EXHIBIT 1.1
[Form of Underwriting Agreement - Subject to Additional Review]
2,500,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
AND 1,250,000 REDEEMABLE WARRANTS
DEPOMED, INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
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New York, New York
, 1997
NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION
As Representative of the
Several Underwriters listed on Schedule A hereto
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
DepoMed, Inc., a California corporation (the "Company"), confirms its
agreement with National Securities Corporation ("National") and each of the
underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the "Underwriters," which
term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in
Section 11), for whom National is acting as representative (in such capacity,
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National shall hereinafter be referred to as "you" or the "Representative"),
with respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares ("Shares")
of the Company's common stock, no par value per share ("Common Stock"), and
redeemable common stock purchase warrants (the "Redeemable Warrants"), each to
purchase one share of Common Stock, set forth in Schedule A hereto. The
aggregate 2,500,000 Shares and 1,250,000 Redeemable Warrants will be separately
tradeable upon issuance and are hereinafter referred to as the "Firm
Securities." Each Redeemable Warrant is exercisable commencing on ____________,
1998 [12 months from
the date of this Agreement] until ____________, 2002 [60 months from the date of
this Agreement], unless previously redeemed by the Company, at an initial
exercise price of $_______ [140% of the initial public offering price] per share
of Common Stock. The Redeemable Warrants may be redeemed by the Company at a
redemption price of $.10 per Redeemable Warrant at any time after _____________,
1998 [18 months from the date of this Agreement] on thirty (30) days' prior
written notice, provided that the closing bid price of the Common Stock equals
or exceeds $_______________ [150% of the initial public offering price of Common
Stock] per share, for any twenty (20) trading days within a period of thirty
(30) consecutive trading days ending on the fifth trading day prior to the
notice of redemption, all in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Warrant Agreement (herein defined).
Upon your request, as provided in Section 2(b) of this Agreement, the
Company shall also issue and sell to the Underwriters, acting severally and not
jointly, up to an additional 375,000 shares of Common Stock and/or 125,000
Redeemable Warrants for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any. Such
375,000 shares of Common Stock and 187,500 Redeemable Warrants are hereinafter
collectively to as the "Option Securities." The Company also proposes to issue
and sell to you warrants (the "Representative's Warrants") pursuant to the
Representative's Warrant Agreement (the "Representative's Warrant Agreement")
for the purchase of an additional 250,000 shares of Common Stock and/or 187,500
Redeemable Warrants. The shares of Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants
issuable upon exercise of the Representative's Warrants are hereinafter referred
to as the "Representative's Securities." The Firm Securities, the Option
Securities, the Representative's Warrants and the Representative's Securities
(collectively, hereinafter referred to as the "Securities") are more fully
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus referred to below.
1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents
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and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters as of the date
hereof, and as of the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and each Option
Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:
(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") a registration statement, and an amendment or
amendments thereto, on Form SB-2 (No. 333-_________), including any related
preliminary prospectus ("Preliminary Prospectus"), for the registration of the
Firm Securities, the Option Securities and the Representative's Securities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), which registration statement
and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with
the requirements of the Act, and the rules and regulations (the "Regulations")
of the Commission under the Act. The Company will promptly file a further
amendment to said registration statement in the form heretofore delivered to the
Underwriters and will not file any other amendment thereto to which the
Underwriters shall have objected in writing after having been furnished with a
copy thereof. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration
statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration
statement becomes effective (including the prospectus, financial statements,
schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or
incorporated therein (including, but not limited to those documents or
information incorporated by reference therein) and all information deemed to be
a part thereof as of such time pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430(A) of the
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Regulations), is hereinafter called the "Registration Statement", and the form
of prospectus in the form first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b) of the Regulations, is hereinafter called the "Prospectus." For purposes
hereof, "Rules and Regulations" mean the rules and regulations adopted by the
Commission under either the Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "Exchange Act"), as applicable.
(b) Neither the Commission nor any state regulatory authority has issued
any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any part of any thereof and no
proceedings for a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any of the Company's securities have been instituted or are pending
or threatened. Each of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement
and Prospectus at the time of filing thereof conformed with the requirements of
the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and none of the Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus at the time of filing thereof contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except
that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company with respect to the Underwriters by or on behalf of the Underwriters
expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
(c) When the Registration Statement becomes effective and at all times
subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date (as defined herein) and each Option
Closing Date (as defined herein), if any, and during such longer period as the
Prospectus may be required to be delivered in connection with sales by the
Underwriters or a dealer, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will
contain all statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance
with the Act and the Rules and Regulations, and will conform to the requirements
of the Act and the Rules and Regulations; neither the Registration Statement nor
the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement thereto, will contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided, however,
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that this representation and warranty does not apply to statements made or
statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of any Underwriter expressly
for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, Registration Statement or Prospectus or
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
(d) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the state of its incorporation.
Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company does not own an interest in
any corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture or other business entity.
The Company is duly qualified and licensed and in good standing as a foreign
corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing of any
properties or the character of its operations requires such qualification or
licensing. The Company has all requisite power and authority (corporate and
other), and has obtained any and all necessary authorizations, approvals,
orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and permits of and from all
governmental or regulatory officials and bodies (including, without limitation,
those
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having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters), to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; the Company
is and has been doing business in compliance with all such authorizations,
approvals, orders, licenses, certificates, franchises and permits and all
applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules and regulations; and
the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the
revocation or modification of any such authorization, approval, order, license,
certificate, franchise, or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would materially and
adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings,
position, prospects, value, operation, properties, business or results of
operations of the Company. The disclosures in the Registration Statement
concerning the effects of federal, state, local, and foreign laws, rules and
regulations on the Company's business as currently conducted and as contemplated
are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances under which they were made.
(e) The Company has a duly authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under "Capitalization" and
"Description of Securities" and will have the adjusted capitalization set forth
therein on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, based upon the
assumptions set forth therein, and the Company is not a party to or bound by any
instrument, agreement or other arrangement providing for it to issue any capital
stock, rights, warrants, options or other securities, except for this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement, the Representative's Warrant Agreement and as described
in the Prospectus. The Securities and all other securities issued or issuable
by the Company conform or, when issued and paid for, will conform, in all
respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. All issued and outstanding securities of the
Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-
assessable and the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect
thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such
holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive
rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual
rights granted by the Company. The Securities are not and will not be subject
to any preemptive or other similar rights of any stockholder, have been duly
authorized and, when issued, paid for and delivered in accordance with the terms
hereof, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform
to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the holders thereof will
not be subject to any liability solely as such holders; all corporate action
required to be taken for the authorization, issue and sale of the Securities has
been duly and validly taken; and the certificates representing the Securities
will be in due and proper form. Upon the issuance and delivery pursuant to the
terms hereof of the Securities to be sold by the Company hereunder, the
Underwriters or the Representative, as the case may be, will acquire good and
marketable title to such Securities free and clear of any lien, charge, claim,
encumbrance, pledge, security interest, defect or other restriction or equity of
any kind whatsoever.
(f) The financial statements of the Company, together with the related
notes and schedules thereto, included in the Registration Statement, each
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus fairly present the financial position,
income, changes in cash flow, changes in stockholders' equity and the results of
operations of the Company at the respective dates and for the respective periods
to which they apply and such financial statements have been prepared in
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conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and the Rules and
Regulations, consistently applied throughout the periods involved and such
financial statements as are audited have been examined by Ernst & Young LLP, who
are independent certified public accountants within the meaning of the Act and
the Rules and Regulations, as indicated in their reports filed therewith. There
has been no adverse change or development involving a prospective adverse change
in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, position,
prospects, value, operation, properties, business, or results of operations of
the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, since
the date of the financial statements included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and the outstanding debt, the property, both tangible and
intangible, and the business of the Company, conform in all material respects to
the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus. Financial information (including, without limitation, any pro forma
financial information) set forth in the Prospectus under the headings "Summary
Financial Information," "Selected Financial Data," "Capitalization," and
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations," fairly present, on the basis stated in the Prospectus, the
information set forth therein, and have been derived from or compiled on a basis
consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the
Prospectus; and, in the case of pro forma financial information, if any, the
assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments
used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and
circumstances referred to therein. The amounts shown as accrued for current and
deferred income and other taxes in such financial statements are sufficient for
the payment of all accrued and unpaid federal, state, local and foreign income
taxes, interest, penalties, assessments or deficiencies applicable to the
Company, whether disputed or not, for the applicable period then ended and
periods prior thereto; adequate allowance for doubtful accounts has been
provided for unindemnified losses due to the operations of the Company; and the
statements of income do not contain any items of special or nonrecurring income
not earned in the ordinary course of business, except as specified in the notes
thereto.
