S-3
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 14, 2023

Registration Statement No. 333-            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

Vaccinex, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

16-1603202

(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

1895 Mount Hope Avenue

Rochester, New York 14620

(585) 271-2700

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Vaccinex, Inc.

1895 Mount Hope Avenue

Rochester, New York 14620

(585) 271-2700

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

William I. Intner

J. Nicholas Hoover

Hogan Lovells US LLP

100 International Drive, Suite 2000

Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Tel: (410) 659-2700

 

Scott E. Royer

Chief Financial Officer

Vaccinex, Inc.

1895 Mount Hope Avenue

Rochester, New York 14620

Tel: (585) 271-2700

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to public: From time to time after this registration statement is declared effective.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:  ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. The selling stockholders may not sell these securities pursuant to this prospectus until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JUNE 14, 2023

PROSPECTUS

 

LOGO

3,815,642 Shares of Common Stock

 

 

This prospectus relates to the resale, from time to time, by the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus under the caption “Selling Stockholders,” or the Selling Stockholders, of up to 3,815,642 shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. We are not selling any shares of common stock under this prospectus and will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholders hereunder. The Selling Stockholders will bear all commissions and discounts, if any, attributable to the sale of the shares. We will bear all costs, expenses, and fees in connection with the registration of the shares.

The Selling Stockholders may sell the shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus from time to time on terms to be determined at the time of sale through ordinary brokerage transactions or through any other means described in this prospectus under the caption “Plan of Distribution.” The shares of common stock may be sold at fixed prices, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to prevailing market price or at negotiated prices.

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “VCNX.” On June 13, 2023, the closing price of our common stock was $0.4512 per share.

 

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus and under similar headings in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is                , 2023.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

About this Prospectus

     ii  

Prospectus Summary

     1  

The Offering

     4  

Risk Factors

     5  

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

     6  

Use of Proceeds

     8  

Selling Stockholders

     9  

Plan of Distribution

     11  

Legal Matters

     14  

Experts

     14  

Incorporation By Reference

     15  

Where You Can Find More Information

     16  


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus relates to the resale by the Selling Stockholders identified in this prospectus under the caption “Selling Stockholders,” from time to time, of up to an aggregate of 3,815,642 shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. We are not selling any shares of our common stock under this prospectus, and we will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock offered by the Selling Stockholders hereunder.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, using a shelf registration process. Under this registration statement, the Selling Stockholders may sell from time to time in one or more offerings the common stock described in this prospectus. It omits some of the information contained in the registration statement, and reference is made to the full registration statement for further information with regard to us and the securities being offered by the Selling Stockholders. Any statement contained in the prospectus concerning the provisions of any document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement or otherwise with the SEC is not necessarily complete, and in each instance, reference is made to the document filed. You should review the complete document to evaluate such statements.

You should carefully read this prospectus, any documents that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus and the information below under the captions “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Documents By Reference” before making an investment decision. You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized any person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with additional, different, or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any documents we incorporate by reference herein is accurate as of any date other than the date of each such document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This prospectus and the documents that are incorporated by reference herein contain certain market data and industry statistics and forecasts that are based on studies and clinical trials sponsored by Vaccinex or third parties, independent industry publications and other publicly available information. Although we believe these sources are reliable, we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and we have not verified any of this data. Further, many of these statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed or referenced under the caption “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and under similar captions in the documents that are incorporated by reference herein. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on this information.

References in this prospectus to the terms “Vaccinex,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” and “us,” or other similar terms, mean Vaccinex, Inc. and our subsidiaries, unless we state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise.

 

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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained in other parts of this prospectus and in the documents we incorporate by reference. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in our securities and it is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus, any applicable free writing prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. You should read all such documents carefully, especially the risk factors and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included or incorporated by reference herein or therein, before deciding to buy shares of our common stock.

