive or
other similar rights of any stockholder, have been duly authorized and, when
issued, paid for and delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to
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the descriptions thereof contained in the Prospectus; the holders thereof will
not be subject to any liability solely as such holders; all corporate action
required to be taken for the authorization, issue and sale of the Securities has
been duly and validly taken; and the certificates representing the Securities,
when delivered by the Company, will be in due and proper form. Upon the issuance
and delivery pursuant to the terms hereof of the Securities to be sold by the
Company hereunder, the Underwriters or the Representative, as the case may be,
will acquire good and marketable title to such Securities free and clear of any
lien, charge, claim, encumbrance, pledge, security interest, defect or other
restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever asserted against the Company or any
affiliate of the Company.
(f) The audited financial statements of the Company, together with
the related notes and schedules thereto, included in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus fairly present the financial position, income, changes in
cash flow, changes in stockholders' equity and the results of operations of the
Company at the respective dates and for the respective periods to which they
apply and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and the Rules and Regulations,
consistently applied throughout the periods involved and such financial
statements as are audited have been examined by ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, who are
independent certified public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
Rules and Regulations, as indicated in their respective reports filed therewith.
There has been no change or development involving a material adverse prospective
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, position,
prospects, stockholders' equity, operations, properties, business, or results of
operations of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, since the date of the financial statements included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the outstanding debt, the
property, both tangible and intangible, and the business of the Company, conform
in all respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus. The financial information (including, without limitation, any pro
forma financial information) set forth in the Prospectus under the headings
"Summary Financial Data," "Selected Financial Data," "Capitalization," and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations," fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus, the
information set forth therein, and have been derived from or compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the
Prospectus; and, in the case of pro forma information, if any, the assumptions
used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein
are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to
therein. The amounts shown as accrued for current and deferred income and other
taxes in such financial statements are sufficient for the payment of all accrued
and unpaid domestic and foreign income taxes, interest, penalties, assessments
or deficiencies applicable to the Company, whether disputed or not, for the
applicable period then ended and periods prior thereto; adequate allowance for
doubtful accounts has been provided for unindemnified losses due to the
operations of the Company; and the statements of income do not contain any items
of special or nonrecurring income not earned in the ordinary course of business,
except as specified in the notes thereto.
(g) There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements which
are required to be included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in
accordance with Regulation S-X which have not been included as so required. The
pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information included in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus has been
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properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of
the Act and the Rules and Regulations and include all adjustments necessary to
present fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles the
pro forma and as adjusted financial position of the respective entity or
entities presented therein at the respective dates indicated and their cash
flows and the results of operations for the respective periods specified.
(h) The assumptions used in preparing the pro forma and pro forma as
adjusted financial information included in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects
directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein; the
related pro forma and pro forma as adjusted adjustments give appropriate effect
to those assumptions; and the pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial
information reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the
corresponding historical financial statement amounts.
(i) The Company (i) has paid all federal, state, local and foreign
taxes for which it is liable, (ii) has established adequate reserves for such
taxes which are not due and payable, and (iii) does not have any tax deficiency
or claims outstanding, proposed or assessed against it.
(j) No transfer tax, stamp duty or other similar tax is payable by
or on behalf of the Underwriters in connection with (i) the issuance by the
Company of the Securities, (ii) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities from the Company and the purchase by the
Representative of the Representative's Warrants from the Company, (iii) the
consummation by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement or
the Representative's Warrant Agreement, or (iv) resales of the Firm Securities
and the Option Securities in connection with the distribution contemplated
hereby.
(k) The Company maintains insurance policies, including, but not
limited to, general liability, property, personal and product liability
insurance, and surety bonds which insures the Company and its employees against
such losses and risks generally insured against by comparable businesses. The
Company (A) has not failed to give notice or present any insurance claim with
respect to any matter, including but not limited to the Company's business,
property or employees, under any insurance policy or surety bond in a due and
timely manner, (B) does not have any disputes or claims against any underwriter
of such insurance policies or surety bonds, nor has the Company failed to pay
any premiums due and payable thereunder, or (C) has not failed to comply with
all conditions contained in such insurance policies and surety bonds. There are
no facts or circumstances under any such insurance policy or surety bond which
would relieve any insurer of its obligation to satisfy in full any valid claim
of the Company.
(l) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration,
investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding (including, without
limitation, those pertaining to environmental or similar matters), domestic or
foreign, pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against (or
circumstances that may give rise to the same), or involving the properties or
business of, the Company which (i) questions the validity of the capital stock
of the Company, this Agreement or the Representative's Warrant Agreement, or of
any action taken or to be taken by the Company pursuant to or in connection with
this Agreement or the Representative's Warrant Agreement, (ii) is required to be
disclosed in the Registration
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Statement which is not so disclosed (and such proceedings as are summarized in
the Registration Statement are accurately summarized in all respects), or (iii)
might materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or
the earnings, position, prospects, stockholders' equity, operations, properties,
business or results of operations of the Company.
(m) The Company has full legal right, corporate power and authority
to authorize, issue, deliver and sell the Securities, to enter into this
Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and to consummate the
transactions provided for in this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant
Agreement; and this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement have
each been duly and properly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
Each of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement constitutes a
legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other laws of general application relating to or affecting the enforcement of
creditors' rights and the application of equitable principles in any action,
legal or equitable, and except as obligations to indemnify or contribute to
losses may be limited by applicable law). None of the Company's issuance and
sale of the Securities, execution or delivery of this Agreement or the
Representative's Warrant Agreement, its performance hereunder and thereunder,
its consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, or the
conduct of its business as described in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, conflicts with or will
conflict with or results or will result in any breach or violation of any of the
terms or provisions of, or constitutes or will constitute a default under, or
result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, claim, encumbrance,
pledge, security interest, defect or other restriction or equity of any kind
whatsoever upon, any property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Company
pursuant to the terms of (i) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the
Company, (ii) any license, contract, collective bargaining agreement, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, lease, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement,
note, loan or credit agreement or other agreement or instrument evidencing an
obligation for borrowed money, or any other agreement or instrument to which the
Company is a party or by which the Company is or may be bound or to which its
properties or assets (tangible or intangible) are or may be subject or (iii) any
statute, judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company
of any arbitrator, court, regulatory body or administrative agency or other
governmental agency or body (including, without limitation, those having
jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters), domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its activities or properties.
(n) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, and no filing
with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, government agency or
other body, domestic or foreign, is required for the issuance of the Securities,
the performance of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and
the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including without limitation,
any waiver of any preemptive right, first refusal or other rights that any
entity or person may have for the issue and/or sale of any of the Securities,
except such as have been obtained under the Act or may be required under state
securities laws or the rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. ("NASD") in connection with the Underwriters' purchase and distribution of
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, and the Representative's Warrants
to be sold by the Company hereunder. All authorizations, approvals, consents,
orders, registrations, licenses or permits of any court or governmental agency
or body
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necessary for the consummation of the organization of the Company have been
obtained or effected and are in full force and effect.
(o) All executed agreements, contracts or other documents or copies
of executed agreements, contracts or other documents filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement to which the Company is a party or by which it may be
bound or to which its assets, properties or business may be subject have been
duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
constitute the legal, valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable
against it in accordance with its terms. The descriptions in the Registration
Statement of agreements, contracts and other documents are accurate and fairly
present the information required to be shown with respect thereto by Form SB-2,
and there are no agreements, contracts or other documents which are required by
the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or filed as exhibits to
the Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required, and the
exhibits which have been filed are complete and correct copies of the documents
of which they purport to be copies.
(p) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and except as may
otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not
(i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, for borrowed money, (ii) entered into any transaction other than in
the ordinary course of business, or (iii) declared or paid any dividend or made
any other distribution on or in respect of its capital stock of any class, and
there has not been any change in the capital stock, or any change in the debt
(long or short term) or liabilities or material adverse change in or affecting
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, position, prospects,
stockholders' equity, value, operations, properties, business, or results of
operations of the Company.
(q) No default exists in the due performance and observance of any
material term, covenant or condition of any license, contract, collective
bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, installment sale agreement, lease,
deed of trust, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, partnership
agreement, note, loan or credit agreement, purchase order, or any other
agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any
other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company may be bound or to which the property or assets (tangible or
intangible) of the Company is subject or affected.
(r) The Company has generally enjoyed a satisfactory
employer-employee relationship with its employees and is in compliance with all
federal, state, local and foreign laws rules and regulations respecting
employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and
wages and hours. There are no pending investigations involving the Company by
any governmental agency responsible for the enforcement of such domestic or
foreign laws and regulations. There is no unfair labor practice charge or
complaint against the Company or any lockout, strike, picketing, boycott,
dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the knowledge of the Company,
threatened against or involving the Company, or any predecessor entity, and none
has ever occurred. No representation question exists respecting the employees of
the Company, and no collective bargaining agreement or modification thereof is
currently being negotiated by the Company. No grievance or arbitration
proceeding is pending under any
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expired or existing collective bargaining agreements of the Company. No labor
dispute with the employees of the Company exists, or, is imminent.
