EXHIBIT 1.1
Form of Underwriting Agreement
August __, 2000
FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
U.S. Bancorp ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
Chase Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to issue and sell to the several underwriters named in
Schedule A (the "Underwriters") an aggregate of 6,000,000 shares (the "Firm
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Shares") of its Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Common Shares").
In addition, the Company has granted to the Underwriters an option to purchase
up to an additional 900,000 Common Shares (the "Option Shares") as provided in
Section 2. The Firm Shares and, if and to the extent such option is exercised,
the Option Shares are collectively called the "Shares." FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇") U.S. Bancorp ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. ("▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇") and ▇▇▇▇▇ H&Q ("H&Q") have agreed to act as representatives of the
several Underwriters (in such capacity, the "Representatives") in connection
with the offering and sale of the Shares. As a part of the offering
contemplated by this Agreement, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ has agreed to reserve out of
the Shares set forth opposite its name on Schedule A to this Agreement, up to 7%
of the Firm Shares, for sale to the Company's employees, officers, and directors
and other parties associated with the Company (collectively, "Participants"), as
set forth in the Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting" (the "Directed
Share Program"). The Shares to be sold by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ pursuant to the
Directed Share Program (the "Directed Shares") will be sold by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ pursuant to this Agreement at the public offering price set forth on
the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined). Any Directed Shares not orally
confirmed for purchase by any Participants as of 7:00 a.m. New York time on the
first day trading of the shares commences will be offered to the public by
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ as set forth in the Prospectus.
The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.
333-31032), which contains a form of prospectus, subject to completion, to be
used in connection with the public offering and sale of the Shares. Each such
prospectus, subject to completion, used in connection with such public offering
is called a "preliminary prospectus". Such registration
statement, as amended, including the financial statements, exhibits and
schedules thereto, in the form in which it was declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (collectively, the "Securities Act"), including any
information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to
Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is called the "Registration Statement". Any
registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
Securities Act is called the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement", and from and
after the date and time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement the
term "Registration Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement. Such prospectus, in the form first used by the Underwriters to
confirm sales of the Shares, is called the "Prospectus". All references in this
Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,
a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements to any
of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission
pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System
("▇▇▇▇▇").
The Company hereby confirms its agreements with the Underwriters as
follows:
Section 1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The
Company hereby represents, warrants and covenants to each Underwriter as
follows:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement
and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the
Commission's satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or
supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect
and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to
the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the
Commission.
Each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus when filed complied in
all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed by electronic
transmission pursuant to ▇▇▇▇▇ (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T
under the Securities Act), was identical in all material respects to the copy
thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and
sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it
became effective and at all subsequent times, complied and will comply in all
material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
Each preliminary prospectus, as of its date, and the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent times through the 30/th/ day
of the date hereof, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two
immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from
the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-
effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements
thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to
any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by the Representatives
expressly for use therein. There are no contracts or
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other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as
required.
(b) Offering Materials Furnished to Underwriters. The Company has
delivered to the Representatives one complete conformed copy of the Registration
Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts filed as a part
thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits)
and preliminary prospectuses and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in
such quantities and at such places as the Representatives have reasonably
requested for each of the Underwriters.
(c) Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not
distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Second Closing
Date (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters' distribution of
the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of
the Shares other than a preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the
Registration Statement.
(d) The Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by, and is a valid and binding agreement of, the Company,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnification
and contribution hereunder may be limited by applicable law and except as the
enforcement hereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and
remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles.
(e) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for
issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by
the Company pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
(f) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no
persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt
securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in
the offering contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Shares included
in the Registration Statement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(g) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) other than continuing
operating losses in such amounts and resulting from such factors as are
consistent with past periods, there has been no material adverse change, or any
development that could reasonably be expected to result in a material adverse
change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business,
operations or prospects, whether or not arising from transactions in the
ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as
one entity (any such change or effect, where the context so requires, is called
a "Material Adverse Change" or a "Material Adverse Effect"); (ii) except as
disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one
entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct
or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any
material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; and
(iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or
made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other
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subsidiaries, any of its subsidiaries on any class of capital stock or
repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any class
of capital stock.
(h) Independent Accountants. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ L.L.P. ("▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇"),
who have expressed their opinion with respect to the financial statements (which
term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) and
supporting schedules filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration
Statement and included in the Prospectus, are independent public or certified
public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").
(i) Preparation of the Financial Statements. The financial statements
filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the
Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of
their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. The supporting
schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information
required to be stated therein. Such financial statements and supporting
schedules have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the
related notes thereto and except for the omission of certain footnote data from
the financial statements for the periods ended March 31, 1999 and March 31,
2000. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be
included in the Registration Statement. The financial data set forth in the
Prospectus under the captions "Summary--Summary Financial Data", "Selected
Consolidated Financial Data" and "Capitalization" fairly present the information
set forth therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial
statements contained in the Registration Statement.
(j) Company's Accounting System. The Company and each of its subsidiaries
maintain a system of accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's
general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain
accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(k) Subsidiaries of the Company. The Company does not own or control,
directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than
the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement.
(l) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized with
full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its
business as described in the prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as
a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each
jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to do
so would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(m) Capitalization of the Subsidiaries. All the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and
issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise set forth
in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital stock of the subsidiaries
are owned directly by the Company free and clear of any security interests,
claims, liens or encumbrances.
(n) No Prohibition on Subsidiaries from Paying Dividends or Making Other
Distributions. No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly
or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other
distribution on such subsidiary's capital stock, from repaying to the Company
any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring
any of such subsidiary's property or assets to the Company or any other
subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the
Prospectus, or as provided under the corporate laws of the Kingdom of Sweden.