Company Overview

We are a clinical-stage biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of targeted biotherapeutics to treat serious diseases and conditions with unmet medical needs, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. We believe we are the leader in the field of semaphorin 4D, or SEMA4D, biology and that we are currently the only company targeting SEMA4D as a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. SEMA4D is an extracellular signaling molecule that regulates the migration of immune and inflammatory cells to sites of injury, cancer, or infection. We are leveraging our SEMA4D antibody platform and our extensive knowledge of SEMA4D biology to develop our lead product candidate, pepinemab, an antibody that we believe utilizes novel mechanisms of action. We are focused on developing pepinemab for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, head and neck cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Additionally, third-party investigators are studying pepinemab in clinical trials in breast cancer, as well as in “window of opportunity” studies in other indications, including head and neck cancer and melanoma.

We have developed multiple proprietary platform technologies and are developing product candidates to address serious diseases or conditions that have a substantial impact on day-to-day functioning and for which treatment is not addressed adequately by available therapies. We employ our proprietary platform technologies, including through our work with our academic collaborators, to identify potential product candidates for sustained expansion of our internal product pipeline, and to facilitate strategic development and commercial partnerships. Our lead platform technologies include our SEMA4D antibody platform and our ActivMAb® antibody discovery platform. Our lead product candidate pepinemab is currently in clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, head and neck, pancreatic, and breast cancer, through our efforts our through investigator-sponsored trials. Our additional product candidate VX5 is in an earlier stage of development and was selected using our ActivMAb platform. We believe our multiple platform technologies position us well for continued pipeline expansion and partnership opportunities going forward.

Our current research and development activities primarily relate to clinical development in the following indications:

 

 

Huntington’s Disease. We evaluated pepinemab for the treatment of Huntington’s disease in our Phase 2 SIGNAL trial. Topline data for this trial, consisting of 265 subjects, was reported in late September 2020. Although the study did not meet its prespecified primary endpoints, it provided important new information, including evidence of cognitive benefit and a reduction in brain atrophy and increase in brain metabolic activity in patients with manifest disease symptoms. An improved study design would focus on patients with early signs of cognitive or functional deficits because they appeared to derive the greatest treatment benefit. We are evaluating our development strategy in terms of business opportunities and other near-term clinical activities. To advance planning for a potential Phase 3 study of pepinemab in Huntington’s disease, we requested a Type C meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or the FDA, to discuss details of the study design and key endpoints, and the FDA has granted this meeting request.

 

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Cancer Studies. We and others have shown that SEMA4D, the target of pepinemab, is highly expressed in head and neck cancer where it impedes recruitment and activation of dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells that can attack the tumor while also inducing differentiation of myeloid derived suppressor cells that inhibit tumoricidal immune activity. Head and neck cancer is, therefore, a cancer in which we believe immunotherapy with pepinemab in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor such as KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) could have a significant therapeutic impact. We have entered into a collaboration with Merck Sharp & Dohme, which is supplying KEYTRUDA, for first-line treatment of up to 65 head and neck cancer patients in a Phase 1b/2 trial. In a similar arrangement, we are collaborating with Merck KGaA (EMD Serono in the U.S.), which is supplying Bavencio® (avelumab), another checkpoint inhibitor, for evaluation in a Phase 1b/2 trial in combination with pepinemab in pancreatic cancer. Pepinemab is also being evaluated by third parties in investigator-sponsored trials for breast cancer, and in multiple “window of opportunity” studies in additional cancer indications.

 

   

Alzheimer’s Disease. In April 2023, we reached our enrollment target of 40 participants for the Phase 1b/2 SIGNAL-AD study evaluating pepinemab as a potential treatment for people with mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. SIGNAL-AD topline data is expected in mid-2024, after all the participants have received 12 months of treatment.

Our Corporate Information

We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in April 2001. Our principal executive offices are located at 1895 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, New York 14620, and our telephone number is (585) 271-2700. Our website address is www.vaccinex.com. Our website and the information contained on or accessible through our website are not incorporated by reference in, and are not considered part of, this prospectus, and any reference to our website is intended to be an inactive textual reference only. You should not rely on any such information in making your decision to purchase our common stock.