(g) The Company (i) has paid all federal, state, local, and foreign taxes
for which it is liable, including, but not limited to, withholding taxes and
amounts payable under Chapters 21 through 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), and has furnished all information returns it is
required to furnish pursuant to the Code, (ii) has established adequate reserves
for such taxes which are not due and payable, and (iii) does not have any tax
deficiency or claims outstanding, proposed or assessed against it.
(h) No transfer tax, stamp duty or other similar tax is payable by or on
behalf of the Underwriters in connection with (i) the issuance by the Company of
the Securities, (ii) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm Securities and
the Option Securities from the Company and the purchase by the Representative of
the Representative's Warrants from the Company, (iii) the consummation by the
Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement, or (iv) resales of the
Firm Securities and the Option Securities in connection with the distribution
contemplated hereby.
(i) The Company maintains insurance policies, including, but not limited
to, general liability, malpractice and property insurance, which insures each of
the Company and its employees, against such losses and risks generally insured
against by comparable businesses.
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The Company (A) has not failed to give notice or present any insurance claim
with respect to any matter, including but not limited to the Company's business,
property or employees, under any insurance policy or surety bond in a due and
timely manner, (B) does not have any disputes or claims against any underwriter
of such insurance policies or surety bonds or has failed to pay any premiums due
and payable thereunder, or (C) has failed to comply with all conditions
contained in such insurance policies and surety bonds. There are no facts or
circumstances under any such insurance policy or surety bond which would relieve
any insurer of its obligation to satisfy in full any valid claim of the Company.
(j) There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration,
investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding (including, without
limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or similar matters),
domestic or foreign, pending or threatened against (or circumstances that may
give rise to the same), or involving the properties or business of, the Company
which (i) questions the validity of the capital stock of the Company, this
Agreement, the Warrant Agreement or the Representative's Warrant Agreement, or
of any action taken or to be taken by the Company pursuant to or in connection
with this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement or the Representative's Warrant
Agreement, (ii) is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement which
is not so disclosed (and such proceedings as are summarized in the Registration
Statement are accurately summarized in all material respects), or (iii) might
materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the
earnings, position, prospects, stockholders' equity, value, operation,
properties, business or results of operations of the Company.
(k) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to authorize,
issue, deliver and sell the Securities, enter into this Agreement, the Warrant
Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and to consummate the
transactions provided for in this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the
Representative's Warrant Agreement; and this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement
and the Representative's Warrant Agreement have each been duly and properly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. Each of this Agreement, the
Warrant Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement constitutes a
legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the
Company in accordance with its terms, and none of the Company's issue and sale
of the Securities, execution or delivery of this Agreement, the Warrant
Agreement or the Representative's Warrant Agreement, its performance hereunder
and thereunder, its consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and
therein, or the conduct of its business as described in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, conflicts
with or will conflict with or results or will result in any breach or violation
of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitutes or will constitute a
default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge,
claim, encumbrance, pledge, security interest, defect or other restriction or
equity of any kind whatsoever upon, any property or assets (tangible or
intangible) of the Company pursuant to the terms of (i) the certificate of
incorporation or by-laws of the Company, (ii) any license, contract, collective
bargaining agreement, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, voting trust
agreement, stockholders agreement, note, loan or credit agreement or any other
agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company
is or may be bound or to which its or assets (tangible or intangible) is or may
be subject, or any indebtedness, or (iii) any statute, judgment, decree, order,
rule or regulation applicable to the Company of any arbitrator, court,
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regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental agency or body
(including, without limitation, those having jurisdiction over environmental or
similar matters), domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or
any of its activities or properties.
(l) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, and no filing with,
any court, regulatory body, government agency or other body, domestic or
foreign, is required for the issuance of the Securities pursuant to the
Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the performance of this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including without limitation, any
waiver of any preemptive, first refusal or other rights that any entity or
person may have for the issue and/or sale of any of the Securities, except such
as have been or may be obtained under the Act or may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the Underwriters' purchase and
distribution of the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, and the
Representative's Warrants to be sold by the Company hereunder.
(m) All executed agreements, contracts or other documents or copies of
executed agreements, contracts or other documents filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement to which the Company is a party or by which it or they
may be bound or to which its or their respective assets, properties or business
may be subject have been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding agreements of the
Company, as the case may be, enforceable against it in accordance with its
terms. The descriptions in the Registration Statement of agreements, contracts
and other documents are accurate and fairly present the information required to
be shown with respect thereto by Form SB-2, and there are no contracts or other
documents which are required by the Act to be described in the Registration
Statement or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not
described or filed as required, and the exhibits which have been filed are
complete and correct copies of the documents of which they purport to be copies.
(n) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is set
forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, and except as may otherwise
be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued
any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent,
for borrowed money, (ii) entered into any transaction other than in the ordinary
course of business, or (iii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other
distribution on or in respect of its capital stock of any class, and there has
not been any change in the capital stock, or any change in the debt (long or
short term) or liabilities or material adverse change in or affecting the
general affairs, management, financial operations, stockholders' equity or
results of operations of the Company.
(o) No default exists in the due performance and observance of any term,
covenant or condition of any license, contract, collective bargaining agreement,
indenture, mortgage, installment sale agreement, lease, deed of trust, voting
trust agreement, stockholders agreement, partnership agreement, note, loan or
credit agreement, purchase order, or any other agreement or instrument
evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or
instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound
or to which the property or assets (tangible or intangible) of the Company is
subject or affected.
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(p) The Company has generally enjoyed a satisfactory employer-employee
relationship with its employees and is in compliance with all federal, state,
local, and foreign laws and regulations respecting employment and employment
practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours. There are no
pending investigations involving the Company by the U.S. Department of Labor, or
any other governmental agency responsible for the enforcement of such federal,
state, local, or foreign laws and regulations. There is no unfair labor
practice charge or complaint against the Company pending before the National
Labor Relations Board or any lockout, strike, picketing, boycott, dispute,
slowdown or stoppage pending or threatened against or involving the Company, or
any predecessor entity, and none has ever occurred. No representation question
exists respecting the employees of the Company, and no collective bargaining
agreement or modification thereof is currently being negotiated by the Company.
No grievance or arbitration proceeding is pending under any expired or existing
collective bargaining agreements of the Company. No labor dispute with the
employees of the Company exists, or, is imminent.
(q) The Company does not maintain, sponsor or contribute to any program
or arrangement that is an "employee pension benefit plan," an "employee welfare
benefit plan," or a "multiemployer plan" as such terms are defined in Sections
3(2), 3(1) and 3(37), respectively, of the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA") ("ERISA Plans"). The Company does not
maintain or contribute, now or at any time previously, to a defined benefit
plan, as defined in Section 3(35) of ERISA. No ERISA Plan (or any trust created
thereunder) has engaged in a "prohibited transaction" within the meaning of
Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, which could subject the
Company or the Subsidiaries to any tax penalty on prohibited transactions and
which has not adequately been corrected. Each ERISA Plan is in compliance with
all reporting, disclosure and other requirements of the Code and ERISA as they
relate to any such ERISA Plan. Determination letters have been received from
the Internal Revenue Service with respect to each ERISA Plan which is intended
to comply with Code Section 401(a), stating that such ERISA Plan and the
attendant trust are qualified thereunder. None of the Company has ever
completely or partially withdrawn from a "multiemployer plan."
(r) Neither the Company, nor any of its employees, directors,
stockholders, partners, or affiliates (within the meaning of the Rules and
Regulations) of any of the foregoing has taken or will take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or which has constituted or which might be
expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise,
stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or otherwise.
(s) Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, none of the patents,
patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights, and
licenses and rights to the foregoing presently owned or held by the Company, are
in dispute so far as known by the Company or are in any conflict with the right
of any other person or entity. The Company (i) owns or has the right to use,
free and clear of all liens, charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security
interests, defects or other restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, all
patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights, technology and
licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing, used in the conduct of its
business as now conducted or proposed to
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be conducted without infringing upon or otherwise acting adversely to the right
or claimed right of any person, corporation or other entity under or with
respect to any of the foregoing and (ii) is not obligated or under any liability
whatsoever to make any payment by way of royalties, fees or otherwise to any
owner or licensee of, or other claimant to, any patent, trademark, service ▇▇▇▇,
trade name, copyright, know-how, technology or other intangible asset, with
respect to the use thereof or in connection with the conduct of its business or
otherwise.
(t) The Company has good and marketable title to, or valid and
enforceable leasehold estates in, all items of real and personal property stated
in the Prospectus to be owned or leased by it, free and clear of all liens,
charges, claims, encumbrances, pledges, security interests, defects, or other
restrictions or equities of any kind whatsoever, other than those referred to in
the Prospectus and liens for taxes not yet due and payable.