(s) The Company does not maintain, sponsor or contribute to any
program or arrangement that is an "employee pension benefit plan," an "employee
welfare benefit plan," or a "multiemployer plan" as such terms are defined in
Sections 3(2), 3(1) and 3(37), respectively, of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA") ("ERISA Plans"). The Company does not
maintain or contribute, now or at any time previously, to a defined benefit
plan, as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA. No ERISA Plan (or any trust created
thereunder) has engaged in a "prohibited transaction" within the meaning of
Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, which could subject the
Company to any tax penalty on prohibited transactions and which has not
adequately been corrected. Each ERISA Plan is in compliance with all reporting,
disclosure and other requirements of the Code and ERISA as they relate to any
such ERISA Plan. Determination letters have been received from the Internal
Revenue Service with respect to each ERISA Plan which is intended to comply with
Code Section 401(a), stating that such ERISA Plan and the attendant trust are
qualified thereunder. The Company has never completely or partially withdrawn
from a "multiemployer plan."
(t) Neither the Company, nor any of its employees, directors,
stockholders, partners, or affiliates (within the meaning of the Rules and
Regulations) of any of the foregoing has taken or will take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or which might 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 or otherwise.
(u) None of the trademarks, trade names, service marks, service
names, copyrights, patents and patent applications, and none of the licenses and
rights to the foregoing, presently owned or held by the Company are in dispute
or are in conflict with the right of any other person or entity except as and to
the extent described in the Prospectus. Except as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus, the Company (i) owns or has the right to use, free and clear
of all liens, charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security interests,
defects or other restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, all
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, patents and
patent applications, and licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing, used
in the conduct of its business as now conducted or proposed to be conducted
without infringing upon or otherwise acting adversely to the right or claimed
right of any person, corporation or other entity under or with respect to any of
the foregoing and (ii) is not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to
make any payments by way of royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or
licensee of, or other claimant to, any trademark, trade name, service ▇▇▇▇,
service name, copyright, patent or patent application. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental or
other proceeding, domestic or foreign, pending or, to the knowledge of the
Company, threatened (or circumstances that may give rise to the same) against
the Company which challenges the exclusive rights of the Company with respect to
any trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, patents,
patent applications or licenses or rights to the foregoing used in the conduct
of its business, or which challenge the right of the Company to use any
technology presently used or contemplated to be used in the conduct of its
business.
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(v) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus, the
Company owns and has the unrestricted right to use all trade secrets, know-how
(including all unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures), inventions, technology, designs, processes,
works of authorship, computer programs and technical data and information
(collectively herein "intellectual property") that are material to the
development, manufacture, operation and sale of all products and services sold
or proposed to be sold by the Company, free and clear of and without violating
any right, lien, or claim of others, including without limitation, former
employers of its employees.
(w) The Company has good and marketable title to, or valid and
enforceable leasehold estates in, all items of real and personal property stated
in the Prospectus to be owned or leased by it, free and clear of all liens,
charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects, or other
restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, other than those referred to in
the Prospectus and liens for taxes not yet due and payable.
(x) ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, whose report is filed with the Commission as a
part of the Registration Statement, are independent certified public accountants
as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(y) The Company has caused to be duly executed legally binding and
enforceable agreements pursuant to which each of the Company's officers,
directors, stockholders and holders of securities exchangeable or exercisable
for or convertible into shares of Class A Common Stock in excess of 2% or more
of the Class A Common Stock then outstanding, has agreed not to, directly or
indirectly, issue, offer, offer to sell, sell, grant any option for the sale or
purchase of, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or
dispose of any shares of Class A Common Stock or securities convertible into,
exercisable or exchangeable for or evidencing any right to purchase or subscribe
for any shares of Class A Common Stock (either pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules
and Regulations or otherwise) or dispose of any beneficial interest therein for
a period of not less than twelve (12) months (twenty-four (24) months in the
case of BioChemics, Inc.) following the effective date of the Registration
Statement (the "Lock-Up Period") without the prior written consent of the
Representative and the Company (the "Lock-Up Agreements"). During the 24 month
period commencing on the effective date of the Registration Statement, the
Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative,
sell, contract or offer to sell, issue, transfer, assign, pledge, distribute, or
otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Class A Common Stock
or any options, rights or warrants with respect to any shares of Class A Common
Stock, except for this Agreement, the Representative's Warrant Agreement, the
conversion of the Company's Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock and
except as described in the Prospectus. The Company will cause the Transfer Agent
(as hereinafter defined) to ▇▇▇▇ an appropriate legend on the face of stock
certificates representing all of such securities and to place "stop transfer"
orders on the Company's stock ledgers.
(z) There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or
understandings, whether oral or written, for services in the nature of a
finder's or origination fee with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder
or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with
respect to the Company, or any of its officers,
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directors, stockholders, partners, employees or affiliates, that may affect the
Underwriters' compensation, as determined by the NASD.
(aa) The Class A Common Stock has been approved for quotation on the
Nasdaq Small Cap Market ("NASDAQ") and the Boston Stock Exchange ("BSE"),
subject to notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, and the
Company has taken no action designed to terminate, or likely to have the effect
of terminating, the quotation of the shares on the NASDAQ or the BSE, nor has
the Company received any notification that the NASDAQ or BSE is contemplating
terminating such quotation.
(bb) Neither the Company, nor any of its directors, officers,
employees, shareholders, agents or any other person acting on behalf of the
Company has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or
similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary
course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer
or supplier, or any official or employee of any governmental agency (domestic or
foreign) or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any
political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or any other
person who was, is or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the
Company (or assist the Company in connection with any actual or proposed
transaction) which (a) might subject the Company, or any other such person to
any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or
proceeding (domestic or foreign), (b) if not given in the past, might have had a
material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings,
position, properties, stockholders' equity, value, operations or prospects of
the Company, or (c) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the
condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, position, properties, stockholders'
equity, value, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company's internal
accounting controls are sufficient to cause the Company to comply with the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(cc) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no officer, director,
stockholder or partner of the Company, or any "affiliate" or "associate" (as
these terms are defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Rules and Regulations)
of any of the foregoing persons or entities has or has had, either directly or
indirectly, (i) an interest in any person or entity which (A) furnishes or sells
services or products which are furnished or sold or are proposed to be furnished
or sold by the Company, or (B) purchases from or sells or furnishes to the
Company any goods or services, or (ii) a beneficial interest in any contract or
agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound or
affected. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no existing
agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions, or proposed
agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions, between or among the
Company, and any officer, director, or 5% or greater securityholder of the
Company, or any partner, affiliate or associate of any of the foregoing persons
or entities.
(dd) Any certificate signed by the president and chief executive
officer or the chief financial officer of the Company, and delivered to the
Underwriters or to Underwriters' Counsel (as defined herein) shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters
covered thereby.
10
(ee) The minute books of each of the Company have been made available
to the Underwriters and contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions
of the directors (including committees thereof) and stockholders of the Company,
since the time of incorporation, and reflect all transactions referred to in
such minutes accurately in all material respects.
(ff) No holders of any securities of the Company or of any options,
warrants or other convertible or exchangeable securities of the Company have the
right to include any securities issued by the Company in the Registration
Statement or any registration statement to be filed by the Company or to require
the Company to file a registration statement under the Act prior to eighteen
(18) months after the effective date, and no person or entity holds any
anti-dilution rights with respect to any securities of the Company.
(gg) The Company has as of the effective date of the Registration
Statement entered into an employment agreement with each of ▇▇▇▇ Masiz and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, PhD in the form filed as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2,
respectively, to the Registration Statement.
(hh) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
AN ACT RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF DOING BUSINESS WITH CUBA, and the Company
further agrees that if it or any affiliate commences engaging in business with
the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the
date the Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the
Commission or with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the
"Department"), whichever date is later, or if the information reported or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's,
or any affiliate's, business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located
in Cuba changes in any material way, the Company will provide the Department
notice of such business or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the
Department.
(ii) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Firm
Securities and Option Securities as herein contemplated and the application of
the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use
of Proceeds" will not be, an "investment company" or an entity "controlled" by
an "investment company" as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
(jj) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient 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 preparations of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; 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.
(kk) The disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the
effects of federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations on the
Company's business as currently conducted and as contemplated are correct in all
material respects and do not omit to
11
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements contained, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
1B. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BIOCHEMICS. Bio Chemics, Inc. (the
"Parent") represents and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters as of the date hereof, and as of the Closing Date (as hereinafter
defined) and each Option Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as
follows:
(a) The Parent has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
organization. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Parent does
not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture or
other business entity. The Parent is duly qualified and licensed and in good
standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or
leasing of any properties or the character of its operations requires such
qualification or licensing.
(b) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration,
investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding (including, without
limitation, those pertaining to environmental or similar matters), domestic or
foreign, pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against (or
circumstances that may give rise to the same), or involving the properties or
business of, the Parent which questions the validity of this Agreement, or of
any action taken or to be taken by the Parent pursuant to or in connection with
this Agreement.