(o) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued
and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus
under the caption "Capitalization" (other than for subsequent issuances, if any,
pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon exercise
of outstanding options described in the Prospectus). The Common Shares
(including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Common
Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and
nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with federal and state
securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares were issued in violation
of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to
subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. There are no authorized or
outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or
other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries other than those accurately described in the Prospectus. The
description of the Company's stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or
arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in
the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be
shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.
(p) Stock Exchange Listing. The Shares have been approved for listing on
the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(q) No Consents, Approvals or Authorizations Required. No consent,
approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental
agency or regulatory body is required in connection with the transactions
contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained or made under the
Securities Act and such as may be required (i) under the blue sky laws of any
jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by
the Underwriters in the manner contemplated here and in the Prospectus, (ii) by
the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC and (iii) by the federal and
provincial laws of Canada.
(r) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments Agreements. Neither the
issue and sale of the Shares nor the consummation of any other of the
transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
conflict with, result in a breach or violation or imposition of any lien, charge
or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its
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subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage,
deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation,
condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject or
(iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable
to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body,
administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their
properties.
(s) No Defaults or Violations. Except in respect of any violation or
default which would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material
Adverse Change, or as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company
nor any subsidiary is in violation or default of (i) any provision of its
charter or by-laws, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage,
deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation,
condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which
its property is subject or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment,
order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency,
governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the
Company or such subsidiary or any of its properties, as applicable.
(t) No Actions, Suits or Proceedings. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental
agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or its or their property is pending or, to the best knowledge of
the Company, threatened that (i) could reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any
of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) could reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) All Necessary Permits, Etc. Except as otherwise disclosed in the
Prospectus, and except to the extent that failure to do so would not have a
Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and
current certificates, authorizations or permits issued by the appropriate state,
federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct their
respective businesses, and neither the Company nor any subsidiary has received
any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-
compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or
in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(v) Title to Properties. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus,
the Company and each of its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all
the properties and assets reflected as owned in the financial statements
referred to in Section 1(i) above (or elsewhere in the Prospectus), in each case
free and clear of any security interests, mortgages, liens, encumbrances,
equities, claims and other defects, other than liens granted to Silicon Valley
Bank, doing business as Silicon Valley East pursuant to the Company's credit
facility dated March 31, 1999, except such as do not materially and adversely
affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use
made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such subsidiary.
The real property, improvements, equipment and personal property held under
lease by the Company or any subsidiary are held under valid and enforceable
leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere
with the use made or proposed
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to be made of such real property, improvements, equipment or personal property
by the Company or such subsidiary.
(w) Tax Law Compliance. To the Company's knowledge, the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries have filed all necessary federal, state and foreign
income and franchise tax returns and have paid all taxes required to be paid by
any of them and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or
penalty levied against any of them. The Company has made adequate charges,
accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in
Section 1(i) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and
franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or
any of its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined. The
Company is not aware of any tax deficiency that has been or might be asserted or
threatened against the Company that could result in a Material Adverse Change.
(x) Intellectual Property Rights. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries
owns or possesses adequate rights to use all patents, patent rights or licenses,
inventions, collaborative research agreements, trade secrets, know-how,
trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights which are necessary to
conduct its businesses as described in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has not received
any notice of, nor is the Company aware of any facts that would form a
reasonable basis for any such claim of, any infringement of or conflict with
asserted rights of the Company by others with respect to any patent, patent
rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade
names or copyrights; and except as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has
not received any notice of, and has no knowledge of, any infringement of or
conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any patent, patent
rights, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade
names or copyrights which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, might, in the reasonable belief of the
Company's management, have a Material Adverse Change. Except as disclosed in
the Prospectus, there is no claim being made against the Company regarding
patents, patent rights or licenses, inventions, collaborative research, trade
secrets, know-how, trademarks, service marks, trade names or copyrights. Except
as disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries do not in the
conduct of their business as described in the Prospectus infringe or conflict
with any right or patent of any third party, or any discovery, invention,
product or process which is the subject of a patent application filed by any
third party, known to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which such
infringement or conflict is reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse
Change.
(y) Y2K. There are no Y2K issues related to the Company, or any of its
subsidiaries, that (i) are of a character required to be described or referred
to in the Registration Statement or Prospectus by the Securities Act which have
not been accurately described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or
(ii) might reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change or
that might materially affect their properties, assets or rights.
(z) No Transfer Taxes or Other Fees. There are no transfer taxes or other
similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any
political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance and sale by the Company
of the Shares.
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(aa) Company Not an "Investment Company". The Company has been advised of
the rules and requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "Investment Company Act"). The Company is not, and after receipt of
payment for the Shares will not be, an "investment company" or an entity
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act and will conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
subject to the Investment Company Act.
(bb) Insurance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, each of
the Company and its subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound
and reputable institutions with general liability and property damage policies
in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are
generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not
limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the
Company and its subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of
vandalism, general liability and Directors and Officers liability. The Company
has no reason to believe that it or any subsidiary will not be able (i) to renew
its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to
obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or
appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would
not result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither of the Company nor any
subsidiary has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for
which it has applied.
(cc) Labor Matters. To the Company's knowledge, no labor disturbance by
the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or is imminent;
and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by
the employees of any of its principal suppliers, including without limitation,
subcontractors and third party manufacturers that might be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Change.