(u) Ernst & Young LLP, whose report is filed with the Commission as a
part of the Registration Statement, are independent certified public accountants
as required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(v) The Company has caused to be duly executed legally binding and
enforceable agreements pursuant to which each of the Company's officers,
directors, stockholders and holders of securities exchangeable or exercisable
for or convertible into shares of Common Stock has agreed not to, directly
or indirectly, issue, offer, offer to sell, sell, grant any option for the sale
or purchase of, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or
dispose of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into,
exercisable or exchangeable for or evidencing any right to purchase or subscribe
for any shares of Common Stock (either pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules and
Regulations or otherwise) or dispose of any beneficial interest therein for a
period of not less than twelve (12) months following the effective date of the
Registration Statement without the prior written consent of the Representative
and the Company. During the 12 month period commencing on the effective date
of the Registration Statement, the Company shall not, without the prior
written consent of the Representative, sell, contract or offer to sell, issue,
transfer, assign, pledge, distribute, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any options, rights or warrants with
respect to any shares of Common Stock. The Company will cause the Transfer
Agent (as hereinafter defined) to ▇▇▇▇ an appropriate legend on the face of
stock certificates representing all of such securities and to place "stop
transfer" orders on the Company's stock ledgers.
(w) There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or
understandings, whether oral or written, for services in the nature of a
finder's or origination fee with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder
or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuance with
respect to the Company, or any of its officers, directors, stockholders,
partners, employees or affiliates, that may affect the Underwriters'
compensation, as determined by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. ("NASD").
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(x) The Common Stock has been approved for listing on the American
Stock Exchange ("Amex") SmallCap Market ("Nasdaq").
(y) None of the Company, nor any of its officers, employees, agents or
any other person acting on behalf of the Company has, directly or indirectly,
given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal
price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any
customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or
employee of any governmental agency (domestic or foreign) or instrumentality of
any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for
office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a
position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist the Company in
connection with any actual or proposed transaction) which (a) might subject the
Company, or any other such person to any damage or penalty in any civil,
criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding (domestic or foreign), (b) if
not given in the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the assets,
business or operations of the Company, or (c) if not continued in the future,
might adversely affect the assets, business, condition, financial or otherwise,
earnings, position, properties, value, operations or prospects of the Company.
The Company's internal accounting controls are sufficient to cause the Company
to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(z) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no officer, director,
stockholder or partner of the Company, or any "affiliate" or "associate" (as
these terms are defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Rules and Regulations)
of any of the foregoing persons or entities has or has had, either directly or
indirectly, (i) an interest in any person or entity which (A) furnishes or sells
services or products which are furnished or sold or are proposed to be furnished
or sold by the Company, or (B) purchases from or sells or furnishes to the
Company any goods or services, or (ii) a beneficiary interest in any contract or
agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it may be bound or
affected. Except as set forth in the Prospectus under "Certain Transactions,"
there are no existing agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions,
or proposed agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions, between or
among the Company, and any officer, director, or 5% or greater securityholder of
the Company, or any partner, affiliate or associate of any of the foregoing
persons or entities.
(aa) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company, and delivered
to the Underwriters or to Underwriters' Counsel (as defined herein) shall be
deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to
the matters covered thereby.
(bb) The minute books of the Company have been made available to the
Underwriters and contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the
directors (including committees thereof) and stockholders of the Company, since
the time of its incorporation, and reflect all transactions referred to in such
minutes accurately in all material respects.
(cc) Except and to the extent described in the Prospectus, no holders of
any securities of the Company or of any options, warrants or other convertible
or exchangeable securities of the Company have the right to include any
securities issued by the Company in the Registration Statement or any
registration statement to be filed by the Company or to require the Company
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to file a registration statement under the Act and no person or entity holds any
anti-dilution rights with respect to any securities of the Company.
(dd) The Company has as of the effective date of the Registration
Statement (i) entered into an employment agreement with each of
__________________ and __________________ in the form filed as Exhibit ______
and Exhibit __, respectively, to the Registration Statement and (ii) purchased
term key person insurance on the lives of each of __________________ and
__________________ in the amount of $__ million which policies name the Company
as the sole beneficiary thereof.
(ee) The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in compliance
with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198, An Act
------
Relating to Disclosure of Doing Business with Cuba, and the Company further
--------------------------------------------------
agrees that if it or any affiliate commences engaging in business with the
government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba after the
date the Registration Statement becomes or has become effective with the
Commission or with the Florida Department of Banking and Finance (the
"Department"), whichever date is later, or if the information reported or
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the Company's,
or any affiliate's, business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located
in Cuba changes in any material way, the Company will provide the Department
notice of such business or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the
Department.
(ff) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities
as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as
described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds" will not be, an
"investment company" or an entity "controlled" by an "investment company" as
such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act").
(gg) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in
accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparations of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(ah) The Company has entered into a warrant agreement substantially in
the form filed as Exhibit ____ to the Registration Statement (the "Warrant
Agreement") with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company, as Warrant Agent,
in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, with respect to the
Redeemable Warrants and providing for the payment of the commission contemplated
by Section 4(v).
11
2. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities.
---------------------------------------------
(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company at a price of
$_______ [92% of the public offering price] per Share and $_______ [92% of the
public offering price] per Redeemable Warrant, that number of Firm Securities
set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, subject to such
adjustment as the Representative in its sole discretion shall make to eliminate
any sales or purchases of fractional shares, plus any additional number of Firm
Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to
the provisions of Section 11 hereof.
-------
(b) In addition, on the basis of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and
conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the
Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase all or any part of an
additional 375,000 shares of Common Stock at a price of $ ____ [92% of the
public offering price] per share of Common Stock and/or an additional 187,500
Redeemable Warrants at a price of $______ [92% of the public offering price] per
Redeemable Warrant. The option granted hereby will expire forty-five (45) days
after (i) the date the Registration Statement becomes effective, if the Company
has elected not to rely on Rule 430A under the Rules and Regulations, or (ii)
the date of this Agreement if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A
under the Rules and Regulations, and may be exercised in whole or in part from
time to time only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made
in connection with the offering and distribution of the Firm Securities upon
notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option
Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then exercising the option
and the time and date of payment and delivery for any such Option Securities.
Any such time and date of delivery (an "Option Closing Date") shall be
determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than three (3) full
business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the
Closing Date, as hereinafter defined, unless otherwise agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company. Nothing herein contained shall obligate the
Underwriters to make any over-allotments. No Option Securities shall be
delivered unless the Firm Securities shall be simultaneously delivered or shall
theretofore have been delivered as herein provided.
(c) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for,
the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of the Representative at ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such other place as
shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. Such delivery and
payment shall be made at 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on ________________,
1997 or at such other time and date as shall be agreed upon by the
Representative and the Company, but not less than three (3) nor more than five
(5) full business days after the effective date of the Registration Statement
(such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called the "Closing
Date"). In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Securities are
purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery
of certificates for, such Option Securities shall be made at the above-mentioned
office of the Representative or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by
the Representative and the Company on each Option Closing Date as specified in
the notice from the Representative to
12
the Company. Delivery of the certificates for the Firm Securities and the
Option Securities, if any, shall be made to the Underwriters against payment by
the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, of the purchase price for the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities, if any, to the order of the Company for
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities, if any, by New York Clearing
House funds. In the event such option is exercised, each of the Underwriters,
acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that proportion of the total
number of Option Securities then being purchased which the number of Firm
Securities set forth in Schedule A hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Firm Securities, subject in each case to such
adjustments as the Representative in its discretion shall make to eliminate any
sales or purchases of fractional shares. Certificates for the Firm Securities
and the Option Securities, if any, shall be in definitive, fully registered
form, shall bear no restrictive legends and shall be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Underwriters may request in writing at least two
(2) business days prior to the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date,
as the case may be. The certificates for the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities, if any, shall be made available to the Representative at such office
or such other place as the Representative may designate for inspection, checking
and packaging no later than 9:30 a.m. on the last business day prior to the
Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case may be.
(d) On the Closing Date, the Company shall issue and sell to the
Representative Representative's Warrants at a purchase price of $.0001 per
warrant, which Representative's Warrants shall entitle the holders thereof to
purchase an aggregate of 250,000 shares of Common Stock and/or 125,000
Redeemable Warrants. The Representative's Warrants shall be exercisable for a
period of four (4) years commencing one (1) year from the effective date of
the Registration Statement at a price equaling one hundred sixty five percent
(165%) of the respective initial public offering price of the Shares and the
Redeemable Warrants. The Representative's Warrant Agreement and form of
Warrant Certificate shall be substantially in the form filed as Exhibit [___]
to the Registration Statement. Payment for the Representative's Warrants shall
be made on the Closing Date.