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or the JOBS Act. Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can leverage the extended transition period, provided in Section 102(b) of the JOBS Act, for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period and, as a result, our condensed consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates of such accounting standards.

We will no longer be an “emerging growth company” after December 31, 2023 and will be unable to take advantage of the exemptions from various requirements applicable to public companies including those discussed above.

We are also a “smaller reporting company” and will remain a smaller reporting company while we have determined that either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates was less than $250 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter or (ii) our annual revenue was less than $100 million during our most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates was less than $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter. If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies, including many of the same exemptions from disclosure obligations that are

 

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available to emerging growth companies, such as reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation. We may take advantage of one or more of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer a smaller reporting company.

Private Placements and ADDF Issuance

On March 30, 2023, we issued and sold an aggregate of 4,975,608 shares of our common stock in a private placement, or the March 2023 Private Placement, at a purchase price of $0.41 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $2.04 million. In connection with the March 2023 Private Placement, we agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of the shares of our common stock purchased in the March 2023 Private Placement by one of the Selling Stockholders.

On May 12, 2023, we issued and sold an aggregate of 7,908,516 shares of our common stock in a private placement, or the May 2023 Private Placement, at a purchase price of $0.37428 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $2.96 million. In connection with the May 2023 Private Placement, we agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of the shares of our common stock purchased in the May 2023 Private Placement by three of the Selling Stockholders.

In December 2019, we were granted an award, or the ADDF Award, in the form of an investment of up to approximately $3 million in our common stock, in two installments, from Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, or ADDF, one of the Selling Stockholders, to evaluate our lead drug candidate, pepinemab, in Alzheimer’s disease. On May 16, 2023, in connection with the second installment of the ADDF Award, we entered into a stock purchase agreement with ADDF pursuant to which we sold an aggregate of 2,521,118 shares of our common stock to ADDF at a purchase price of $0.39378 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $0.99 million, or the ADDF Issuance. In connection with the ADDF Issuance, we agreed to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of the shares of our common stock purchased in the ADDF Issuance.

We are filing this registration statement to cover the resale of an aggregate of 3,815,642 shares of our common stock purchased by the Selling Stockholders in the foregoing transactions.

 

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The Offering

 

Shares of common stock offered by the Selling Stockholders:

3,815,642 shares of common stock

 

Terms of this offering:

The Selling Stockholders may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus from time to time as described under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus.

 

Use of proceeds:

All proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock offered hereby will be for the account of the Selling Stockholders. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common stock offered hereunder. See the caption “Use of Proceeds” in this prospectus.

 

Risk factors:

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk and purchasers of our common stock may lose their entire investment. See the information under the caption “Risk Factors” on page 5 of this prospectus and the other information included elsewhere in this prospectus and incorporated by reference herein for a discussion of factors you should consider before deciding to invest in our securities.

 

Nasdaq Capital Market symbol:

VCNX

When we refer to the Selling Stockholders in this prospectus, we are referring to the Selling Stockholders identified in this prospectus and, as applicable, their permitted transferees, or other successors-in-interest that may be identified in a supplement to this prospectus or, if required, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider and evaluate all of the information contained in this prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you decide to purchase our common stock. In particular, you should carefully consider and evaluate the risks and uncertainties described in “Part I – Item 1A. Risk Factors” of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the additional risks and uncertainties set forth or incorporated by reference herein. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of or that we believe are not material at this time could also materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or results of operations. Any of these risks and uncertainties could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition, which in turn could materially and adversely affect the trading price or value of our common stock. As a result, you could lose all or part of your investment.

This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks faced by us described below and elsewhere in this prospectus. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for information relating to these forward-looking statements.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, which statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this prospectus or the documents incorporated herein by reference, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, our business strategy and plans, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “intends,” “continue,” and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.