(dd) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and
will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be
reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(ee) Lock-Up Agreements. Each officer and director of the company and each
beneficial owner of one or more percent of the outstanding issued share capital
of the Company has agreed to sign an agreement substantially in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A (the "Lock-up Agreements"). The Company has
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provided to counsel for the Underwriters a complete and accurate list of all
securityholders of the Company and the number and type of securities held by
each securityholder. The Company has provided to counsel for the Underwriters
true, accurate and complete copies of all of the Lock-up Agreements presently in
effect or effected hereby. The Company hereby represents and warrants that it
will not release any of its officers, directors or other stockholders from any
Lock-up Agreements currently existing or hereafter effected without the prior
written consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.
(ff) Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related-party transactions involving the Company or any subsidiary or any other
person required to be described in the Prospectus which have not been described
as required.
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(gg) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Except as otherwise
disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries
nor, to the best of the Company's knowledge, any employee or agent of the
Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any
official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation
of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(hh) Environmental Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus,
(i) the Company is in compliance with all rules, laws and regulations relating
to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of toxic substances and protection
of health or the environment ("Environmental Laws") which are applicable to its
business, except where the failure to comply would not result in a Material
Adverse Change, (ii) the Company has received no notice from any governmental
authority or third party of an asserted claim under Environmental Laws, which
claim is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, (iii) the Company is not currently aware that it will be required to
make future material capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws and
(iv) no property which is owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been
designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. (S) 9601, et
--
seq.), or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under applicable state or
---
local law.
(ii) ERISA Compliance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus,
the Company and its subsidiaries and any "employee benefit plan" (as defined
under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, "ERISA"))
established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their "ERISA
Affiliates" (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with
ERISA. "ERISA Affiliate" means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary,
any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or
(o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and
published interpretations thereunder (the "Code") of which the Company or such
subsidiary is a member. No "reportable event" (as defined under ERISA) has
occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any "employee
benefit plan" established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any
of their ERISA Affiliates. No "employee benefit plan" established or maintained
by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such
"employee benefit plan" were terminated, would have any "amount of unfunded
benefit liabilities" (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company, its
subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably
expects to incur any liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
termination of, or withdrawal from, any "employee benefit plan" or (ii) Sections
412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each "employee benefit plan" established
or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates
that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so
qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which
would cause the loss of such qualification.
(jj) Consents Required in Connection with the Directed Share Program. No
consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any
governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in
connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where
the Directed Shares are being offered.
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(kk) No Improper Influence in Connection with the Directed Share Program.
The Company has not offered, or caused ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ to offer, Shares to
any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program with the specific intent to
unlawfully influence (i) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the
customer's or supplier's level or type of business with the Company or (ii) a
trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about
the Company or its products.
Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the
Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
set forth therein.
Section 2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Shares.
(a) The Firm Shares. The Company agrees to issue and sell to the several
Underwriters the Firm Shares upon the terms herein set forth. On the basis of
the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters agree,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of
Firm Shares set forth opposite their names on Schedule A. The purchase price
----------
per Firm Share to be paid by the several Underwriters to the Company shall be
$[___] per share.
(b) The First Closing Date. Delivery of the Firm Shares to be purchased by
the Underwriters and payment therefor shall be made by the Company and the
Representatives at 6:00 a.m. San Francisco time, at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇
& Bockius LLP, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ (or at such other
place as may be agreed upon among the Representatives and the Company), (i) on
the third (3/rd/) full business day following the first day that Shares are
traded, (ii) if this Agreement is executed and delivered after 1:30 P.M., San
Francisco time, the fourth (4/th/) full business day following the day that this
Agreement is executed and delivered or (iii) at such other time and date not
later that seven (7) full business days following the first day that Shares are
traded as the Representatives and the Company may determine (or at such time and
date to which payment and delivery shall have been postponed pursuant to Section
8 hereof), such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the
"Closing Date;" provided, however, that if the Company has not made available to
the Representatives copies of the Prospectus within the time provided in Section
2(g) and 3(e) hereof, the Representatives may, in their sole discretion,
postpone the Closing Date until no later that two (2) full business days
following delivery of copies of the Prospectus to the Representatives.
(c) The Option Shares; the Second Closing Date. In addition, on the basis
of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, and upon the
terms but subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants
an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up
to an aggregate of 900,000 Option Shares from the Company at the purchase price
per share to be paid by the Underwriters for the Firm Shares. The option
granted hereunder is for use by the Underwriters solely in covering any over-
allotments in connection with the sale and distribution of the Firm Shares. The
option granted hereunder may be exercised at any time upon notice by the
Representatives to the Company, which notice may be given at any time within 30
days from the date of this Agreement. The time
10
and date of delivery of the Option Shares, if subsequent to the First Closing
Date, is called the "Second Closing Date" and shall be determined by the
Representatives and shall not be earlier than three nor later than five full
business days after delivery of such notice of exercise. If any Option Shares
are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
purchase the number of Option Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate
fractional shares as the Representatives may determine) that bears the same
proportion to the total number of Option Shares to be purchased as the number of
Firm Shares set forth on Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter bears
----------
to the total number of Firm Shares. The Representatives may cancel the option at
any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation
to the Company.
(d) Public Offering of the Shares. The Representatives hereby advise the
Company that the Underwriters intend to offer for sale to the public, as
described in the Prospectus, their respective portions of the Shares as soon
after this Agreement has been executed and the Registration Statement has been
declared effective as the Representatives, in their sole judgment, have
determined is advisable and practicable.
(e) Payment for the Shares. Payment for the Shares shall be made at the
First Closing Date (and, if applicable, at the Second Closing Date) by wire
transfer in immediately available-funds to the order of the Company.