(c) The Parent has full legal right, power and authority to enter
into this Agreement and this Agreement has been duly and properly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Parent. This Agreement constitutes a legal, valid
and binding agreement of the Parent enforceable against the Parent in accordance
with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general
application relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights and
the application of equitable principles in any action, legal or equitable, and
except as obligations to indemnify or contribute to losses may be limited by
applicable law). None of the Parent's execution or delivery of this Agreement or
its performance hereunder conflicts with or will conflict with or results or
will result in any breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitutes or will constitute a default under, or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge, claim, encumbrance, pledge, security interest,
defect or other restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever upon, any property
or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Parent pursuant to the terms of (i)
the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Parent, (ii) any license,
contract, collective bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust,
lease, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, note, loan or credit
agreement or other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed
money, or any other agreement or instrument to which the Parent is a party or by
which the Parent is or may be bound or to which its properties or assets
(tangible or intangible) are or may be subject or (iii) any statute, judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to the Parent of any arbitrator,
court, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental agency or
body (including, without limitation, those having jurisdiction over
environmental or similar matters), domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over
the Parent or any of its activities or properties.
12
(d) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, and no filing
with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, government agency or
other body, domestic or foreign, is required for the performance of this
Agreement. All authorizations, approvals, consents, orders, registrations,
licenses or permits of any court or governmental agency or body necessary for
the consummation of the organization of the Parent have been obtained or
effected and are in full force and effect.
(e) All executed agreements, contracts or other documents or copies
of executed agreements, contracts or other documents filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement to which the Parent is a party or by which it may be
bound or to which its assets, properties or business may be subject have been
duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Parent and constitute
the legal, valid and binding agreements of the Parent, enforceable against it in
accordance with its terms.
(f) No default exists in the due performance and observance of any
material term, covenant or condition of any license, contract, collective
bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, installment sale agreement, lease,
deed of trust, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, partnership
agreement, note, loan or credit agreement, purchase order, or any other
agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any
other material agreement or instrument to which the Parent is a party or by
which the Parent may be bound or to which the property or assets (tangible or
intangible) of the Parent is subject or affected.
(g) None of the trademarks, trade names, service marks, service
names, copyrights, patents and patent applications, and none of the licenses and
rights to the foregoing, presently owned or held by the Parent are in dispute or
are in conflict with the right of any other person or entity except as and to
the extent described in the Prospectus. Except as described or referred to in
the Prospectus, the Parent (i) owns or has the right to use, free and clear of
all liens, charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects
or other restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, all trademarks, trade
names, service marks, service names, copyrights, patents and patent
applications, and licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing, used in the
conduct of its business as now conducted or proposed to be conducted without
infringing upon or otherwise acting adversely to the right or claimed right of
any person, corporation or other entity under or with respect to any of the
foregoing and (ii) is not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to make
any payments by way of royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or licensee of,
or other claimant to, any trademark, trade name, service ▇▇▇▇, service name,
copyright, patent or patent application. There is no action, suit, proceeding,
inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental or other
proceeding, domestic or foreign, pending or, to the knowledge of the Parent,
threatened (or circumstances that may give rise to the same) against the Parent
which challenges the exclusive rights of the Parent with respect to any
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, patents,
patent applications or licenses or rights to the foregoing used in the conduct
of its business, or which challenge the right of the Parent to use any
technology presently used or contemplated to be used in the conduct of its
business.
13
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SECURITIES.
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company at a price of
$4.50 per share of Class A Common Stock, that number of Firm Securities set
forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, subject to such
adjustment as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional shares, plus any additional number of Firm
Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to
the provisions of SECTION 11 hereof.
(b) In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase all or any part of an
additional 195,000 shares of Class A Common Stock at a price of $4.50 per share
of Class A Common Stock. The option granted hereby will expire forty-five (45)
days after (i) the date the Registration Statement becomes effective, if the
Company has elected not to rely on Rule 430A under the Rules and Regulations, or
(ii) the date of this Agreement if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule
430A under the Rules and Regulations, and may be exercised in whole or in part
from time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be
made in connection with the offering and distribution of the Firm Securities
upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of
Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the
option and the time and date of payment and delivery for any such Option
Securities. Any such time and date of delivery (an "Option Closing Date") shall
be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than three (3) full
business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date, as hereinafter defined, unless otherwise agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company. Nothing herein contained shall obligate the
Underwriters to make any over-allotments. No Option Securities shall be
delivered unless the Firm Securities shall be simultaneously delivered or shall
theretofore have been delivered as herein provided.
(c) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates
for, the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of the Representative at
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such other place as shall
be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. Such delivery and payment
shall be made at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on ________, 2003 or at such
other time and date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the
Company, but not less than three (3) nor more than five (5) full business days
after the effective date of the Registration Statement (such time and date of
payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing Date"). In addition, in
the event that any or all of the Option Securities are purchased by the
Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates
for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned office of the
Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company on each Option Closing Date as specified in the
notice from the Representative to the Company. Delivery of the certificates for
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if any, shall be made to the
Underwriters against payment by the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, of
the purchase price for the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if any, to
the order of the Company for the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if
any, by New York Clearing House
14
funds. In the event such option is exercised, each of the Underwriters, acting
severally and not jointly, shall purchase that proportion of the total number of
Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Firm Securities set
forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the
total number of Firm Securities, subject in each case to such adjustments as the
Representative in its discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases
of fractional shares. Certificates for the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, shall be in definitive, fully registered form, shall bear no
restrictive legends and shall be in such denominations and registered in such
names as the Underwriters may request in writing at least two (2) business days
prior to the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may
be. The certificates for the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if any,
shall be made available to the Representative at such office or such other place
as the Representative may designate for inspection, checking and packaging no
later than 9:30 a.m. on the last business day prior to the Closing Date or the
relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
(d) On the Closing Date, the Company shall issue and sell to the
Representative or its designees, Representative's Warrants at a purchase price
of $.0001 per warrant, which Representative's Warrants shall entitle the holders
thereof to purchase an aggregate of 130,000 shares of Class A Common Stock. The
Representative's Warrants shall be exercisable for a period of four (4) years
commencing one (1) year from the effective date of the Registration Statement at
a price equaling one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the respective initial
public offering price of the Shares. The Representative's Warrant Agreement and
form of Warrant Certificate shall be substantially in the form filed as Exhibit
1.2 to the Registration Statement. Payment for the Representative's Warrants
shall be made on the Closing Date.
3. PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE SHARES. As soon after the Registration
Statement becomes effective as the Representative deems advisable, the
Underwriters shall make a public offering of the Shares (other than to residents
of or in any jurisdiction in which qualification of the Securities is required
and has not become effective) at the price and upon the other terms set forth in
the Prospectus. The Representative may from time to time increase or decrease
the public offering price after distribution of the Shares has been completed to
such extent as the Representative, in its sole discretion deems advisable. The
Underwriters may enter into one of more agreements as the Underwriters, in each
of their sole discretion, deem advisable with one or more broker-dealers who
shall act as dealers in connection with such public offering.
4. COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and
agrees with each of the Underwriters as follows:
(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as
practicable and will not at any time, whether before or after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, file any amendment to the Registration Statement
or supplement to the Prospectus or file any document under the Act or Exchange
Act before termination of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters of
which the Representative shall not previously have been advised and furnished
with a copy, or to which the Representative shall have objected or which is not
in compliance with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Rules and Regulations.
15
(b) As soon as the Company is advised or obtains knowledge thereof,
the Company will advise the Representative and confirm the same in writing (i)
when the Registration Statement, as amended, becomes effective, if the
provisions of Rule 430A promulgated under the Act will be relied upon, when the
Prospectus has been filed in accordance with said Rule 430A and when any
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii)
of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the
threatening, of any proceeding the outcome of which may result in the suspension
of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any order preventing or
suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or the institution of any proceedings for that
purpose; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or by any state securities
commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of any of
the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or
the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt of any
comments from the Commission; and (v) of any request by the Commission for any
amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus or for additional information. If the Commission or any state
securities regulatory authority shall enter a stop order or suspend such
qualification at any time, the Company will make every effort to obtain promptly
the lifting of such order.
(c) The Company shall file the Prospectus (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative) with the Commission, or transmit the
Prospectus by a means reasonably calculated to result in filing the same with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) of the Act (or, if applicable and if
consented to by the Representative, pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4)) of the Act not
later than the Commission's close of business on the earlier of (i) the second
business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement and (ii) the
fifth business day after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will give the Representative notice of its intention
to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any
post-effective amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus
(including any revised prospectus which the Company proposes for use in
connection with the offering of the Firm Securities or Option Securities which
differs from the corresponding prospectus on file at the Commission at the time
the Registration Statement becomes effective, whether or not such revised
prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and
Regulations), and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such
amendment or supplement a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed
filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file any such amendment or
supplement to which the Representative or Sichenzia ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP,
its counsel ("Underwriters' Counsel"), shall object.