The forward-looking statements in this prospectus include, among other things, statements about:

 

   

our ability to continue as a going concern;

 

   

our ability to regain compliance with the Nasdaq listing requirements;

 

   

our ability to service our outstanding debt obligations;

 

   

our estimates regarding our expenses, future revenues, anticipated capital requirements and our needs for additional financing;

 

   

the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business and technology;

 

   

the timing and success of the commencement, progress and receipt of data from any of our preclinical and clinical trials;

 

   

interim and preliminary data and our expectations for later clinical trials based on such data;

 

   

our expectations regarding the potential safety, efficacy, or clinical utility of our product candidates;

 

   

the expected results of any clinical trial and the impact on the likelihood or timing of any regulatory approval;

 

   

the difficulties in obtaining and maintaining regulatory approval of our product candidates;

 

   

the rate and degree of market acceptance of any of our product candidates;

 

   

the success of competing therapies and products that are or become available;

 

   

regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;

 

   

current and future legislation regarding the healthcare system;

 

   

the scope of protection we establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our technology;

 

   

developments relating to our competitors and our industry;

 

   

our ability to recruit or retain key scientific or management personnel or to retain our executive officers;

 

   

the performance of third parties, including collaborators, contract research organizations and third-party manufacturers;

 

   

the development of our commercialization capabilities, including the need to develop or obtain additional capabilities; and

 

   

our use of the proceeds from the offerings of our common stock.

These statements are only current predictions and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our or our industry’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or

 

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achievements to be materially different from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. We discuss many of these risks in greater detail in the risk factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, our subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other filings we make with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by law, after the date of this prospectus, we are under no duty to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

All shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus are being registered for the account of the Selling Stockholders. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of these shares hereunder. We have agreed to pay all costs, expenses, and fees relating to the registration of the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus.

 

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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

This prospectus covers an aggregate of up to 3,815,642 shares of our common stock that may be sold or otherwise disposed of by the Selling Stockholders.

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the Selling Stockholders, including (i) the shares of our common stock beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholders prior to this offering, (ii) the number of shares being offered by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus, and (iii) the Selling Stockholders’ beneficial ownership after completion of this offering, assuming that all of the shares covered hereby (but none of the other shares, if any, held by the Selling Stockholders) are sold to third parties.

The table is based on information supplied to us by the Selling Stockholders, with beneficial ownership and percentage ownership determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC, and includes voting or investment power with respect to shares of stock. This information does not necessarily indicate beneficial ownership for any other purpose. The percentage of beneficial ownership after this offering is based on 65,350,588 shares outstanding on June 6, 2023.

The registration of these shares of common stock does not mean that the Selling Stockholders will sell or otherwise dispose of all or any of those securities. The Selling Stockholders may sell or otherwise dispose of all, a portion or none of such shares from time to time. We do not know the number of shares, if any, that will be offered for sale or other disposition by the Selling Stockholders under this prospectus. Furthermore, the Selling Stockholders may have sold, transferred, or disposed of the shares of common stock covered hereby in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act since the date on which we filed this prospectus.

When we refer to the Selling Stockholders in this prospectus, we are referring to the Selling Stockholders identified in this prospectus and, as applicable, their permitted transferees or other successors-in-interest that may be identified in a supplement to this prospectus or, if required, a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

     Beneficial Ownership
Before This Offering
           Beneficial Ownership
After This Offering
 

Selling Stockholder

   Number of
Shares
Owned
     Percentage
of
Outstanding
Shares
    Shares of
Common
Stock to be
Sold in the
Offering
     Number
of Shares
Owned
     Percentage
of

Outstanding
Shares
 

3i, LP (1)

     731,176        1.2     667,949        63,227        *  

AIGH Investment Partners, L.P. (2)

     1,213,775        1.9     400,769        813,006        1.2

Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

     2,521,118        3.9     2,521,118        0        —    

Lublin Financial Corporation (3)

     1,130,498        1.7     225,806        904,692        1.4

 

*

Less than 1%.