It is understood that the Representatives have been authorized, for
their own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept
delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the
Firm Shares and any Option Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, individually and not as the Representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Shares to
be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the
Representatives by the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the
case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not
relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.
(f) Delivery of the Shares. The Company shall deliver, or cause to be
delivered, a credit representing the Firm Shares to an account or accounts at
The Depository Trust Company, as designated by the Representatives for the
accounts of the Representatives and the several Underwriters at the First
Closing Date, against the irrevocable release of a wire transfer of immediately
available funds for the amount of the purchase price therefor. The Company
shall also deliver, or cause to be delivered, a credit representing the Option
Shares the Underwriters have agreed to purchase at the First Closing Date (or
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be), to an account or accounts at The
Depository Trust Company as designated by the Representatives for the accounts
of the Representatives and the several Underwriters, against the irrevocable
release of a wire transfer of immediately available funds for the amount of the
purchase price therefor. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time
and place specified in this Agreement is a further condition to the obligations
of the Underwriters.
(g) Delivery of Prospectus to the Underwriters. Not later than 12:00 noon
New York time on the second business day following the date the Shares are
released by the Underwriters
11
for sale to the public, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered
copies of the Prospectus in such quantities and at such places as the
Representatives shall request.
Section 3. Covenants of the Company.
The Company further covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:
(a) Registration Statement Matters. The Company will (i) use its best
efforts to cause a registration statement on Form 8-A (the "Form 8-A
Registration Statement") as required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act") to become effective simultaneously with the Registration
Statement, (ii) use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to
become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of the Securities Act is
followed, to prepare and timely file with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under
the Securities Act a Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives
containing information previously omitted at the time of effectiveness of the
Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of the Securities Act and (iii)
not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not previously have been advised
and furnished with a copy or to which the Representatives shall have reasonably
objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Securities Act. If
the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company
shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in
compliance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act prior to the time
confirmations are sent or given, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2) under the
Securities Act, and shall pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111
under the Securities Act.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. The Company will advise the Representatives
promptly (i) when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment
thereto shall have become effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the
Commission, (iii) of any request of the Commission for amendment of the
Registration Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the
Prospectus or of the institution of any proceedings for that purpose. The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order
preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will cooperate with the
Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters in endeavoring to qualify the
Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions (both national
and foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
(d) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act
Matters. The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
and the rules
12
and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of
the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the
Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be
delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of
which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend
or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a
purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary at any time to amend or
supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company promptly will
prepare and file with the Commission, and furnish at its own expense to the
Underwriters and to dealers, an appropriate amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended
or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when it is so
delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.
(e) Copies of any Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus. The
Company agrees to furnish the Representatives, without charge, during the period
beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the First Closing Date
or such date, as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus
is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an
Underwriter or dealer (the "Prospectus Delivery Period"), as many copies of the
Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto as the Representatives may
request.
(f) Insurance. The Company shall (i) obtain Directors and Officers
liability insurance in the minimum amount of $10 million which shall apply to
the offering contemplated hereby and (ii) cause ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ to be added
to such policy such that up to $500,000 of its expenses pursuant to section 7(a)
shall be paid directly by such insurer.
(g) Notice of Subsequent Events. If at any time during the ninety (90) day
period after the Registration Statement becomes effective, any rumor,
publication or event relating to or affecting the Company shall occur as a
result of which, in your opinion, the market price of the Company Shares has
been or is likely to be materially affected (regardless of whether such rumor,
publication or event necessitates a supplement to or amendment of the
Prospectus), the Company will, after written notice from you advising the
Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare, consult with you
concerning the substance of and disseminate a press release or other public
statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or commenting on such
rumor, publication or event.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the
sale of the Shares sold by it in the manner described under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
(i) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense,
a registrar and transfer agent for the Company Shares.
(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make
generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an
earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering the twelve-month period
ending September 30, 2001 that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act.
13
(k) Periodic Reporting Obligations. During the Prospectus Delivery Period
the Company shall file, on a timely basis, with the Commission and the Nasdaq
National Market all reports and documents required to be filed under the
Exchange Act.
(l) Agreement Not to Offer or Sell Additional Securities. Without the
consent of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, the Company will not offer, sell or contract to
sell, or otherwise dispose of or enter into any transaction which is designed
to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual
disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or
otherwise by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in
privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company) directly or
indirectly, or announce the offering of, any other Common Shares or any
securities convertible into, or exchangeable for, Common Shares; provided,
however, that the Company may (i) issue and sell Common Shares (and options and
other rights to acquire Common Shares) pursuant to any stock option plan, stock
purchase plan or other equity compensation plan of the Company in effect at the
date of the Prospectus and described in the Prospectus; (ii) issue Common Shares
issuable upon the conversion of securities or the exercise of options or
warrants outstanding at the date of the Prospectus and described in the
Prospectus; (iii) issue Common Shares in connection with the potential
acquisition of Talaria Therapeutics, Inc. and (iv) issue Common Shares in
connection with a strategic relationship, so long as the recipient of any such
shares issued pursuant to (iii) or (iv) hereof shall be subject to the
provisions of a Lock-Up Agreement. These restrictions terminate after the close
of trading of the Shares on the 180/th/ day of (and including) the day the
Shares commenced trading on the Nasdaq National Market (the "Lock-Up Period").