(e) The Company shall endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with
the Representative, at or prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes
effective, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities
laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate to permit the
continuance of sales and dealings therein for as long as may be necessary to
complete the distribution contemplated hereby, and shall make such applications,
file such documents and furnish such information as may be required for such
purpose; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the Company shall not be required to qualify as a
foreign corporation or file a general or limited consent to service of process
in any such jurisdiction. In each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be
effected, the Company will, unless the
16
Representative agrees that such action is not at the time necessary or
advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make such statements or
reports at such times as are or may reasonably be required by the laws of such
jurisdiction to continue such qualification.
(f) During the time when a prospectus is required to be delivered
under the Act, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to comply with all
requirements imposed upon it by the Act and the Exchange Act, as now and
hereafter amended and by the Rules and Regulations, so far as necessary to
permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance
with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements
thereto. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Firm Securities and
Option Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event shall
have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or
Underwriters' Counsel, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes
an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it
is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the
Company will notify the Representative promptly and prepare and file with the
Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10
of the Act, each such amendment or supplement to be satisfactory to
Underwriters' Counsel, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters copies
of such amendment or supplement as soon as available and in such quantities as
the Underwriters may request.
(g) As soon as practicable, but in any event not later than
forty-five (45) days after the end of the 12-month period beginning on the day
after the end of the fiscal quarter of the Company during which the effective
date of the Registration Statement occurs (ninety (90) days in the event that
the end of such fiscal quarter is the end of the Company's fiscal year), the
Company shall make generally available to its security holders, in the manner
specified in Rule 158(b) of the Rules and Regulations, and to the
Representative, an earnings statement which will be in the detail required by,
and will otherwise comply with, the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and
Rule 158(a) of the Rules and Regulations, which statement need not be audited
unless required by the Act, covering a period of at least twelve (12)
consecutive months after the effective date of the Registration Statement.
(h) During a period of seven (7) years after the date hereof, the
Company will furnish to its stockholders, as soon as practicable, annual reports
(including financial statements audited by independent public accountants) and
unaudited quarterly reports of earnings, and will deliver to the Representative:
(i) concurrently with furnishing such quarterly reports to
the Commission, statements of income of the Company for such quarter in the
form furnished to the Company's stockholders and certified by the Company's
principal financial or accounting officer;
(ii) concurrently with furnishing such annual reports to its
stockholders, a balance sheet of the Company as at the end of the preceding
fiscal year, together with statements of operations, stockholders' equity,
and cash flows of the
17
Company for such fiscal year, accompanied by a copy of the report thereon
of the Company's independent certified public accountants;
(iii) as soon as they are available, copies of all reports
(financial or other) mailed to stockholders;
(iv) as soon as they are available, copies of all reports and
financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, the NASD or
any securities exchange;
(v) every press release and every material news item or
article of interest to the financial community in respect of the Company,
or its affairs, which was released or prepared by or on behalf of the
Company; and
(vi) any additional information of a public nature concerning
the Company (and any future subsidiary) or its businesses which the
Representative may request.
During such seven-year period, if the Company has an active subsidiary, the
foregoing financial statements will be on a consolidated basis to the extent
that the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary(ies) are consolidated, and
will be accompanied by similar financial statements for any significant
subsidiary which is not so consolidated.
(i) The Company will maintain a transfer agent ("Transfer Agent")
and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a
Registrar (which may be the same entity as the Transfer Agent) for its Class A
Common Stock.
(j) The Company will furnish to the Representative or on the
Representative's order, without charge, at such place as the Representative may
designate, copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and
any pre-effective or post-effective amendments thereto (two of which copies will
be signed and will include all financial statements and exhibits), the
Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, including any prospectus
prepared after the effective date of the Registration Statement, in each case as
soon as available and in such quantities as the Representative may request.
(k) On or before the effective date of the Registration Statement,
the Company shall provide the Representative with true, originally executed,
legally binding and enforceable Lock-Up Agreements which are in form and
substance satisfactory to the Representative. On or before the Closing Date, the
Company shall deliver instructions to the Transfer Agent authorizing it to place
appropriate legends on the certificates representing the securities subject to
the Lock-Up Agreements and to place appropriate stop transfer orders on the
Company's ledgers.
(l) The Company agrees that, for a period of twenty-four (24) months
commencing on the effective date of the Registration Statement, and except (i)
as contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) upon the conversion of the Company's
Class B Common Stock into Class A Common Stock, it and its present and future
subsidiaries will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative
issue, sell, contract or offer to sell, grant an option for the
18
purchase or sale of, assign, transfer, pledge, distribute or otherwise dispose
of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any option, right or
warrant with respect to any shares of Common Stock or any type of capital stock
having voting or dividend rights on a parity with or superior to the Common
Stock, except pursuant to stock options or warrants issued on the date hereof.
(m) Neither the Company, nor any of its officers, directors,
stockholders, nor any of their respective affiliates (within the meaning of the
Rules and Regulations) will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed
to, or which might in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in,
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
(n) The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities in the manner, and subject to the conditions, set forth under "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus. No portion of the net proceeds will be used,
directly or indirectly, to acquire any securities issued by the Company.
(o) The Company shall timely file all such reports, forms or other
documents as may be required from time to time, under the Act, the Exchange Act,
and the Rules and Regulations, and all such reports, forms and documents filed
will comply as to form and substance with the applicable requirements under the
Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations.
(p) The Company shall furnish to the Representative as early as
practicable prior to each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and each Option
Closing Date, if any, but no later than two (2) full business days prior
thereto, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements
of the Company (which in no event shall be as of a date more than thirty (30)
days prior to the date of the Registration Statement) which have been read by
the Company's independent public accountants, as stated in their letters to be
furnished pursuant to SECTIONS 6(j) hereof.
(q) The Company shall cause the Class A Common Stock to be quoted on
NASDAQ and, for a period of seven (7) years from the date hereof, use its best
efforts to maintain the NASDAQ listing of the Class A Common Stock to the extent
outstanding.
(r) For a period of seven (7) years from the Closing Date, the
Company shall furnish to the Representative at the Company's sole expense, (i)
daily consolidated transfer sheets relating to the Class A Common Stock, (ii)
the list of holders of all of the Company's securities and (iii) a Blue Sky
"Trading Survey" for secondary sales of the Company's securities prepared by
counsel to the Company and take all necessary and appropriate actions to further
qualify the Company's securities in all jurisdictions of the United States in
order to permit secondary sales of such securities pursuant to the "blue sky"
laws of those jurisdictions, provided that such jurisdictions do not require the
Company to qualify as a foreign corporation.
(s) As soon as practicable, (i) file a Form 8-A with the Commission
providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of the Securities and (ii)
but in no event more than one day after the effective date of the Registration
Statement, take all necessary and appropriate
19
actions to be included in Standard and Poor's Corporation Descriptions and
▇▇▇▇▇'▇ OTC Manual and to continue such inclusion for a period of not less than
seven (7) years.
(t) The Company hereby agrees that it will not, for a period of
twelve (12) months from the effective date of the Registration Statement, adopt,
propose to adopt or otherwise permit to exist any employee, officer, director,
consultant or compensation plan or similar arrangement permitting (i) the grant,
issue, sale or entry into any agreement to grant, issue or sell any option,
warrant or other contract right (x) at an exercise price that is less than the
greater of the public offering price of the Shares set forth herein and the fair
market value on the date of grant or sale or (y) to any of its executive
officers or directors or to any holder of 5% or more of the Class A Common Stock
other than pursuant to the Company's 2003 stock incentive plan and 2003
non-employee director compensation plan each as described in or contemplated by
the Prospectus; (ii) the payment for such securities with any form of
consideration other than cash; or (iii) the existence of stock appreciation
rights, phantom options or similar arrangements.
(u) Until the completion of the distribution of the Securities, the
Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative and
Underwriters' Counsel, issue, directly or indirectly, any press release or other
communication or hold any press conference with respect to the Company or its
activities or the offering contemplated hereby, other than trade releases issued
in the ordinary course of the Company's business consistent with past practices
with respect to the Company's operations.
(v) For a period equal to the lesser of (i) five (5) years from the
date hereof, and (ii) the sale to the public of the Representative's Securities,
the Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent or disqualify
the Company's use of Form SB-2 (or other appropriate form) for the registration
under the Act of the Representative's Securities.
(w) For a period of twenty four (24) months after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, the Company shall not restate, amend or alter any
term of any written employment, consulting or similar agreement entered into
between the Company and any officer, director or key employee as of the
effective date of the Registration Statement in a manner which is more favorable
to such officer, director or key employee, without the prior written consent of
the Representative.
(x) The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement for a period of five years after the
date hereof.
(y) For a period of seven (7) years from the effective date, the
Company will retain a public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the
Representative.
(z) For a period of five (5) years from the effective date, the
Representative shall have the right to designate one member of the Company's
Board of Directors or to designate a non-voting advisor to attend all meeting
of the Board. Any such Board member shall receive reimbursement for
reasonable travel costs incurred in attending Board meetings as well as any
compensation paid to other "outside" Directors. Any such non-voting advisor
shall receive reimbursement for reasonable travel costs incurred in attending
Board meetings.