3. Public Offering of the Shares and Redeemable Warrants. As soon after the
-----------------------------------------------------
Registration Statement becomes effective as the Representative deems advisable,
the Underwriters shall make a public offering of the Shares and Redeemable
Warrants (other than to residents of or in any jurisdiction in which
qualification of the Shares and Redeemable Warrants is required and has not
become effective) at the price and upon the other terms set forth in the
Prospectus. The Representative may from time to time increase or decrease the
respective public offering price after distribution of the Shares and Redeemable
Warrants has been completed to such extent as the Representative, in its sole
discretion deems advisable. The Underwriters may enter into one of more
agreements as the Underwriters, in each of their sole discretion, deem advisable
with one or more broker-dealers who shall act as dealers in connection with such
public offering.
4. Covenants and Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and
---------------------------------------
agrees with each of the Underwriters as follows:
13
(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as
practicable and will not at any time, whether before or after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, file any amendment to the Registration Statement
or supplement to the Prospectus or file any document under the Act or Exchange
Act before termination of the offering of the Shares and Redeemable Warrants by
the Underwriters of which the Representative shall not previously have been
advised and furnished with a copy, or to which the Representative shall have
objected or which is not in compliance with the Act, the Exchange Act or the
Rules and Regulations.
(b) As soon as the Company is advised or obtains knowledge thereof, the
Company will advise the Representative and confirm the notice in writing (i)
when the Registration Statement, as amended, becomes effective, if the
provisions of Rule 430A promulgated under the Act will be relied upon, when the
Prospectus has been filed in accordance with said Rule 430A and when any post-
effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective; (ii) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the
threatening, of any proceeding suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the
institution of proceedings for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by the
Commission or by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the
suspension of the qualification of any of the Securities for offering or sale in
any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for
that purpose; (iv) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; and (v)
of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement
or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information.
If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or
suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will make every effort to
obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
(c) The Company shall file the Prospectus (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative) or transmit the Prospectus by a means
reasonably calculated to result in filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule
424(b)(1) (or, if applicable and if consented to by the Representative, pursuant
to Rule 424(b)(4)) not later than the Commission's close of business on the
earlier of (i) the second business day following the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and (ii) the fifth business day after the effective date of the
Registration Statement.
(d) The Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to
file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any post-
effective amendment) or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus (including
any revised prospectus which the Company proposes for use by the Underwriters in
connection with the offering of the Securities which differs from the
corresponding prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the Registration
Statement becomes effective, whether or not such revised prospectus is required
to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations), and will
furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement a
reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may
be, and will not file any such prospectus to which the Representative or ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP ("Underwriters' Counsel") shall object.
14
(e) The Company shall endeavor in good faith, in cooperation with the
Representative, at or prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes
effective, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities
laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may designate to permit the
continuance of sales and dealings therein for as long as may be necessary to
complete the distribution, and shall make such applications, file such documents
and furnish such information as may be required for such purpose; provided,
--------
however, the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation
-------
or file a general or limited consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction. In each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be effected,
the Company will, unless the Representative agrees that such action is not at
the time necessary or advisable, use all reasonable efforts to file and make
such statements or reports at such times as are or may reasonably be required by
the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification.
(f) During the time when a prospectus is required to be delivered under
the Act, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to comply with all
requirements imposed upon it by the Act and the Exchange Act, as now and
hereafter amended and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in
force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in
the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus, or
any amendments or supplements thereto. If at any time when a prospectus
relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event
shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the
Company or Underwriters' Counsel, the Prospectus, as then amended or
supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus
to comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Representative promptly and
prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate amendment or supplement in
accordance with Section 10 of the Act, each such amendment or supplement to be
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel, and the Company will furnish to the
Underwriters copies of such amendment or supplement as soon as available and in
such quantities as the Underwriters may request.
(g) As soon as practicable, but in any event not later than forty-five
(45) days after the end of the 12-month period beginning on the day after the
end of the fiscal quarter of the Company during which the effective date of the
Registration Statement occurs (ninety (90) days in the event that the end of
such fiscal quarter is the end of the Company's fiscal year), the Company shall
make generally available to its security holders, in the manner specified in
Rule 158(b) of the Rules and Regulations, and to the Representative, an earnings
statement which will be in the detail required by, and will otherwise comply
with, the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158(a) of the Rules
and Regulations, which statement need not be audited unless required by the Act,
covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the effective
date of the Registration Statement.
(h) During a period of seven (7) years after the date hereof, the Company
will furnish to its stockholders, as soon as practicable, annual reports
(including financial statements audited by independent public accountants) and
unaudited quarterly reports of earnings, and will deliver to the Representative:
15
i. concurrently with furnishing such quarterly reports to its
stockholders, statements of income of the Company for each quarter in the
form furnished to the Company's stockholders and certified by the Company's
principal financial or accounting officer;
ii. concurrently with furnishing such annual reports to its stockholders,
a balance sheet of the Company as at the end of the preceding fiscal year,
together with statements of operations, stockholders' equity, and cash flows
of the Company for such fiscal year, accompanied by a copy of the
certificate thereon of independent certified public accountants;
iii. as soon as they are available, copies of all reports (financial or
other) mailed to stockholders;
iv. as soon as they are available, copies of all reports and financial
statements furnished to or filed with the Commission, the NASD or any
securities exchange;
v. every press release and every material news item or article of
interest to the financial community in respect of the Company, or its
affairs, which was released or prepared by or on behalf of the Company; and
vi. any additional information of a public nature concerning the Company
(and any future subsidiary) or its businesses which the Representative may
request.
During such seven-year period, if the Company has an active subsidiary, the
foregoing financial statements will be on a consolidated basis to the extent
that the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary(ies) are consolidated, and
will be accompanied by similar financial statements for any significant
subsidiary which is not so consolidated.
(i) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and warrant agent
("Transfer Agent") and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of
the Company, a Registrar (which may be the same entity as the Transfer Agent)
for its Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants.
(j) The Company will furnish to the Representative or on the
Representative's order, without charge, at such place as the Representative may
designate, copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement and
any pre-effective or post-effective amendments thereto (two of which copies will
be signed and will include all financial statements and exhibits), the
Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, including any prospectus
prepared after the effective date of the Registration Statement, in each case as
soon as available and in such quantities as the Representative may request.
(k) On or before the effective date of the Registration Statement, the
Company shall provide the Representative with true original copies of duly
executed, legally binding and enforceable agreements pursuant to which, for a
period of twelve (12) months from the effective date of the Registration
Statement, each of the Company's stockholders and holders of securities
exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock
agrees that it or he or she will not, directly or indirectly, issue, offer
to sell, sell, grant an option for the sale
16
or purchase of, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or
dispose of any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into,
exercisable or exchangeable for or evidencing any right to purchase or subscribe
for any shares of Common Stock (either pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules and
Regulations or otherwise) or dispose of any beneficial interest therein without
the prior consent of the Representative (collectively, the "Lock-up
Agreements"). During the 12 month period commencing on the effective date of
the Registration Statement, the Company shall not, without the prior written
consent of the Representative, sell, contract or offer to sell, issue,
transfer, assign, pledge, distribute, or otherwise dispose of, directly or
indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any options, rights or warrants with
respect to any shares of Common Stock. On or before the Closing Date, the
Company shall deliver instructions to the Transfer Agent authorizing it to
place appropriate legends on the certificates representing the securities
subject to the Lock-up Agreements and to place appropriate stop transfer
orders on the Company's ledgers.
(l) None of the Company, nor any of its officers, directors,
stockholders, nor any of its affiliates (within the meaning of the Rules and
Regulations) will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which
might in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in, stabilization
or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company.
(m) The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities in the manner, and subject to the conditions, set forth under "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus. No portion of the net proceeds will be used,
directly or indirectly, to acquire any securities issued by the Company.
(n) The Company shall timely file all such reports, forms or other
documents as may be required (including, but not limited to, a Form SR as may be
required pursuant to Rule 463 under the Act) from time to time, under the Act,
the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations, and all such reports, forms and
documents filed will comply as to form and substance with the applicable
requirements under the Act, the Exchange Act, and the Rules and Regulations.
(o) The Company shall furnish to the Representative as early as
practicable prior to each of the date hereof, the Closing Date and each Option
Closing Date, if any, but no later than two (2) full business days prior
thereto, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements
of the Company (which in no event shall be as of a date more than thirty (30)
days prior to the date of the Registration Statement) which have been read by
the Company's independent public accountants, as stated in their letters to be
furnished pursuant to Sections 6(l) and 6(m) hereof.
--------
(p) The Company shall cause the Common Stock and Redeemable Warrants to
be on listed on Amex and, for a period of seven (7) years from the date hereof,
use its best efforts to maintain the Amex quotation of the Common Stock and
the Redeemable Warrants to the extent outstanding.
17
(q) For a period of five (5) years from the Closing Date, the Company
shall furnish to the Representative at the Company's sole expense, (i) daily
consolidated transfer sheets relating to the Common Stock and Redeemable
Warrants (ii) the list of holders of all of the Company's securities and (iii) a
Blue Sky "Trading Survey" for secondary sales of the Company's securities
prepared by counsel to the Company.