(m) Future Reports to the Representatives. During the period of five years
hereafter the Company will furnish or make available to the Representatives (i)
as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, copies of the Annual
Report of the Company containing the balance sheet of the Company as of the
close of such fiscal year and statements of income, stockholders' equity and
cash flows for the year then ended and the opinion thereon of the Company's
independent public or certified public accountants; (ii) as soon as practicable
after the filing thereof, copies of each proxy statement, Annual Report on Form
10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other report
filed by the Company with the Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, LLC or any securities exchange; and (iii) as soon as available, copies
of any report or communication of the Company mailed generally to holders of its
capital stock.
Directed Share Program. The Company (i) will indemnify ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ for any losses incurred in connection with the Directed Share Program,
(ii) will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules
and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in
connection with the Directed Share Program and (iii) will pay all reasonable
fees and disbursements of counsel incurred by the Underwriters in connection
with the Directed Share Program and any stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or
other taxes, if any, incurred by the underwriters in connection with the
Directed Share Program.
Section 4. Conditions of the Obligations of the Underwriters. The
obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares as
provided herein on the First Closing Date and, with respect to the Option
Shares, the Second Closing Date, shall be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in
14
Section 1 hereof as of the date hereof and as of the First Closing Date as
though then made and, with respect to the Option Shares, as of the Second
Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by the Company of
its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to each of the following
additional conditions:
(a) Compliance with Registration Requirements; No Stop Order; No Objection
from the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. The Registration
Statement shall have become effective prior to the execution of this Agreement,
or at such later date as shall be consented to in writing by you; and no stop
order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge of
the Company or any Underwriter, threatened by the Commission, and any request of
the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the
satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel; and the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. shall have raised no objection to the fairness and
reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.
(b) Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters in connection with this Agreement, the form of Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and the registration, authorization, issue, sale and
delivery of the Shares, shall have been reasonably satisfactory to Underwriters'
Counsel, and such counsel shall have been furnished with such papers and
information as they may reasonably have requested to enable them to pass upon
the matters referred to in this Section.
(c) No Material Adverse Change. Subsequent to the execution and delivery
of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing
Date, as the case may be, other than continuing operating losses in such amounts
and resulting from such factors as are consistent with past periods, there shall
not have been any Material Adverse Change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company
and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise from that set forth in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material
and adverse and that makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or
inadvisable to proceed with the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by
the Prospectus.
(d) Opinion of Counsel for the Company. You shall have received on the
First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ & Bockius LLP, counsel for the Company substantially in the
form previously agreed upon dated the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing
Date, addressed to the Underwriters and with reproduced copies or signed
counterparts thereof for each of the Underwriters.
(e) Opinion of Intellectual property Counsel for the Company. You shall
have received on the First Closing Date, or the Second Closing Date, as the case
may be, opinions of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP and Arnall Golden & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
intellectual property counsel for the Company substantially in the form
previously agreed upon.
(f) Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. You shall have received on
the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, an
opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, LLP, substantially in the form previously
agreed upon. The Company shall have
15
furnished to such counsel such documents as they may have requested for the
purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(g) Accountants' Comfort Letter. You shall have received on the First
Closing Date and on the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter from
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ addressed to the Underwriters, dated the First Closing Date or
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, confirming that they are
independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
and based upon the procedures described in such letter delivered to you
concurrently with the execution of this Agreement (herein called the "Original
Letter"), but carried out to a date not more than four (4) business days prior
to the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, (i)
confirming, to the extent true, that the statements and conclusions set forth in
the Original Letter are accurate as of the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, and (ii) setting forth any revisions and
additions to the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter
which are necessary to reflect any changes in the facts described in the
Original Letter since the date of such letter, or to reflect the availability of
more recent financial statements, data or information. The letter shall
disclose any change in the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings,
operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise from that set forth in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus, which, in your sole judgment, is material and adverse and that
makes it, in your sole judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with
the public offering of the Shares as contemplated by the Prospectus. The
Original Letter from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ shall be addressed to or for the use of the
Underwriters in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and shall
(i) represent, to the extent true, that they are independent certified public
accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act
and the applicable published Rules and Regulations, (ii) set forth their opinion
with respect to their examination of the consolidated balance sheet of the
Company as of December 31, 1999 and related consolidated statements of
operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the twelve (12) months
ended December 31, 1999;(iii) state that ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ has performed the
procedures set out in Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71 ("SAS 71") for a
review of interim financial information and providing the report of ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ as described in SAS 71 on the financial statements for the one-quarter
period ended March 31, 2000 (the "Quarterly Financial Statements"), (iv) state
that in the course of such review, nothing came to their attention that leads
them to believe that any material modifications need to be made to any of the
financial statements in order for them to be in compliance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied across the periods
presented, and address other matters agreed upon by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and you. In
addition, you shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ a letter addressed to the
Company and made available to you for the use of the Underwriters stating that
their review of the Company's system of internal accounting controls, to the
extent they deemed necessary in establishing the scope of their examination of
the Company's consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 1999, did not
disclose any weaknesses in internal controls that they considered to be material
weaknesses.