5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
20
(a) The Company hereby agrees to pay (such payment to be made, at
the discretion of the Representation, on the Closing Date and any Option Closing
Date to the extent not paid on the Closing Date or a previous Option Closing
Date) all expenses and fees (other than fees of Underwriters' Counsel) incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement and
the Representative's Warrant Agreement, including, without limitation, (i) the
fees and expenses of accountants and counsel for the Company, (ii) all costs and
expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, duplication, printing
(including mailing and handling charges), filing, delivery and mailing
(including the payment of postage with respect thereto) of the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto and the
printing, mailing (including the payment of postage overnight delivery or
courier charges with respect thereto) and delivery of this Agreement, the
Representative's Warrant Agreement, the Agreement Among Underwriters, the
Selected Dealer Agreements, and related documents, including the cost of all
copies thereof and of the Preliminary Prospectuses and of the Prospectus and any
amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters and such
dealers as the Underwriters may request, in quantities as hereinabove stated,
(iii) the printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Securities
including, but not limited to, (x) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities and the purchase by the Representative of
the Representative's Warrants from the Company, (y) the consummation by the
Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement and the Representative's
Warrant Agreement, and (z) resale of the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities by the Underwriters in connection with the distribution contemplated
hereby, (iv) the qualification of the Securities under state or foreign
securities or "Blue Sky" laws and determination of the status of such securities
under legal investment laws, including the costs of printing and mailing the
"Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum", the "Supplemental Blue Sky Memorandum" and
"Legal Investments Survey," if any, and disbursements and fees of counsel in
connection therewith, (v) costs and expenses incurred by the Company in
connection with the "road shows", (vi) costs and expenses in connection with due
diligence investigations, including, but not limited to, the fees of independent
counsel, (vii) applications for assignment of a rating of the Securities by
qualified rating agencies, (viii) the fees payable to the Commission and the
NASD, (ix) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the quotation of
the Securities on NASDAQ, BSE and any other exchange, and (x) the publication of
"tombstone advertisements" in The Wall Street Journal or other publications
selected by the Representative, the manufacture of prospectus memorabilia and
preparation and production of "bound volumes".
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in
accordance with the provisions of SECTION 6, SECTION 10(a) or SECTION 12, the
Company shall reimburse and indemnify the Underwriters for all of their actual
out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of Underwriters'
Counsel, less any amounts already paid pursuant to SECTION 5(c) hereof.
(c) The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses
payable pursuant to subsection (a) of this SECTION 5, it will pay to the
Representative on the Closing Date by certified or bank cashier's check or, at
the election of the Representative, by deduction from the proceeds of the
offering of the Firm Securities, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 3%
of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Firm
Securities. In the event the Underwriter elects to exercise the over-allotment
option described in Section 2(b)
21
hereof, the Company further agrees to pay to the Underwriter on each Option
Closing Date, by certified or bank cashier's check, or, at the Underwriter's
election, by deduction from the proceeds of the Option Securities purchased on
such Option Closing Date, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to three
percent (3%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of such
Option Securities.
6. CONDITIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the
Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein as of the date hereof and
as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, as if they had been
made on and as of the Closing Date or each Option Closing Date, as the case may
be; the accuracy on and as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, if any,
of the statements of the officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions
hereof; and the performance by the Company on and as of the Closing Date and
each Option Closing Date, if any, of its covenants and obligations hereunder and
to the following further conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later
than 12:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date
and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representative, and, at the
Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or
contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel. If the Company has elected to rely upon
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, the price of the Shares and any
price-related information previously omitted from the effective Registration
Statement pursuant to such Rule 430A shall have been transmitted to the
Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations
within the prescribed time period and, prior to the Closing Date, the Company
shall have provided evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely
filing, or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been
promptly filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations.
(b) The Representative shall not have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, contains an untrue statement
of fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material, or omits to state a
fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or that the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact
which, in the Representative's opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact
which, in the Representative's opinion, is material and is required to be stated
therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) On or prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from Underwriters' Counsel,
such opinion or opinions with respect to the organization of the Company, the
validity of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other
related matters as the Representative may request and Underwriters' Counsel
shall have received such papers and information as they request to enable them
to pass upon such matters.
22
(d) At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the
favorable opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the
Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, to the effect that:
(i) the Company (A) has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of organization, (B) is duly qualified and licensed and in
good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its
ownership or leasing of any properties or the character of its operations
requires such qualification or licensing, and (C) has all requisite
corporate power and authority and has obtained any and all necessary
authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and
permits of and from all governmental or regulatory officials and bodies
(including, without limitation, those having jurisdiction over
environmental or similar matters), to own or lease its properties and
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and, to the knowledge
of such counsel, the Company has not received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any such authorization,
approval, order, license, certificate, franchise, or permit which, singly
or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would materially adversely affect the condition, financial or
otherwise, earnings, position, properties, stockholders' equity value,
operations or prospects of the Company.
(ii) except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, the Company does not own,
directly or indirectly, an interest in any corporation, partnership, trust,
joint venture or other business entity;
(iii) the Company has a duly authorized, issued and
outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus, and any
amendment or supplement thereto, under "Capitalization" and "Description of
Capital Stock", and, to the knowledge of such counsel, except as set forth
in the Prospectus, the Company is not a party to or bound by any
instrument, agreement or other arrangement providing for it to issue, sell,
transfer, purchase or redeem any capital stock, rights, warrants, options
or other securities, except for this Agreement and the Representative's
Warrant Agreement and as described in the Prospectus. The Securities and
all other securities issued or issuable by the Company conform in all
respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. All issued and outstanding securities of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with
respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of
being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of
the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or any
similar rights granted by the Company. The Securities are not and will not
be subject to any preemptive or other similar rights of any stockholder,
have been duly authorized and, when issued, paid for and delivered in
accordance with the terms hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable and conform to the descriptions thereof contained in the
Prospectus; the holders thereof will not be subject to any liability solely
as such holders; all corporate action required to be taken for the
authorization, issue and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly
taken; and the certificates representing the
23
Securities are in due and proper form. The Representative's Warrants
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell,
upon exercise thereof and payment therefor, the number and type of
securities of the Company called for thereby. Upon the issuance and
delivery pursuant to this Agreement of the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities and the Representative's Warrants to be sold by the Company, the
Underwriters and the Representative, respectively, will acquire good and
marketable title to the Firm Securities and the Option Securities and the
Representative's Warrants free and clear of any pledge, lien, charge,
claim, encumbrance, pledge, security interest, or other restriction or
equity of any kind whatsoever. No transfer tax is payable by or on behalf
of the Underwriters in connection with (A) the issuance by the Company of
the Securities, (B) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm Securities
and the Option Securities from the Company, and the purchase by the
Representative of the Representative's Warrants from the Company (C) the
consummation by the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement
or the Representative's Warrant Agreement, or (D) resales of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities in connection with the distribution
contemplated hereby.
(iv) the Registration Statement is effective under the Act,
and, if applicable, filing of all pricing information has been timely made
in the appropriate form under Rule 430A, and, to the knowledge of such
counsel, no stop order suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any part of any thereof or
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued
and no, to the knowledge of such counsel, proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or threatened or contemplated under the Act;
(v) each of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
(other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical
data included therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered) comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the
Rules and Regulations. For the purpose of passing upon the form of such
documents, such counsel have not independently verified and are not passing
upon and have assumed the correctness and completeness of the statements
made therein.