(r) As soon as practicable, (i) but in no event more than five (5)
business days before the effective date of the Registration Statement, file a
Form 8-A with the Commission providing for the registration under the Exchange
Act of the Securities and (ii) but in no event more than thirty (30) days after
the effective date of the Registration Statement, take all necessary and
appropriate actions to be included in Standard and Poor's Corporation
Descriptions and ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ OTC Manual and to continue such inclusion for a period
of not less than seven (7) years.
(s) The Company hereby agrees that, except for the 750,000 shares
reserved for future issuance under the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan it
will not, for a period of twelve (12) months from the effective date of the
Registration Statement, adopt, propose to adopt or otherwise permit to exist
any employee, officer, director, consultant or compensation plan or similar
arrangement permitting (i) the grant, issue, sale or entry into any agreement
to grant, issue or sell any option, warrant or other contract right (x) at an
exercise price that is less than the greater of the public offering price of
the Shares set forth herein and the fair market value on the date of grant or
sale or (y) to any of its executive officers or directors or to any holder of
5% or more of the Common Stock; (ii) the maximum number of shares of Common
Stock or other securities of the Company purchasable at any time pursuant to
options or warrants issued by the Company to exceed the such 750,000 shares
reserved for future issuance under the Company's 1995 Stock Option Plan; (iii)
the payment for such securities with any form of consideration other than
cash; or (iv) the existence of stock appreciation rights, phantom options or
similar arrangements.
(t) Until the completion of the distribution of the Securities, the
Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative and
Underwriters' Counsel, issue, directly or indirectly, any press release or other
communication or hold any press conference with respect to the Company or its
activities or the offering contemplated hereby, other than trade releases issued
in the ordinary course of the Company's business consistent with past practices
with respect to the Company's operations.
(u) For a period equal to the lesser of (i) seven (7) years from the date
hereof, and (ii) the sale to the public of the Representative's Securities, the
Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent or disqualify the
Company's use of Form SB-2 (or other appropriate form) for the registration
under the Act of the Representative's Securities. The Company further agrees to
use its best efforts to file such post-effective amendments to the Registration
Statement, as may be necessary, in order to maintain its effectiveness and to
keep such Registration Statement effective while any of the Redeemable Warrants
or Representative's Warrants remain outstanding.
(v) Commencing one year and one day from the date hereof, if the Company
engages the Representative as a warrant solicitation agent under the terms of
the Warrant Agreement, the Company shall pay the Representative a commission
equal to five percent (5%)
18
of the exercise price of the Redeemable Warrants, payable on the date of the
exercise thereof on the terms provided in the Warrant Agreement; provided,
--------
however, the Representative shall be entitled to receive the commission
-------
contemplated by this Section 4(v) only if: (i) the Representative has provided
actual services in connection with the solicitation of the exercise of a
Redeemable Warrant by a Warrantholder and (ii) the Warrantholder exercising a
Redeemable Warrant affirmatively designates in writing on the exercise form on
the reverse side of the Redeemable Warrant Certificate that the exercise of such
Warrantholder's Redeemable Warrant was solicited by the Representative.
5. Payment of Expenses.
-------------------
(a) The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date (to the extent not paid at the Closing Date) all expenses
and fees (other than fees of Underwriters' Counsel, except as provided in (iv)
below) incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this
Agreement, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative's Warrant Agreement,
including, without limitation, (i) the fees and expenses of accountants and
counsel for the Company, (ii) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with
the preparation, duplication, printing (including mailing and handling charges),
filing, delivery and mailing (including the payment of postage with respect
thereto) of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments and
supplements thereto and the printing, mailing (including the payment of postage
with respect thereto) and delivery of this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the
Representative's Warrant Agreement, the Agreement Among Underwriters, the
Selected Dealer Agreements, and related documents, including the cost of all
copies thereof and of the Preliminary Prospectuses and of the Prospectus and any
amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters and such
dealers as the Underwriters may request, in quantities as hereinabove stated,
(iii) the printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Securities
including, but not limited to, (x) the purchase by the Underwriters of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities and the purchase by the Representative of
the Representative's Warrants from the Company, (y) the consummation by the
Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement
and the Representative's Warrant Agreement, and (z) resale of the Firm
Securities and the Option Securities by the Underwriters in connection with the
distribution contemplated hereby, (iv) the qualification of the Securities under
state or foreign securities or "Blue Sky" laws and determination of the status
of such securities under legal investment laws, including the costs of printing
and mailing the "Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum", the "Supplemental Blue Sky
Memorandum" and "Legal Investments Survey," if any, and disbursements and fees
of counsel in connection therewith (such counsel fees not to exceed $35,000 if
the Securities are listed on Nasdaq or elsewhere or $20,000 if the Securities
are listed on the Nasdaq National Market or a national exchange), (v)
advertising costs and expenses, including but not limited to costs and expenses
in connection with the "road show", information meetings and presentations,
bound volumes and prospectus memorabilia and "tomb-stone" advertisement
expenses, (vi) costs and expenses in connection with due diligence
investigations (not to exceed $15,000), including but not limited to the fees of
any independent counsel, expert or consultant retained, (vii) fees and expenses
of the Transfer Agent and registrar and all issue and transfer taxes, if any,
(viii) applications for assignment of a rating of the Securities by qualified
rating agencies, (ix) the fees payable to the Commission
19
and the NASD, and (x) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
quotation of the Securities on Nasdaq and any other exchange.
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Underwriters in accordance
with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 12, the Company shall reimburse and
------- -------
indemnify the Underwriters for all of their actual out-of-pocket expenses,
including the fees and disbursements of Underwriters' Counsel, less any amounts
already paid pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof.
-------
(c) The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable
pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 5, it will pay to the Representative
-------
on the Closing Date by certified or bank cashier's check or, at the election of
the Representative, by deduction from the proceeds of the offering of the Firm
Securities, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 2 1/2% of the gross
proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Firm Securities, $50,000
of which has been paid to date. In the event the Representative elects to
exercise the overallotment option described in Section 2(b) hereof, the Company
-------
further agrees to pay to the Representative on each Option Closing Date, by
certified or bank cashier's check, or at the Representative's election, by
deduction from the proceeds of the Option Securities purchased on such Option
Closing Date, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 2 1/2% of the gross
proceeds received by the Company from the sale of such Option Securities.
6. Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
-------------------------------------------
Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company herein as of the date hereof and
as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, as if they had been
made on and as of the Closing Date or each Option Closing Date, as the case may
be; the accuracy on and as of the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, if any,
of the statements of the officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions
hereof; and the performance by the Company on and as of the Closing Date and
each Option Closing Date, if any, of its covenants and obligations hereunder and
to the following further conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than
12:00 P.M., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and
time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representative, and, at the
Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or
contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable
satisfaction of Underwriters' Counsel. If the Company has elected to rely upon
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, the price of the Shares and Redeemable
Warrants and any price-related information previously omitted from the effective
Registration Statement pursuant to such Rule 430A shall have been transmitted to
the Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations
within the prescribed time period and, prior to the Closing Date, the Company
shall have provided evidence satisfactory to the Representative of such timely
filing, or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been
promptly filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations.
20
(b) The Representative shall not have advised the Company that the
Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, contains an untrue statement
of fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material, or omits to state a
fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of
fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material, or omits to state a
fact which, in the Representative's opinion, is material and is required to be
stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) On or prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date,
if any, the Representative shall have received from Underwriters' Counsel, such
opinion or opinions with respect to the organization of the Company, the
validity of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and other
related matters as the Representative may request and Underwriters' Counsel
shall have received such papers and information as they request to enable them
to pass upon such matters.
(d) At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the
favorable opinion of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ White & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel to the Company and
the Subsidiaries, dated the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and
substantially in the form of Schedule C.
21
(e) At the Closing Date, the Underwriters shall have received the
favorable opinion of __________________ , patent counsel to the Company, dated
the Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance
satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel and in substantially the form of Schedule
B hereto.
(f) At each Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriters shall have
received the favorable opinions of each of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ White & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
counsel to the Company, and __________________, patent counsel to the Company
dated such Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and
substance satisfactory to Underwriters' Counsel confirming as of such Option
Closing Date the statements made by each of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ White & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, and
__________________, in their respective opinions delivered on the Closing Date.
(g) On or prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date,
if any, Underwriters' Counsel shall have been furnished such documents,
certificates and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of
enabling them to review or pass upon the matters referred to in subsection (c)
of this Section 6, or in order to evidence the accuracy, completeness or
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satisfaction of any of the representations, warranties or conditions of the
Company, or herein contained.