(h) Officers' Certificate. You shall have received on the First Closing
Date and the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the
Company, dated the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case
may be, signed by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the
Company, to the effect that, and you shall be satisfied that:
16
(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement
are true and correct, as if made on and as of the First Closing Date or the
Second Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with
all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied at or prior to the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be;
(ii) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or threatened under the Securities Act;
(iii) When the Registration Statement became effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to the delivery of such certificate, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto,
contained all material information required to be included therein by the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder, as the case may be, and in all material
respects conformed to the requirements of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, as the case may be, the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, did not and does not
include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading; and, since the effective date of the Registration
Statement, there has occurred no event required to be set forth in an
amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been so set forth; and
(iv) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, except as specifically
addressed in the Prospectus, there has not been (a) other than continuing
operating losses in such amounts and resulting from such factors as are
consistent with past periods, any material adverse change in the condition
(financial or otherwise), earnings, operations, business or business
prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
(b) any transaction that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise, except transactions entered into in the
ordinary course of business, (c) any obligation, direct or contingent, that
is material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, incurred by the Company or its subsidiaries, except obligations
incurred in the ordinary course of business, (d) any change in the capital
stock or outstanding indebtedness of the Company or any of its subsidiaries
that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one
enterprise, (e) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or
made on the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except
a dividend paid to the Company by any of its subsidiaries, or (f) any loss
or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries which has been sustained or will have been sustained which
has a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
earnings, operations, business or business prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
(i) Lock-up Agreement from Certain Stockholders of the Company. The
Company shall have obtained and delivered to you an agreement substantially in
the form of Exhibit A
---------
17
attached hereto from each officer and director of the Company, and each
beneficial owner of one or more percent of the outstanding issued share capital
of the Company.
(j) Stock Market Listing. The Shares shall have been approved for listing
on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(k) Compliance with Prospectus Delivery Requirements. The Company shall
have complied with the provisions of Sections 2(g) and 3(e) hereof with respect
to the furnishing of Prospectuses.
(l) Additional Documents. On or before each of the First Closing Date and
the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, the Representatives and counsel for
the Underwriters shall have received such information, documents and opinions as
they may reasonably require for the purposes of enabling them to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Shares as contemplated herein, or in order to evidence
the accuracy of any of the representations and warranties, or the satisfaction
of any of the conditions or agreements, herein contained.
If any condition specified in this Section 4 is not satisfied when and
as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the First
Closing Date and, with respect to the Option Shares, at any time prior to the
Second Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of
any party to any other party, except that Section 5 (Payment of Expenses),
Section 6 (Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses), Section 7 (Indemnification
and Contribution) and Section 10 (Representations and Indemnities to Survive
Delivery) shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay all costs,
fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations
hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including
without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the
Common Shares (including all printing and engraving costs), (ii) all fees and
expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Common Stock, (iii) all
necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance
and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, (iv) all fees and expenses of the
Company's counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other
advisors, (v) all reasonable costs and expenses incurred in connection with the
preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration
Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and
certificates of experts), each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus, and
all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement, (vi) all costs and
expenses incurred by Underwriters counsel in connection with the Directed Share
Program, (vii) all filing fees, reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses incurred
by the Company or the Underwriters in connection with qualifying or registering
(or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any
part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky
laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada or any other country, and, if
requested by the Representatives, preparing and printing a "Blue Sky Survey", an
"International Blue Sky Survey" or other memorandum, and any supplements
thereto, advising the Underwriters of such qualifications, registrations and
exemptions, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and
expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, the National
Association of
18
Securities Dealers, Inc. review and approval of the Underwriters' participation
in the offering and distribution of the Common Shares, (ix) the fees and
expenses associated with listing the Common Shares on the Nasdaq National
Market, (x) all costs and expenses incident to the travel and accommodation of
the Company's employees on the "roadshow", and (xi) all other fees, costs and
expenses referred to in Item 13 of Part II of the Registration Statement. Except
as provided in this Section 5 and Sections 6 and 7 hereof, the Underwriters
shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their
counsel.
Section 6. Reimbursement of Underwriters' Expenses. If this Agreement is
terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section 4, Section 8 or Section 9,
or if the sale to the Underwriters of the Shares on the First Closing Date is
not consummated because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the
Company to perform any agreement herein or to comply with any provision hereof,
the Company agrees to reimburse the Representatives and the other Underwriters
(or such Underwriters as have terminated this Agreement with respect to
themselves), severally, upon demand for all out-of-pocket expenses that shall
have been reasonably incurred by the Representatives and the Underwriters in
connection with the proposed purchase and the offering and sale of the Shares,
including but not limited to fees and disbursements of counsel, printing
expenses, travel and accommodation expenses, postage, facsimile and telephone
charges.
Section 7. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees, and each person,
if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as
incurred, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may become
subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state
statutory law or regulation, or at common law or otherwise (including in
settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written
consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld),
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect
thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based (i) upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information
deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, or
the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or
(ii) upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material
fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (iii) in whole or
in part upon any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company
contained herein; or (iv) in whole or in part upon any failure of the Company to
perform its obligations hereunder or under law; or (v) any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any audio or visual
materials provided by the Company or based upon written information furnished by
or on behalf of the Company including, without limitation, slides, videos, films
or tape recordings, used in connection with the marketing of the Shares,
including without limitation, statements communicated by the Company, or
statements consistent with those communicated by the Company, to securities
19
analysts employed by the Underwriters; or (vi) in whole or in part upon any act
or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in
connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Shares or the offering
contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any
loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter
covered by clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, provided that the Company
shall not be liable under this clause (vi) to the extent that a court of
competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a judgment that such loss,
claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or
failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through
its bad faith or willful misconduct; and to reimburse each Underwriter and each
such controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇) as such expenses are
reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection
with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss,
claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the
foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or
alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by the Representatives expressly for use in
the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto); and provided, further, that with respect to
any preliminary prospectus, the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not inure to
the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense purchased Shares, or any person controlling such
Underwriter, if copies of the Prospectus were timely delivered to the
Underwriter pursuant to Section 2 and a copy of the Prospectus (as then amended
or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any amendments or
supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter
to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or supplemented) would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense. The indemnity agreement
set forth in this Section 7(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the
Company may otherwise have.