(vi) (A)to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no
agreements, contracts or other documents required by the Act to be
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement other than those described in the
Registration Statement (or required to be filed under the Exchange Act if
upon such filing they would be incorporated, in whole or in part, by
reference therein) and the Prospectus and filed as exhibits thereto, and
the exhibits which have been filed are correct copies of the documents of
which they purport to be copies; (B) the descriptions in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and any supplement or amendment thereto of
contracts and other documents to which the Company is a party or by which
it is bound insofar as such descriptions constitute a summary of documents
referred to therein or matters of law, fairly summarize in all material
respects the information required to be shown by Form SB-2; (C) there is
not pending or, to the knowledge of such counsel, threatened against the
Company any action, arbitration, suit, proceeding, inquiry, investigation,
litigation, governmental or other proceeding
24
(including, without limitation, those pertaining to environmental or
similar matters), domestic or foreign, pending or, to the knowledge of such
counsel, threatened against (or circumstances that may give rise to the
same), or involving the properties or business of the Company which (x) is
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which is not so
disclosed (and such proceedings as are summarized in the Registration
Statement are accurately summarized in all respects), (y) questions the
validity of the capital stock of the Company or this Agreement or the
Representative's Warrant Agreement, or of any action taken or to be taken
by the Company pursuant to or in connection with any of the foregoing; and
(D) there is no action, suit or proceeding pending, or, to the knowledge of
such counsel, threatened, against or affecting the Company before any court
or arbitrator or governmental body, agency or official (or any basis
thereof known to such counsel) in which there is a reasonable possibility
of a decision which may result in a material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, position, prospects,
stockholders' equity, operation, properties, business or results of
operations of the Company, which could adversely affect the present or
prospective ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this
Agreement or the Representative's Warrant Agreement or which in any manner
draws into question the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the
Representative's Warrant Agreement;
(vii) the Company has full legal right, corporate power and
authority to enter into each of this Agreement and the Representative's
Warrant Agreement, and to consummate the transactions provided for therein;
and each of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. Each of this
Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement, assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by each other party thereto
constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms (except as such
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general application relating to
or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights and the application of
equitable principles in any action, legal or equitable, and except as
obligations to indemnify or contribute to losses may be limited by
applicable law). None of the Company's execution or delivery of this
Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement, its performance
hereunder or thereunder, its consummation of the transactions contemplated
herein or therein, or the conduct of its business as described in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements
thereto, conflicts with or will conflict with or results or will result in
any breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitutes or will constitute a default under, or result in the creation
or imposition of any lien, charge, claim, encumbrance, pledge, security
interest, defect or other restriction or equity of any kind whatsoever
upon, any property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Company
pursuant to the terms of, (A) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws
of the Company, (B) to the knowledge of such counsel, any license,
contract, collective bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, lease, voting trust agreement, stockholders agreement, note, loan or
credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an
obligation for borrowed money or any other agreement or instrument to which
the Company is a party or by which it is or they are or may be bound or to
which any of its or their respective properties or assets (tangible or
intangible) is or may be subject, or any indebtedness, or (C) any statute
25
applicable to the Company or (D) to the knowledge of such counsel, any
judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company of
any arbitrator, court, regulatory body or administrative agency or other
governmental agency or body (including, without limitation, those having
jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters), domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company or any of their respective activities
or properties;
(viii) no consent, approval, authorization or order of , and no
filing with, any arbitrator court, regulatory body, administrative agency
government agency or other body (other than such as may be required under
state securities laws and the rules of the NASD, as to which no opinion
need be rendered) is required in connection with the issuance of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities pursuant to the Prospectus and the
Registration Statement, the issuance of the Representative's Warrants, the
performance of this Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement,
and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;
(ix) to the knowledge of such counsel, the Company is not in
breach of, or in default under, any term or provision of any license,
contract, collective bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, installment
sale agreement, deed of trust, lease, voting trust agreement, stockholders'
agreement, partnership agreement, note, loan or credit agreement or any
other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money,
or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by
which the Company may be bound or to which the properties or assets
(tangible or intangible) of the Company is subject or affected; and the
Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its certificate of
incorporation or by-laws with respect to the Company or, to the knowledge
of such counsel, in violation of any franchise, license, permit, judgment,
decree, order, statute, rule or regulation;
(x) the statements in the Prospectus under "Prospectus
Summary," "Business," "Management," "Principal Stockholders," "Related
Party Transactions," "Description Of Capital Stock," and "Shares Eligible
For Future Sale" have been reviewed by such counsel, and insofar as they
refer to statements of law, descriptions of statutes, governmental
licenses, rules or regulations or legal conclusions, are correct in all
material respects;
(xi) the Firm Securities and Option Securities have been
accepted for quotation on NASDAQ and the BSE;
(xii) to the knowledge of such counsel, the persons listed
under the caption "Principal Stockholders" in the Prospectus are the
respective "beneficial owners" (as such phrase is defined in Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act) of the securities set forth opposite their
respective names thereunder as and to the extent set forth therein;
(xiii) to the knowledge of such counsel, none of the
trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights, patents
and patent applications, and none of the licenses and rights to the
foregoing, presently owned or held by the Company are in dispute or are in
conflict with the right of any other person or entity except as and
26
to the extent described in the Prospectus. Except as described or referred
to in the Prospectus, the Company (i) owns or has the right to use, free
and clear of all liens, charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security
interests, defects or other restrictions or equities of any kind
whatsoever, all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names,
copyrights, patents and patent applications, and licenses and rights with
respect to the foregoing, used in the conduct of its business as now
conducted or proposed to be conducted without infringing upon or otherwise
acting adversely to the right or claimed right of any person, corporation
or other entity under or with respect to any of the foregoing and (ii) is
not obligated or under any liability whatsoever to make any payments by way
of royalties, fees or otherwise to any owner or licensee of, or other
claimant to, any trademark, trade name, service ▇▇▇▇, service name,
copyright, patent or patent application. Except as described or referred to
in the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry,
arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental or other proceeding,
domestic or foreign, pending or threatened (or circumstances that may give
rise to the same) against the Company which challenges the exclusive rights
of the Company with respect to any trademarks, trade names, service marks,
service names, copyrights, patents, patent applications or licenses or
rights to the foregoing used in the conduct of its business, or which
challenge the right of the Company to use any technology presently used or
contemplated to be used in the conduct of its business;
(xiv) Except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no person, corporation,
trust, partnership, association or other entity has the right to include
and/or register any securities of the Company in the Registration
Statement, require the Company to file any registration statement or, if
filed, to include any security in such registration statement which has not
been effectively waived;
(xv) except as described in the Prospectus, to the knowledge
of such counsel, there are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or
understandings for services in the nature of a finder's or origination fee
with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or financial
consulting arrangements or any other arrangements, agreements,
understandings, payments or issuances that may affect the Underwriters'
compensation, as determined by the NASD;
(xvi) assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by
the parties thereto the Lock-Up Agreements are legal, valid and binding
obligations of the parties thereto, enforceable against such parties and
any subsequent holder of the securities subject thereto in accordance with
their terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws of general
application relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights
and the application of equitable principles in any action, legal or
equitable, and except as obligations to indemnify or contribute to losses
may be limited by applicable law);
(xvii) except as described in the Prospectus, to the knowledge
of such counsel, the Company does not (A) maintain, sponsor or contribute
to any ERISA Plans, (B) maintains or contributes, now or at any time
previously, to a defined benefit plan, as
27
defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA, and (C) has ever completely or partially
withdrawn from a "multiemployer plan";
(xviii) the Company, or any of its affiliates shall be subject
to the requirements of or shall be deemed an "Investment Company," pursuant
to and as defined under, respectively, the Investment Company Act.
Such counsel shall state that such counsel has held conversations with officers
and other representatives of the Company, and representatives of the independent
public accountants for the Company, and during such conversations, such counsel
has made inquiries of such officers, representatives and accountants and
discussed the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and
related matters. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall
also include a statement to the effect that although such counsel is not passing
upon and does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or
fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, no facts have come to the attention of such counsel which lead them
to believe that either the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, at
the time such Registration Statement or amendment became effective, or the
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
as of the date of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and as of the
date of such opinion, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need express no
opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules and other
financial and statistical data included in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus). As to any facts material to the foregoing opinions which were not
independently established or verified, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Sole LLP may state that they
have relied on representatives of officers and other representatives of the
Company.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the
application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions
in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the
extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in
form and substance satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel) of other counsel
acceptable to Underwriters' Counsel, familiar with the applicable laws; (B) as
to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates and written
statements of responsible officers of the Company and certificates or other
written statements of officers of departments of various jurisdictions having
custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the
Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be
delivered to Underwriters' Counsel if requested. The opinion of such counsel for
the Company shall state that the opinion of any such other counsel is in form
satisfactory to such counsel and that the Representative, Underwriters' Counsel
and they are each justified in relying thereon. Any opinion of counsel for the
Company shall not state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is
otherwise subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to
legal opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the
ABA Section of Business Law (1991) or any comparable state accord.
(e) At each Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriters shall have
received the favorable opinions of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, counsel to the Company,
dated such Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and
substance satisfactory to Underwriters'
28
Counsel confirming as of such Option Closing Date the statements made by
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP in their opinion delivered on the Closing Date.
(f) On or before the Closing Date (and each Option Closing Date, if
applicable), the Underwriters shall have received the favorable opinion of
Obermayer ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Hippel LLP, special intellectual property counsel to
the Company, dated the Closing Date (or the Option Closing Date, if applicable),
addressed to the Underwriters, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit
A. The opinion shall be rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the
Company and shall so state therein.
(g) On or prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing
Date, if any, Underwriters' Counsel shall have been furnished such documents,
certificates and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of
enabling them to review or pass upon the matters referred to in subsection (c)
of this SECTION 6, or in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or
satisfaction of any of the representations, warranties or conditions of the
Company herein contained.
(h) Prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any,
(i) there shall have been no material adverse change nor development involving a
prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, position,
prospects, stockholders' equity, value, operations, properties, business or
results of operations of the Company, whether or not in the ordinary course of
business, from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus; (ii) there shall have been no
transaction, not in the ordinary course of business, entered into by the
Company, from the latest date as of which the financial condition of the Company
is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus which is adverse to
the Company; (iii) the Company shall not be in default under any provision of
any instrument relating to any outstanding indebtedness; (iv) the Company shall
not have issued any securities (other than the Securities) or declared or paid
any dividend or made any distribution in respect of its capital stock of any
class and there shall not been any change in the capital stock or any material
change in the debt (long or short term) or liabilities or obligations of the
Company (contingent or otherwise); (v) no material amount of the assets of the
Company shall have been pledged or mortgaged, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus; (vi) no action, suit or proceeding, at
law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened (or circumstances giving
rise to same) against the Company, or affecting any of its properties or
businesses before or by any court or federal, state or foreign commission, board
or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding may adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, earnings,
position, properties, stockholders equity, value, operations or prospects of the
Company; and (vii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no
proceedings therefor shall have been initiated, threatened or contemplated by
the Commission.