(h) Prior to each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if
any, (i) there shall have been no material adverse change nor development
involving a prospective change in the condition, financial or otherwise,
earnings, position, value, properties, results of operations, prospects,
stockholders' equity or the business activities of the Company, whether or not
in the ordinary course of business, from the latest dates as of which such
condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (ii) there
shall have been no transaction, not in the ordinary course of business, entered
into by the Company, from the latest date as of which the financial condition of
the Company is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus which is
adverse to the Company; (iii) the Company shall not be in default under any
provision of any instrument relating to any outstanding indebtedness; (iv) none
of the Company shall not have issued any securities (other than the Securities)
or declared or paid any dividend or made any distribution in respect of its
capital stock of any class and there has not been any change in the capital
stock or any material change in the debt (long or short term) or liabilities or
obligations of the Company (contingent or otherwise); (v) no material amount of
the assets of the Company shall have been pledged or mortgaged, except as set
forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (vi) no action, suit or
proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened (or
circumstances giving rise to same) against the Company, or affecting any of its
or their respective properties or businesses before or by any court or federal,
state or foreign commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an
unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may adversely affect the business,
operations, earnings, position, value,
22
properties, results of operations, prospects or financial condition or income of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (vii) no stop order shall
have been issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been
initiated, threatened or contemplated by the Commission.
(i) At each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the
principal executive officer and by the chief financial or chief accounting
officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, to the effect that each of such persons has carefully examined the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and this Agreement, and that:
i. The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement
are true and correct, as if made on and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, and the Company has complied with all
agreements and covenants and satisfied all conditions contained in this
Agreement on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such
Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be;
ii. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement or any part thereof has been issued, and no proceedings for that
purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best of each of such
person's knowledge, are contemplated or threatened under the Act;
iii. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, if any, each
amendment and each supplement thereto, contain all statements and
information required to be included therein, and none of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto includes
any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading and neither the Preliminary Prospectus or any supplement
thereto included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state
any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; and
iv. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (a) the Company has not
incurred up to and including the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, other than in the ordinary course of its business, any
material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent; (b) the Company
has not paid or declared any dividends or other distributions on its capital
stock; (c) the Company has not entered into any transactions not in the
ordinary course of business; (d) there has not been any change in the
capital stock or long-term debt or any increase in the short-term borrowings
(other than any increase in the short-term borrowings in the ordinary course
of business) of the Company; (e) the Company has not sustained any loss or
damage to its properties or assets, whether or not insured; (f) there is no
litigation which is pending or threatened (or circumstances giving rise to
same) against the Company or any affiliated party which is required to be
set forth in an amended or supplemented Prospectus which has not been set
forth; and (g) there has
23
occurred no event required to be set forth in an amended or supplemented
Prospectus which has not been set forth.
References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this subsection
(j) are to such documents as amended and supplemented at the date of such
certificate.
(j) By the Closing Date, the Underwriters will have received clearance
from the NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the
Underwriters, as described in the Registration Statement.
(k) At the time this Agreement is executed, the Underwriters shall have
received a letter, dated such date, addressed to the Underwriters in form and
substance satisfactory (including the non-material nature of the changes or
decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) in all respects to the
Underwriters and Underwriters' Counsel, from Ernst & Young LLP:
i. confirming that they are independent certified public accountants with
respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable
Rules and Regulations;
ii. stating that it is their opinion that the financial statements and
supporting schedules of the Company included in the Registration Statement
comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations thereunder and that
the Representative may rely upon the opinion of Ernst & Young LLP with
respect to the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the
Registration Statement;
iii. stating that, on the basis of a limited review which included a
reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements of
the Company, a reading of the latest available minutes of the stockholders
and board of directors and the various committees of the board of directors
of the Company, consultations with officers and other employees of the
Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and other specified
procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their attention which would
lead them to believe that (A) the unaudited financial statements and
supporting schedules of the Company included in the Registration Statement
do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations or are not
fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited
financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement,
or (B) at a specified date not more than five (5) days prior to the
effective date of the Registration Statement, there has been any change in
the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in the
stockholders' equity or net current assets or net assets of the Company as
compared with amounts shown in the December 31, 1996 balance sheet included
in the Registration Statement, other than as set forth in or contemplated by
the Registration Statement, or, if there was any change or decrease, setting
forth the amount of such change or decrease, and (C) during the period from
December 31, 1996 to a specified date not more than five (5) days prior to
the effective date of the Registration Statement, there
24
was any decrease in net revenues, net earnings or increase in net earnings
per common share of any of the Company or the Subsidiaries, in each case as
compared with the corresponding period beginning December 31, 1995, other
than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if
there was any such decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
iv. setting forth, at a date not later than five (5) days prior to the
date of the Registration Statement, the amount of liabilities of the Company
and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (including a break-down of commercial
paper and notes payable to banks);
v. stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of
shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other financial
information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Prospectus in each
case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and
information may be derived from the general accounting records, including
work sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an
interpretation by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the
application of specified readings, inquiries and other appropriate
procedures (which procedures do not constitute an examination in accordance
with generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the letter and
found them to be in agreement;
vi. statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction
contemplated hereby as the Representative may request.
(l) At the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, the
Underwriters shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, to the effect
that they reaffirm that statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to
subsection (k) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall
---------- -------
be a date not more than five (5) days prior to the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, and, if the Company has elected to rely on
Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, to the further effect that they have
carried out procedures as specified in clause (v) of subsection (k) of this
----------
Section with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information
as specified by the Representative and deemed to be a part of the Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 430A(b) and have found such amounts, percentages and
financial information to be in agreement with the records specified in such
clause (v).
(m) On each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any,
there shall have been duly tendered to the Representative for the several
Underwriters' accounts the appropriate number of Securities.
(n) No order suspending the sale of the Securities in any jurisdiction
designated by the Representative pursuant to subsection (e) of Section 4 hereof
---------- -------
shall have been issued on either the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if
any, and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be
contemplated.
(o) On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed and
delivered to the Representative, (i) the Representative's Warrant Agreement
substantially in the form filed
25
as Exhibit [___] to the Registration Statement, in final form and substance
satisfactory to the Representative, and (ii) the Representative's Warrants in
such denominations and to such designees as shall have been provided to the
Company.
(p) On or before the Closing Date, the Firm Securities and Option
Securities shall have been duly approved for quotation on Nasdaq, subject to
official notice of issuance.
(q) On or before the Closing Date, there shall have been delivered to the
Representative all of the Lock-up Agreements, in form and substance satisfactory
to Underwriters' Counsel.
(r) On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have executed and
delivered to the Representative and the Transfer Agent the Warrant Agreement
substantially in the form filed as Exhibit [___] to the Registration Statement,
in final form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.
If any condition to the Underwriters' obligations hereunder to be fulfilled
prior to or at the Closing Date or the relevant Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, is not so fulfilled, the Representative may terminate this Agreement or,
if the Representative so elects, it may waive any such conditions which have not
been fulfilled or extend the time for their fulfillment.
7. Indemnification.
---------------
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the
Underwriters (for purposes of this Section 7 "Underwriter" shall include the
-------
officers, directors, partners, employees, agents and counsel of the Underwriter,
including specifically each person who may be substituted for an Underwriter as
provided in Section 11 hereof), and each person, if any, who controls the
-------
Underwriter ("controlling person") within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act
or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses,
claims, damages, expenses or liabilities, joint or several (and actions,
proceedings, investigations, inquiries, suits and litigation in respect
thereof), whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all expenses
whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any such claim, action, proceeding, investigation, inquiry, suit or litigation,
commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever), as such are incurred, to
which the Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject under the
Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or
under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon (A) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (i) in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as from
time to time amended and supplemented); (ii) in any post-effective amendment or
amendments or any new registration statement and prospectus in which is included
securities of the Company issued or issuable upon exercise of the Securities; or
(iii) in any application or other document or written communication (in this
Section 7 collectively called "application") executed by the Company or based
-------
upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order
to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the
Commission, any state securities commission or agency, Nasdaq or any other
securities exchange; (B) the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
26
statements therein not misleading (in the case of the Prospectus, in the light
of the circumstances under which they were made), or (C) any breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of the Company contained herein
or in any certificate by or on behalf of the Company or any of its officers
delivered pursuant hereto, unless, in the case of clause (A) or (B) above, such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with
written information furnished to the Company with respect to any Underwriter by
or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment thereof
or supplement thereto, or in any application, as the case may be.
The indemnity agreement in this subsection (a) shall be in addition to any
----------
liability which the Company may have at common law or otherwise.