(b) Indemnification of the Company and its Directors, Officers. Each
Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signed the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, against any loss, claim,
damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act, or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or
at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as
contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), or arises out of or is based upon the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the
Representatives expressly for use therein; and to
20
reimburse the Company, or any such director, officer or controlling person for
any legal and other expense reasonably incurred by the Company, or any such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating,
defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage,
liability, expense or action. The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section
7(b) shall be in addition to any liabilities that each Underwriter may otherwise
have.
(c) Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Company and each person,
if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act, hereby acknowledges that the only information that the
Underwriters have furnished to the Company expressly for use in the
Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) are the statements set forth in the second,
third and tenth paragraphs and the table following the first paragraph, each
under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus; and the Underwriters confirm
that such statements are correct.
(d) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after
receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7 of notice of the
commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect
thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 7, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission
so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which
it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under
the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7 or to the extent it is not
prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or
intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party
will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect,
jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, 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; provided, however, if the
defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded
that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and
the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there
may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are
different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the
indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to
assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such
action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice
from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying
party's election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the
indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified party under this Section 7 for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in
accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of
more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the
indemnifying party (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ in the case of Section 7(b) and Section
8), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), (ii)
the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time
after notice of commencement of the action, or (iii) the indemnifying party has
authorized the employment of counsel for the
21
indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which
cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the
indemnifying party.
(e) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with
such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding
the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested
an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel as contemplated by Section 7(d) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees
that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without
its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days
after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such
indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance
with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party
shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or
threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party
is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought
hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes (i) an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or
proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(f) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is
applicable by its terms but unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an
indemnified party under Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or
payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect the relative benefits received by such party on the one hand and the
Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the
allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by
applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid
or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to
reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the such
party on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the
statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The 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 on the one hand or
the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.
The Company and Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 7(f) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7(f). The amount
paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
damages or
22
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 7(f) 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 (f), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in
excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this Section 7(f)
to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting
obligations and not joint.
(g) Timing of Any Payments of Indemnification. Any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to
indemnification or contribution under this Section 7 shall be paid by the
indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are incurred, but in all cases, no later than forty-five
(45) days of invoice to the indemnifying party.
(h) Survival. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section 7 and the representation and warranties set forth in this Agreement
shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity,
contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 7.
(i) Acknowledgements of Parties. The parties to this Agreement hereby
acknowledge that they are sophisticated business persons who were represented by
counsel during the negotiations regarding the provisions hereof including,
without limitation, the provisions of this Section 7, and are fully informed
regarding said provisions. They further acknowledge that the provisions of this
Section 7 fairly allocate the risks in light of the ability of the parties to
investigate the Company and its business in order to assure that adequate
disclosure is made in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as required by
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Indemnification for Directed Share Program. The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and its affiliates and each
person, if any, who controls ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or its affiliates within the
meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act ("▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Entities"), from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or
other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating
any such action or claim) (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the
consent of the Company for distribution to participants in connection with the
Directed Share Program, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; (ii) the failure of any participant to pay
for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the participant has agreed to
purchase; or (iii) related to, arising out of, or in
23
connection with the Directed Share Program other than losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are judicially determined to
have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Entities.
Section 8. Default of One or More of the Several Underwriters. If, on the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or
more of the several Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it
or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number
of Common Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase does not exceed 10% of the aggregate number of the
Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated,
severally, in the proportions that the number of Firm Common Shares set forth
opposite their respective names on Schedule A bears to the aggregate number of
----------
Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting
Underwriters, or in such other proportions as may be specified by the
Representatives with the consent of the non-defaulting Underwriters, to purchase
the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed
or refused to purchase on such date. If, on the First Closing Date or the Second
Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail
or refuse to purchase Shares and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to
which such default occurs exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of Shares to be
purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives and
the Company for the purchase of such Shares are not made within 48 hours after
such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability of any party to
any other party except that the provisions of Section 5, and Section 7 shall at
all times be effective and shall survive such termination. In any such case
either the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no
event for longer than seven days in order that the required changes, if any, to
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or any other documents or
arrangements may be effected.
As used in this Agreement, the term "Underwriter" shall be deemed to
include any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter under this Section
8. Any action taken under this Section 8 shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
Section 9. Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement may be terminated
by the Representatives by notice given to the Company if (a) at any time after
the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the First Closing Date
(i) trading or quotation in any of the Company's securities shall have been
suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Nasdaq Stock Market, or trading
in securities generally on either the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock
Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices
shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the
Commission or the National Association of Securities Dealers, LLC; (ii) a
general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal, New York,
Delaware or California authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak
or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or
calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets,
or any substantial change or development involving a prospective change in
United States' or international political, financial or economic conditions, as
in the judgment of the Representatives is material and adverse and makes it
impracticable or inadvisable to market the
24
Common Shares in the manner and on the terms contemplated in the Prospectus or
to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of the
Representatives there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change; or (v)
the Company shall have sustained a loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake,
accident or other calamity of such character as in the judgment of the
Representatives may interfere materially with the conduct of the business and
operations of the Company regardless of whether or not such loss shall have been
insured or (b) in the case of any of the events specified in 9(a)(i)-(v), such
event singly or together with any other event, makes it, in your judgement,
impracticable or inadvisable to market the Common Shares in the manner and on
the terms contemplated in the Prospectus. Any termination pursuant to this
Section 9 shall be without liability on the part of (x) the Company to any
Underwriter, except that the Company shall be obligated to reimburse the
expenses of the Representatives and the Underwriters pursuant to Sections 5 and
6 hereof, (y) any Underwriter to the Company or any person controlling the
Company, or (z) of any party hereto to any other party except that the
provisions of Section 7 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such
termination.