(i) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the
principal executive officer and by the chief financial or chief accounting
officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, to the effect that each of such persons has carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and this Agreement, and that:
29
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in
this Agreement are true and correct, as if made on and as of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has
complied with all agreements and covenants and satisfied all conditions
contained in this Agreement on its part to be performed or satisfied at or
prior to such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any part thereof has been issued, and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the
best of each of such person's knowledge, are contemplated or threatened
under the Act;
(iii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, if
any, each amendment and each supplement thereto, contain all statements and
information required to be included therein, and none of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto includes
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading
and neither the Preliminary Prospectus or any supplement thereto included
any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (a)
the Company has not incurred up to and including the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, other than in the ordinary course
of its business, any material liabilities or obligations, direct or
contingent; (b) the Company has not paid or declared any dividends or other
distributions on its capital stock; (c) the Company has not entered into
any transactions not in the ordinary course of business; (d) there has not
been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt or any increase in
the short-term borrowings (other than any increase in the short-term
borrowings in the ordinary course of business) of the Company; (e) the
Company has not sustained any loss or damage to its properties or assets,
whether or not insured; (f) there is no litigation which is pending or
threatened (or circumstances giving rise to same) against the Company or
any affiliated party which is required to be set forth in an amended or
supplemented Prospectus which has not been set forth; and (g) there has
occurred no event required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented
Prospectus which has not been set forth.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this subsection
(i) are to such documents as amended and supplemented at the date of such
certificate.
(j) By the Closing Date, the Underwriters will have received
clearance from the NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to
the Underwriters, as described in the Registration Statement.
30
(k) At the time this Agreement is executed, the Underwriters shall
have received a letter, dated such date, addressed to the Underwriters in form
and substance satisfactory (including the non-material nature of the changes or
decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) in all respects to the
Underwriters and Underwriters' Counsel, from ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇:
(i) confirming that they are independent certified public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable Rules and Regulations;
(ii) stating that it is their opinion that the financial
statements and supporting schedules of the Company included in the
Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations
thereunder and that the Representative may rely upon the opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇, with respect to the financial statements and supporting schedules
included in the Registration Statement;
(iii) stating that, on the basis of a limited review which
included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial
statements of the Company, a reading of the latest available minutes of the
stockholders and board of directors and the various committees of the board
of directors of the Company, consultations with officers and other
employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters
and other specified procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their
attention which would lead them to believe that (A) the unaudited financial
statements and supporting schedules of the Company included in the
Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects
with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and
Regulations or are not fairly presented in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent
with that of the audited financial statements of the Company included in
the Registration Statement, or (B) at a specified date not more than five
(5) days prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement, there
has been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company,
or any decrease in the stockholders' equity or net current assets or net
assets of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the June 30, 2003
balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, other than as set
forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was
any change or decrease, setting forth the amount of such change or
decrease, and (C) during the period from June 30, 2003 to a specified date
not more than five (5) days prior to the effective date of the Registration
Statement, there was any decrease in net revenues, net earnings or increase
in net earnings per common share of the Company, in each case as compared
with the corresponding period beginning April 1, 2003, other than as set
forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there was
any such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
(iv) setting forth, at a date not later than five (5) days
prior to the date of the Registration Statement, the amount of liabilities
of the Company taken as a whole (including a break-down of commercial paper
and notes payable to banks);
31
(v) stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts,
numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and
other financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the
Prospectus in each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers,
percentages, statements and information may be derived from the general
accounting records, including work sheets, of the Company and excluding any
questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel, with the results
obtained from the application of specified readings, inquiries and other
appropriate procedures (which procedures do not constitute an examination
in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the
letter and found them to be in agreement;
(vi) statements as to such other matters incident to the
transaction contemplated hereby as the Representatives may request.
(l) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇ a letter, dated as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect that
they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to SUBSECTION
(j) of this SECTION, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date
not more than five (5) days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, and, if the Company has elected to rely on Rule 430A
of the Rules and Regulations, to the further effect that they have carried out
procedures as specified in clause (v) of SUBSECTION (j) of this Section with
respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information as specified
by the Representative and deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement
pursuant to Rule 430A(b) and have found such amounts, percentages and financial
information to be in agreement with the records specified in such clause (v).
(m) On the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, there
shall have been duly tendered to the Representative for the several
Underwriters' accounts the appropriate number of Securities.
(n) No order suspending the sale of the Securities in any
jurisdiction designated by the Representative pursuant to SUBSECTION (e) of
SECTION 4 hereof shall have been issued on either the Closing Date or each
Option Closing Date, if any, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been
instituted or shall be contemplated.
(o) On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed
and delivered to the Representative, (i) the Representative's Warrant Agreement
substantially in the form filed as Exhibit [1.2] to the Registration Statement,
in final form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, and (ii) the
Representative's Warrants in such denominations and to such designees as shall
have been provided to the Company.
(p) On or before the Closing Date, the Firm Securities and Option
Securities shall have been duly approved for quotation on NASDAQ and the BSE,
subject to official notice of issuance.
32
(q) On or before the Closing Date, there shall have been delivered
to the Representative all of the Lock-Up Agreements, in form and substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel.
(r) At least two (2) full business days prior to the date hereof,
the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the Company shall have
delivered to the Underwriter the unaudited interim financial statements required
to be so delivered pursuant to Section 4(p) of this Agreement.
(s) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Parent signed by the
principal executive officer and by the chief financial or chief accounting
officer of the Parent, dated the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, to the effect that each of such persons has carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and this Agreement, and that the
representations and warranties of the Parent in this Agreement are true and
correct, as if made on and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, and the Parent has complied with all agreements and covenants
and satisfied all conditions contained in this Agreement on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date or Option Closing Date,
as the case may be.
(t) On or before the Closing Date, there shall have been delivered
to the Representative an advisory and investment banking agreement, in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel.
If any condition to the Underwriters' obligations hereunder to be fulfilled
prior to or at the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, is not so fulfilled, the Representative may terminate this Agreement or,
if the Representative so elects, it may waive any such conditions which have not
been fulfilled or extend the time for their fulfillment.
7. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the
Underwriters (for purposes of this SECTION 7 "Underwriter" shall include the
officers, directors, partners, employees, agents and counsel of the Underwriter,
including specifically each person who may be substituted for an Underwriter as
provided in SECTION 11 hereof), and each person, if any, who controls the
Underwriter ("controlling person") within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, joint or several (and actions,
proceedings, investigations, inquiries, suits and litigation in respect
thereof), whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all expenses
whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any such claim, action, proceeding, investigation, inquiry, suit or litigation,
commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever), as such are incurred, to
which the Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject under the
Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or
under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon (A) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (i) in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as from
time to time amended and supplemented); (ii) in any post-effective amendment or
amendments or any new registration
33
statement and prospectus in which is included securities of the Company issued
or issuable upon exercise of the Securities; or (iii) in any application or
other document or written communication (in this SECTION 7 collectively called
"application") executed by the Company or based upon written information
furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities
under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state
securities commission or agency, NASDAQ or any securities exchange; (B) the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case
of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made), or
(C) any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of the
Company contained herein or in any certificate by or on behalf of the Company or
any of its officers delivered pursuant hereto, unless, in the case of clause (A)
or (B) above, such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in strict
conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to any
Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or in any application, as the case may
be. The indemnity agreement in this SUBSECTION (a) shall be in addition to any
liability which the Company may have at common law or otherwise.