(b) Each of the Underwriters agrees severally, but not jointly, to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its
officers who has signed the Registration Statement, and each other person, if
any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act, to the same extent
as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriters but only with
respect to statements or omissions, if any, made in any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto or in any application made in reliance upon, and in strict conformity
with, written information furnished to the Company with respect to any
Underwriter by such Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto or in any such application, provided that such written
information or omissions only pertain to disclosures in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement or Prospectus directly relating to the
transactions effected by the Underwriters in connection with this Offering. The
Company acknowledges that the statements with respect to the public offering of
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities set forth under the heading
"Underwriting" and the stabilization legend in the Prospectus have been
furnished by the Underwriters expressly for use therein and constitute the only
information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters for
inclusion in the Prospectus.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 7
-------
of notice of the commencement of any claim, action, suit, investigation,
inquiry, proceeding or litigation, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against one or more indemnifying parties under
this Section 7, notify each party against whom indemnification is to be sought
-------
in writing of the commencement thereof (but the failure so to notify an
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have
under this Section 7 except to the extent that it has been prejudiced in any
-------
material respect by such failure or from any liability which it may have
otherwise). In case any such claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry,
proceeding or litigation is brought against any indemnified party, and it
notifies an indemnifying party or parties of the commencement thereof, the
indemnifying party or parties will be entitled to participate therein, and to
the extent it may elect by written notice delivered to the indemnified party
promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to
assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnified party or
parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case
but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at
27
the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless (i) the employment of
such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying parties
in connection with the defense of thereof at the expense of the indemnifying
party, (ii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such indemnified party to have charge of the defense thereof
within a reasonable time after notice of commencement thereof, or (iii) such
indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be
defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those
available to one or all of the indemnifying parties (in which case the
indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense thereof on
behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees
and expenses of one additional counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying
parties. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and
expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate
from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one
claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation or
separate but similar or related claims, actions, suits, investigations,
inquiries, proceedings or litigation in the same jurisdiction arising out of the
same general allegations or circumstances. Anything in this Section 7 to the
-------
contrary notwithstanding, an indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or
litigation effected without its written consent; provided, however, that such
-------- -------
consent was not unreasonably withheld. An indemnifying party will not, without
the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle, compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened
claim, action, suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation in respect
of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not
the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim, action,
suit, investigation, inquiry, proceeding or litigation), unless such settlement,
compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified
party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit, investigation,
inquiry, proceeding or litigation and (ii) does not include a statement as to or
an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
indemnified party.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in any case
in which (i) an indemnified party makes claim for indemnification pursuant to
this Section 7, but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final
-------
judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of
time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such
indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that
the express provisions of this Section 7 provide for indemnification in such
-------
case, or (ii) contribution under the Act may be required on the part of any
indemnified party, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount
paid as a result of such losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (or
actions in respect thereof) (A) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect
the relative benefits received by each of the contributing parties, on the one
hand, and the party to be indemnified on the other hand, from the offering of
the Firm Securities and the Option Securities or (B) if the allocation provided
by clause (A) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i)
above but also the relative fault of each of the contributing parties, on the
one hand, and the party to be indemnified on the other hand in connection with
the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages,
expenses or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
In any case where the Company is the contributing party and the Underwriters are
the indemnified party, the relative benefits received by the Company on the one
hand, and
28
the Underwriters, on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
the total net proceeds from the offering of the Firm Securities and the Option
Securities (before deducting expenses) bear to the total underwriting discounts
received by the Underwriters hereunder, in each case as set forth in the table
on the Cover Page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
relates to information supplied by the Company, or by the Underwriters, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages,
expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in
this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
----------
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection (d), the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount
----------
in excess of the underwriting discount applicable to the Firm Securities and the
Option Securities purchased by the Underwriters hereunder. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act)
shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if
-------
any, who controls the Company or the Underwriter within the meaning of the Act,
each officer of the Company who has signed the Registration Statement, and each
director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company or the Underwriter, as the case may be, subject in each case to this
subsection (d). Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt
----------
of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party
in respect to which a claim for contribution may be made against another party
or parties under this subsection (d), notify such party or parties from whom
----------
contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties
shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from
any obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this
subsection (d), or to the extent that such party or parties were not adversely
----------
affected by such omission. The contribution agreement set forth above shall be
in addition to any liabilities which any indemnifying party may have at common
law or otherwise.
8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations,
--------------------------------------------------
warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or contained in
certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall be
deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements at the Closing Date and
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and such representations,
warranties and agreements of the Company and the indemnity agreements contained
in Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect
-------
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, the
Company, any controlling person of any Underwriter or the Company, and shall
survive termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the
Securities to the Underwriters and the Representative, as the case may be.
9. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective at 10:00 a.m., New
--------------
York City time, on the next full business day following the date hereof, or at
such earlier time after the Registration Statement becomes effective as the
Representative, in its discretion, shall release the Securities for sale to the
public; provided, however, that the provisions of Sections 5, 7 and
-------- ------- --------
29
10 of this Agreement shall at all times be effective. For purposes of this
Section 9, the Securities to be purchased hereunder shall be deemed to have been
-------
so released upon the earlier of dispatch by the Representative of telegrams to
securities dealers releasing such securities for offering or the release by the
Representative for publication of the first newspaper advertisement which is
subsequently published relating to the Securities.
10. Termination.
-----------
(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 10, the Representative
---------- -------
shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, (i) if any domestic or
international event or act or occurrence has materially adversely disrupted, or
in the Representative's opinion will in the immediate future materially
adversely disrupt, the financial markets; or (ii) if any material adverse
change in the financial markets shall have occurred; or (iii) if trading
generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the
case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange,
the NASD, the Commission or any governmental authority having jurisdiction
over such matters; or (iv) if trading of any of the securities of the Company
shall have been suspended, or any of the securities of the Company shall have
been delisted, on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (v) if the
United States shall have become involved in a war or major hostilities, or if
there shall have been an escalation in an existing war or major hostilities or
a national emergency shall have been declared in the United States; or (vi) if
a banking moratorium has been declared by a state or federal authority; or
(vii) if a moratorium in foreign exchange trading has been declared; or (viii)
if the Company shall have sustained a loss material or substantial to the
Company by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or
other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have
been insured, will, in the Representative's opinion, make it inadvisable to
proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Securities; or (ix) if
there shall have been such a material adverse change in the conditions or
prospects of the Company, or such material adverse change in the general
market, political or economic conditions, in the United States or elsewhere,
that, in each case, in the Representative's judgment, would make it
inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the
Securities or (x) if either ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ or ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ shall no longer
serve the Company in his present capacity.
(b) If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance
with the provisions of Section 10(a) the Company shall promptly reimburse and
-------
indemnify the Representative for all of its actual out-of-pocket expenses, in
an amount not to exceed $100,000, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Underwriters and all Blue Sky Counsel fees (excluding filing
fees) and disbursements (less amounts previously paid pursuant to Section 5(c)
-------
above). Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, if
this Agreement shall not be carried out within the time specified herein, or
any extension thereof granted to the Representative, by reason of any failure
on the part of the Company to perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition
of this Agreement by it to be performed or satisfied (including, without
limitation, pursuant to Section 6 (except if this Agreement is terminated
-------
pursuant to Sections 6(c), 6(k) or 6(o) or Section 12) then, the Company shall
-------
promptly reimburse and indemnify the Representative for all of its actual out-
of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters (less amounts previously paid pursuant to Section 5(c) above). In
-------
addition, the Company shall remain liable for all Blue Sky counsel fees and
disbursements, expenses and filing fees (such counsel fees not to exceed
$35,000 if the Securities are listed on Nasdaq or elsewhere or $20,000 if the
Securities are listed on the Nasdaq National
30
Market or a national exchange). Notwithstanding any contrary provision
contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this
Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to Sections 6, 10, 11 and 12
--------
hereof), and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the
provisions of Section 5 and Section 7 shall not be in any way affected by such
------- -------
election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or
any part hereof.
11. Substitution of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters
--------------------------------
shall fail (otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the termination of
this Agreement under the provisions of Section 6, Section 10 or Section 12
------- ------- -------
hereof) to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase on
such date under this Agreement (the "Defaulted Securities"), the Representative
shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangement for one or
more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase
all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may
be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the
Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour
period, then:
(a) if the number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the
total number of Firm Securities to be purchased on such date, the non-
defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated to purchase the full amount
thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations
hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting
Underwriters, or
(b) if the number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the total number
of Firm Securities, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the
part of any non-defaulting Underwriters (or, if such default shall occur
with respect to any Option Securities to be purchased on an Option Closing
Date, the Underwriters may at the Representative's option, by notice from
the Representative to the Company, terminate the Underwriters' obligation to
purchase Option Securities from the Company on such date).
No action taken pursuant to this Section 11 shall relieve any defaulting
-------
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default by such Underwriter under
this Agreement.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of
this Agreement, the Representative shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date for a period not exceeding seven (7) days in order to effect any required
changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
12. Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the Closing Date
----------------------
or at any Option Closing Date, as applicable, to sell and deliver the number of
Securities which it is obligated to sell hereunder on such date, then this
Agreement shall terminate (or, if such default shall occur with respect to any
Option Securities to be purchased on an Option Closing Date, the Underwriters
may at the Representative's option, by notice from the Representative to the
Company, terminate the Underwriters' obligation to purchase Option Securities
from the Company on such date) without any liability on the part of any non-
defaulting party other than
31
pursuant to Section 5, Section 7 and Section 10 hereof. No action taken
------- ------- -------
pursuant to this Section 12 shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in
-------
respect of such default.