Section 10. Representations and Indemnities to Survive Delivery. The
respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other
statements of the Company or any person controlling the company, of its
officers, and of the several Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this
Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of its or their
partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be,
and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any
termination of this Agreement.
Section 11. Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be mailed, hand delivered or telecopied and confirmed to the parties
hereto as follows:
If to the Representatives:
FLEETBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile: ▇▇▇-▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Chief Executive Officer
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving
written notice to the others.
Section 12. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the parties hereto, including any substitute Underwriters pursuant
to Section 8 hereof, and
25
to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons
referred to in Section 7, and to their respective successors, and no other
person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term "successors" shall
not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from any of the Underwriters
merely by reason of such purchase.
Section 13. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability
of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.
If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason
determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such
minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid
and enforceable.
Section 14. Governing Law Provisions.
(a) Governing Law. This agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the state of New York applicable to
agreements made and to be performed in such state.
(b) Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising
out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby
("Related Proceedings") may be instituted in the federal courts of the United
States of America located in the City and County of San Francisco or the courts
of the State of California in each case located in the City and County of San
Francisco (collectively, the "Specified Courts"), and each party irrevocably
submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in
regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a "Related
Judgment"), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in
any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or
document by mail to such party's address set forth above shall be effective
service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the
laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts
and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any
such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such
court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party not located in the
United States irrevocably appoints CT Corporation System, which currently
maintains a San Francisco office at ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ of America, as its agent to receive service of
process or other legal summons for purposes of any such suit, action or
proceeding that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and
County of San Francisco.
Section 15. General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or
oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same
effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the
parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived
unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.
Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall
not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.
26
[The remainder of this page has been intentionally left blank.]
27
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a
binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
ESPERION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
By: ________________________________________
Name:
Title:
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted
by the Representatives as of the date first above written.
FLEETBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC./32/
U.S. BANCORP ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
On their behalf and on behalf of each of the several underwriters named in
Schedule A hereto.
----------
By FLEETBOSTON ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
By:
______________________________________
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
______________________
/32/ Add "and FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ International Limited" in any
transaction where there will be sales to European accounts. The banker on the
deal should check with the Syndicate department to find out if there will be
sales to European accounts.
28
SCHEDULE A
Number of Firm Common
Underwriters Shares To be Purchased
------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------
FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc............................ [___]
U.S. Bancorp ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc................................ [___]
Chase Securities Inc.......................................... [___]
[___]......................................................... [___]
[___]......................................................... [___]
Total.................................................... [___]
S-A
Exhibit A
Lock-Up Agreement
FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
U.S. Bancorp ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
Chase Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
RE: Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (the "Company")
Ladies & Gentlemen:
The undersigned is an owner of record or beneficially of certain
shares of Common Stock of the Company ("Common Stock") or securities convertible
into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock. The Company proposes to
carry out a public offering of Common Stock (the "Offering") for which you will
act as the representatives (the "Representatives") of the underwriters. The
undersigned recognizes that the Offering will be of benefit to the undersigned
and will benefit the Company by, among other things, raising additional capital
for its operations. The undersigned acknowledges that you and the other
underwriters are relying on the representations and agreements of the
undersigned contained in this letter in carrying out the Offering and in
entering into underwriting arrangements with the Company with respect to the
Offering.
In consideration of the foregoing, the undersigned hereby agrees that
the undersigned will not offer to sell, contract to sell, or otherwise sell,
dispose of, loan, pledge or grant any rights with respect to (collectively, a
"Disposition") any shares of Common Stock, any options or warrants to purchase
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
for shares of Common Stock (collectively, "Securities") now owned or hereafter
acquired directly by such person or with respect to which such person has or
hereafter acquires the power of disposition, otherwise than (i) as a bona fide
gift or gifts, provided the donee or donees thereof agree in writing to be bound
by this restriction, (ii) as a distribution to partners or shareholders of such
person, provided that the distributees thereof agree in writing to be bound by
the terms of this restriction, (iii) with respect to sales or purchases of
Common Stock acquired on the open market or (iv) with the prior written consent
of FleetBoston ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. The foregoing restrictions will terminate
after the close of trading of the Common Stock on the 180/th/ day of (and
including) the day the Common Stock commenced trading on the Nasdaq National
Market (the "Lock-Up" Period). The foregoing restriction has been expressly
agreed to preclude the holder of the Securities from engaging in any hedging or
other transaction which is designed to or reasonably expected to lead to or
result in a Disposition of Securities during the Lock-up Period, even if such
Securities would be disposed of by someone other than such holder. Such
prohibited hedging or other transactions would include, without limitation, any
short sale (whether or not against the box) or any purchase, sale or grant of
any right
(including, without limitation, any put or call option) with respect to any
Securities or with respect to any security (other than a broad-based market
basket or index) that included, relates to or derives any significant part of
its value from Securities. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry
of stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer agent and registrar
against the transfer of shares of Common Stock or Securities held by the
undersigned except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
This agreement is irrevocable and will be binding on the undersigned
and the respective successors, heirs, personal representatives, and assigns of
the undersigned. In the event the Offering has not occurred on or before
September 30, 2000, this Lock-Up Agreement shall be of no further force or
effect.
Dated ___________________________________
_________________________________________
Printed Name of Holder
By: _____________________________________
Signature
_________________________________________
Printed Name of Person Signing
(and indicate capacity of person signing
if signing as custodian, trustee, or on
behalf of an entity)