(b) Each of the Underwriters agrees severally, but not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who has signed the Registration Statement, and each other person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, to the same extent
as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriters but only with
respect to statements or omissions, if any, made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto or in any application made in reliance upon, and in strict conformity
with, written information furnished to the Company with respect to any
Underwriter by such Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto or in any such application, provided that such written
information or omissions only pertain to disclosures in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus directly relating to the
transactions effected by the Underwriters in connection with this Offering. The
Company acknowledges that the statements with respect to the public offering of
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities set forth under the heading
"Underwriting" and the stabilization legend in the Prospectus have been
furnished by the Underwriters expressly for use therein and constitute the only
information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters for
inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus Registration Statement or Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
SECTION 7 of notice of the commencement of any claim, action, suit,
investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation, such indemnified party shall,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against one or more indemnifying
parties under this SECTION 7, notify each party against whom indemnification is
to be sought in writing of the commencement thereof (but the failure so to
notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have under this SECTION 7 except to the extent that it has been prejudiced
in any material respect by such failure or from any liability which it may have
otherwise). In case any such claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry,
proceeding or litigation is brought against any indemnified party, and it
notifies an indemnifying party or parties of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party or parties
34
will be entitled to participate therein, and to the extent it may elect by
written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the
aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its
or their own counsel in any such case but the fees and expenses of such counsel
shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the
employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the
indemnifying parties in connection with the defense of thereof at the expense of
the indemnifying party, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed
counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party to have charge of the
defense thereof within a reasonable time after notice of commencement thereof,
or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that
there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or
additional to those available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in
which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the
defense thereof on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which
events such fees and expenses of one additional counsel shall be borne by the
indemnifying parties. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for
fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel)
separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with
any one claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation or
separate but similar or related claims, actions, suits, investigations,
inquiries, proceedings or litigation in the same jurisdiction arising out of the
same general allegations or circumstances. Anything in this SECTION 7 to the
contrary notwithstanding, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or
litigation effected without its written consent; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such
consent was not unreasonably withheld. An indemnifying party will not, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle, compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation 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, action,
suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation), 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, investigation,
inquiry, proceeding or litigation 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 order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any
case in which (i) an indemnified party makes claim for indemnification pursuant
to this SECTION 7, but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final
judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of
time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such
indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that
the express provisions of this SECTION 7 provide for indemnification in such
case, or (ii) contribution under the Act may be required on the part of any
indemnified party, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount
paid as a result of such losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) (A) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by each of the contributing parties, on the one
hand, and the party to be indemnified on the other hand, from the offering of
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities or (B) if the allocation provided
by clause (A) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of each of the contributing parties, on the
one hand, and the party to be indemnified on the other hand in connection with
the statements
35
or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, expenses or
liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. In any case
where the Company is the contributing party and the Underwriters are the
indemnified party, the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same
proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Firm Securities
and the Option Securities (before deducting expenses) bear to the total
underwriting discounts received by the Underwriters hereunder, in each case as
set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, or by the
Underwriters, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information
and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to above in this SUBSECTION (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this SUBSECTION (d), the Underwriters shall not be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the
Firm Securities and the Option Securities purchased by the Underwriters
hereunder. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this
SECTION 7, each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Underwriter
within the meaning of the Act, each officer of the Company who has signed the
Registration Statement, and each director of the Company shall have the same
rights to contribution as the Company or the Underwriter, as the case may be,
subject in each case to this SUBSECTION (d). Any party entitled to contribution
will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or
proceeding against such party in respect to which a claim for contribution may
be made against another party or parties under this SUBSECTION (d), notify such
party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission so to
notify such party or parties shall not relieve the party or parties from whom
contribution may be sought from any obligation it or they may have hereunder or
otherwise than under this SUBSECTION (d), or to the extent that such party or
parties were not adversely affected by such omission. Notwithstanding anything
in this Section 7 to the contrary, no party will be liable for contribution with
respect to the settlement of any action, investigation, inquiry, suit or
proceeding effected without its written consent. The contribution agreement set
forth above shall be in addition to any liabilities which any indemnifying party
may have at common law or otherwise.
8. REPRESENTATIONS WARRANTIES, COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE
DELIVERY. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in
this Agreement or contained in certificates of officers of the Company and the
Parent submitted pursuant hereto, shall be deemed to be representations,
warranties and agreements at the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, and such representations, warranties and agreements of the
Company and the indemnity agreements contained in SECTION 7 hereof, shall remain
operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by
or on behalf of any Underwriter, the Company, the Parent, any controlling person
of any Underwriter, the Company, the Parent and shall survive termination of
this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Securities to the
Underwriters and the Representative, as the case may be.
36
9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Agreement shall become effective at 10:00 a.m.,
New York City time, on the next full business day following the date hereof, or
at such earlier time after the Registration Statement becomes effective as the
Representative, in its discretion, shall release the Firm Securities and the
Option Securities for sale to the public; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the provisions
of SECTIONS 5, 7 and 10 of this Agreement shall at all times be effective. For
purposes of this SECTION 9, the Firm Securities and the Option Securities to be
purchased hereunder shall be deemed to have been so released upon the earlier of
dispatch by the Representative of telegrams to securities dealers releasing such
securities for offering or the release by the Representative for publication of
the first newspaper advertisement which is subsequently published relating to
the Securities.
10. TERMINATION.
(a) Subject to SUBSECTION (b) of this SECTION 10, the Representative
shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, (i) if any domestic or
international event or act or occurrence has materially adversely disrupted, or
in the Representative's opinion will in the immediate future materially
adversely disrupt, the financial markets; or (ii) if any material adverse change
in the financial markets shall have occurred; or (iii) if trading generally
shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be,
any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the NASD, the
Boston Stock Exchange, the Commission or any governmental authority having
jurisdiction over such matters; or (iv) if trading of any of the securities of
the Company shall have been suspended, or any of the securities of the Company
shall have been delisted, on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (v)
if the United States shall have become involved in a war or major hostilities,
or if there shall have been an escalation in an existing war or major
hostilities or a national emergency shall have been declared in the United
States; or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a state or federal
authority; or (vii) if a moratorium in foreign exchange trading has been
declared; or (viii) if the Company shall have sustained a loss material or
substantial to the Company by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake,
theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such
loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative's opinion, make it
inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the
Securities; or (ix) if there shall have been such a material adverse change in
the conditions or prospects of the Company, or if there shall have occurred any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any calamity or crises or there shall
have been such a material adverse change in the general market, political or
economic conditions, in the United States or elsewhere, as in the
Representative's judgment, would make it inadvisable to proceed with the
offering, sale and/or delivery of the Securities.
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in
accordance with the provisions of SECTION 10(a) the Company shall promptly
reimburse and indemnify the Representative for all of its actual out-of-pocket
expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters
(less amounts previously paid pursuant to SECTION 5(c) above). Notwithstanding
any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, if this Agreement shall not
be carried out within the time specified herein, or any extension thereof
granted to the Representative, by reason of any failure on the part of the
Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement by
it to be performed or satisfied (including, without limitation, pursuant to
SECTION 6 or SECTION 12) then, the Company shall promptly reimburse and
37
indemnify the Representative for all of its actual out-of-pocket expenses,
including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters (less
amounts previously paid pursuant to SECTION 5(c) above). In addition, the
Company shall remain liable for all blue sky filing fees and counsel fees and
disbursements, expenses and filing fees. Notwithstanding any contrary provision
contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to SECTIONS 6, 10, 11 and 12
hereof), and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the
provisions of SECTION 5 and SECTION 7 shall not be in any way affected by such
election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or
any part hereof.
11. SUBSTITUTION OF THE UNDERWRITERS. If one or more of the Underwriters
shall fail (otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the termination of
this Agreement under the provisions of SECTION 6, SECTION 10 or SECTION 12
hereof) to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase on
such date under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representative
shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangement for one or
more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase
all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may
be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the
Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour
period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
total number of Firm Securities to be purchased on such date, the non-defaulting
Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the full amount thereof in the
proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the
underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the total
number of Firm Securities, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters (or, if such default shall occur
with respect to any Option Securities to be purchased on an Option Closing Date,
the Underwriters may at the Representative's option, by notice from the
Representative to the Company, terminate the Underwriters' obligation to
purchase Option Securities from the Company on such date).
No action taken pursuant to this SECTION 11 shall relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default by such Underwriter under
this Agreement. In the event of any such default which does not result in a
termination of this Agreement, the Representative shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date for a period not exceeding seven (7) days in order to
effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in
any other documents or arrangements.
12. DEFAULT BY THE COMPANY. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Date
to sell and deliver the number of Firm Securities which it is obligated to sell
hereunder on such date, then this Agreement shall terminate (or, if such default
shall occur with respect to any Option Securities to be purchased on an Option
Closing Date, the Underwriters may at the Representative's option, by notice
from the Representative to the Company, terminate the Underwriters' obligation
to purchase Option Securities from the Company on such date) without any
liability on the part of any non-defaulting party other than pursuant to SECTION
5, SECTION 7
38
and SECTION 10 hereof. No action taken pursuant to this SECTION 12 shall relieve
the Company from liability, if any, in respect of such default.
13. NOTICES. All notices and communications hereunder, except as herein
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representative at ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corp., ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, with a copy to Sichenzia
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq. Notices to the Company shall be
directed to the Company at Vaso Active Pharmaceuticals, Inc., ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇ Masiz, with a copy to
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention:
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
14. PARTIES. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall
be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons,
directors and officers referred to in SECTION 7 hereof, and their respective
successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have or
be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. No
purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor
by reason merely of such purchase.
15. CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving
effect to the choice of law or conflict of laws principles.
16. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which
taken together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.
17. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENTS. This Agreement and the Representative's
Warrant Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto and
supersede all prior written or oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This Agreement may not be
amended except in a writing, signed by the Representative and the Company.
39
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among
us.
Very truly yours,
VASO ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. Masiz
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
BIOCHEMICS, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. Masiz
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
Confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above written.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES CORP.
For itself and as Representative of the
several Underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
By:
-----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President and CEO
40
SCHEDULE A
Number of Shares
Name of Underwriters to be Purchased
-------------------- ---------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Securities Corp..........................
Total.....................................................
----------------
1,300,000
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