13. Notices. All notices and communications hereunder, except as herein
-------
otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of
telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representative at National Securities Corporation, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, Chairman, with
a copy to ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, Esq. Notices to the Company shall
be directed to the Company at ▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇, President and Chief Executive Officer, with a
copy to: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ White & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, Esq.
14. Parties. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall
-------
be binding upon, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons,
directors and officers referred to in Section 7 hereof, and their respective
-------
successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have or
be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in
respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained.
No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a
successor by reason merely of such purchase.
15. Construction. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
------------
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving
effect to the choice of law or conflict of laws principles.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
------------
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which
taken together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.
17. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement, the Warrant Agreement
----------------------------
and the Representative's Warrant Agreement constitute the entire agreement of
the parties hereto and supersede all prior written or oral agreements,
understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This
Agreement may not be amended except in a writing, signed by the Representative
and the Company.
32
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among
us.
Very truly yours,
DEPOMED, INC.
By:_____________________________________
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
President and Chief Executive Officer
Confirmed and accepted as of
the date first above written.
NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION
For itself and as Representative
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto.
By:_______________________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Chairman
SCHEDULE A
----------
NAME OF UNDERWRITERS NUMBER OF NUMBER OF
-------------------- SHARES OF REDEEMABLE
COMMON STOCK WARRANTS
TO BE PURCHASED TO BE PURCHASED
--------------- ---------------
National Securities Corporation...
Total............................. 2,500,000 1,250,000
=============== ===============
======================================================================
SCHEDULE B
----------
[FORM OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OPINION]
___________________, 1997
NATIONAL SECURITIES CORPORATION
As Representative of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule A
to the Underwriting Agreement
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Re: Initial Public Offering of 2,500,000 Shares of Common Stock and
1,250,000 Redeemable Common Stock Purchase Warrants
of DepoMed, Inc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to DepoMed, Inc., a California
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the entering into by the Company
of that certain Underwriting Agreement by and between National Securities
Corporation (as representative of the several underwriters named therein) (the
"Representative") and the Company, dated _______________, 1997 (the
"Underwriting Agreement"). This opinion is provided to you pursuant to Section
6(e) of the Underwriting Agreement.
For the purpose of rendering the opinions set forth below we have
reviewed the following (collectively, the "Documents"):
(i) the Underwriting Agreement;
(ii) that certain Form SB-2 as filed by the Company with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on ______, 1997, together with any
and all exhibits and schedules and all heretofore filed amendments
thereto (collectively, the "Registration Statement");
(iii) the Company's prospectus dated _______________, 1997 (the
"Prospectus");
(iv) a search of the United States Patent and Trademark Office records
relevant to ownership of any and all:
-2-
________________, 1997
patents and patent applications (including, without limitation,
the patents and patent applications listed on Schedule A annexed
hereto and hereby incorporated by reference herein (collectively,
the "Patents")), and trademarks, trademark applications, service
marks and service ▇▇▇▇ applications (collectively, the "Marks")
(including, without limitation, the Marks listed on Schedule B
annexed hereto and hereby incorporated by reference herein
(collectively, the "Trademarks")),
owned, purportedly owned or licensed by either the Company or the
Subsidiary (including, those patents, patent applications and Marks
licensed, without limitation, pursuant to the licenses listed on
Schedule C annexed hereto and hereby incorporated by reference herein
(collectively, the "Licenses")), conducted by ____________________
and certified as true and correct as of _________________________,
1997 (no earlier than 5 days prior to the effective date of the
Registration Statement);
(v) a search of the United States Copyright Office records relevant to
ownership of any and all copyrighted material (including, without
limitation, the copyright in, or license permitting the Company's
actual use of, the material licensed or otherwise distributed by
either the Company and listed on Schedule D annexed hereto and hereby
incorporated by reference herein (collectively, the "Copyrighted
Material")), owned, purportedly owned or licensed by the Company
conducted by _____________________ and certified as true and correct
as of __________________, 1997 (no earlier than 5 days prior to the
effective date of the Registration Statement);
(vi) an intellectual property litigation search with respect to all
Patents, Trademarks, Licenses and Copyrighted Material, listed on
Schedules A, B, C and D, respectively;
(vii) a search of the Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC") recordation
offices, in the following jurisdictions -- California, Delaware and
New York, with respect to the following two categories of general
intangibles:
(a) the intellectual property general intangibles of the
Company, including, without limitation, the Company's patents,
patent applications, inventions, know how, trademarks, service
marks, copyrights, service and trade names, intellectual property
licenses and other rights, and
(b) the intellectual property general intangibles licensed to
the Company, including, without limitation, the patents, patent
applications, inventions, know how, trademarks, service marks,
copyrights, service and trade names and other
-3-
________________, 1997
intellectual property rights licensed to the Company pursuant to
the Licenses (listed on Schedule C),
said search certified to us as complete and accurate by
________________ and current through ________________________, 1997
(no earlier than 5 days prior to the effective date of the
Registration Statement) and said jurisdictions being the only
jurisdictions in which filing of UCC financing statements or other
documents may be filed to effectively evidence a security or other
interest in said general intangibles; and
(viii) any and all records, documents, instruments and agreements in
our possession or under our control relating to the Company.
We have also examined such corporate records, documents, instruments
and agreements, and inquired into such other matters, as we have deemed
necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein. Whenever
our opinion herein is qualified by the phrase "to the best of our knowledge" or
"to the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry," such language means that,
based upon (i) our inquiries of officers of the Company, (ii) our review of the
Documents, and (iii) our review of such other corporate records, documents,
instruments and agreements described in the first sentence of this paragraph, we
believe that such opinions are factually correct.
To the best of our knowledge, as to all matters of fact represented to
you by the Company, we advise you that nothing has come to our attention that
would cause us to believe that such facts are incorrect, incomplete or
misleading or that reliance thereon is not warranted under the circumstances.
We call to your attention that our opinion is limited to such facts as they
exist on the date hereof and do not take into account any change of
circumstances, fact or law subsequent thereto.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, except as
described in the Prospectus, the Company owns or has the right to use,
free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, pledges, security
interests, defects or other restrictions or equities of any kind
whatsoever,
(i) all patents and patent applications (including, without
limitation, the Patents),
(ii) all trademarks and service marks (including, without
limitation, the Trademarks),
(iii) all copyrights (including, without limitation, the
Copyrighted Material),
(iv) all service and trade names, and
-4-
__________________, 1997
(v) all intellectual property licenses (including, without
limitation, the Licenses),
used in, or required for, the conduct of the Company's respective
business.
2. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, the Company
possesses all material intellectual property licenses or rights used
in, or required for, the conduct of its respective business
(including, the Licenses and without limitation, any such licenses or
rights described in the Prospectus as being owned, possessed or
licensed by the Company) and such licenses and rights are in full
force and effect.
3. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, there is no
claim or action, pending, threatened or potential, which affects or
could affect the rights of the Company with respect to any trademarks,
service marks, copyrights, service names, trade names, patents, patent
applications or licenses used in, or required for, the conduct of the
Company's business.
4. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, there is no
intellectual property based claim or action, pending, threatened or
potential, which affects or could affect the rights of the Company
with respect to any products, services, processes or licenses,
including, without limitation, the Licenses used in the conduct of the
Company's business.
5. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, except as
described in the Prospectus, the Company is not under any obligation
to pay royalties or fees to any third party with respect to any
material, technology or intellectual properties developed, employed,
licensed or used by the Company.
6. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, the
statements in the Prospectus under the headings, "Risk Factors -
Uncertainty Regarding Patents and Proprietary Rights," and "Business -
Patents and Proprietary Rights", are accurate in all material
respects, fairly represent the information disclosed therein and do
not omit to state any fact necessary to make the statements made
therein complete and accurate.
7. To the best of our knowledge, after due inquiry, the
statements in the Registration Statement and Prospectus do not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact with respect to the
intellectual property position of the Company, or omit to state any
material fact relating to the intellectual property position of the
Company which is required to be stated in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
-5-
_____________________, 1997
We call your attention to the fact that the members of this firm are
licensed to practice law in the State of ______________ and before the United
States Patent and Trademark Office as Registered Patent Attorneys. Accordingly,
we express no opinion with respect to the laws, rules and regulations of any
jurisdictions other than the State of ___________ and the United States of
America.
The opinions expressed herein are for the sole benefit of, and may be
relied upon only by, the several Underwriters named in Schedule A to the
Underwriting Agreement and ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ LLP.
Very truly yours,