(1)

Maier J. Tarlow is the manager of 3i Management LLC, which is the general partner of 3i, LP, or 3i, and in such capacity has the right to vote and dispose of the securities held by 3i.

(2)

Orin Hirschman is the managing member of AIGH Capital Management, LLC, or AIGH CM, a Maryland limited liability company, which is an advisor with respect to the securities held by AIGH Investment Partners, L.P., or AIGH IP. Mr. Hirschman has voting and investment power over the securities indirectly held by AIGH CM and directly held by AIGH IP.

(3)

Voting and investment power over the shares is held by Joseph Rutman, Director of Lublin Financial Corporation.

 

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Relationships with the Selling Stockholders

In August 2020, we issued a 7% Original Issue Discount Senior Secured Convertible Debenture due August 3, 2021, or the Debenture, to 3i in the principal amount of $8.64 million for a purchase price of $8.0 million, which reflects an original issue discount of approximately 8%. The Debenture accrued interest at 7% per year, matured on August 3, 2021, and was repaid in full as of the maturity date.

In December 2019, we were granted the ADDF Award in the form of an investment of up to approximately $3 million in our common stock, from ADDF to evaluate our lead drug candidate, pepinemab, in Alzheimer’s disease. The ADDF Award was made in two installments – approximately $2.0 million in August 2020 and approximately $0.99 million in May 2023.

The Selling Stockholders have not within the past three years had any position, office or other material relationship with us or any of our subsidiaries other than as holders of our securities and, with respect to 3i and ADDF, in connection with the Debenture and the ADDF Award, respectively. To our knowledge, the Selling Stockholders are not affiliates of any broker-dealer registered in the United States.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the shares of common stock on behalf of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees, and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, on a continuous or delayed basis, sell any or all of their common stock covered hereby directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed on any stock exchange, market, or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. The sale of the Selling Stockholders’ common stock offered by this prospectus may be effected in one or more of the following methods:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

transactions involving cross or block trades;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

exchange distributions in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

short sales after the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part becomes effective;

 

   

transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

   

“at the market” into an existing market for the common stock;

 

   

through the writing of options on the shares;

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares of the Selling Stockholders may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, such shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell or transfer shares of common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the Selling Stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell the shares directly to market makers acting as principals and/or broker-dealers acting as agents for themselves or their customers. Such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions, or commissions from the Selling Stockholders and/or the purchasers of shares for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal or both, which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions. Market makers and block purchasers purchasing the shares will do so for their own account and at their own risk. It is possible that the Selling Stockholders will attempt to sell shares of common stock in block transactions to market makers or other purchasers at a price per share that may be below the then market price.

Brokers, dealers, underwriters, or agents participating in the distribution of the shares held by the Selling Stockholders as agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from

 

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the Selling Stockholders and/or purchasers of the common stock for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent. The Selling Stockholders may agree to indemnify any agent, dealer, or broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of the shares if liabilities are imposed on that person under the Securities Act.

The Selling Stockholders have advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings, or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of their shares of common stock, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with a proposed sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholders. If we are notified by the Selling Stockholders that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares of common stock, if required, we will file a supplement to this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities that require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

With regard only to the shares it sells for its own behalf, each Selling Stockholder may be deemed an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. This offering as it relates to each Selling Stockholder will terminate on the date that all shares offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus have been sold.

We may suspend the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus for certain periods of time for certain reasons, including if the prospectus is required to be supplemented or amended to include additional material information.

If the Selling Stockholders use this prospectus for any sale of the shares of common stock, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

We are required to pay the expenses in connection with the registration of the shares being registered hereunder. We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages, and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the date that (i) the securities may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect.

Regulation M

The anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of our common stock and activities of the Selling Stockholders.

We have advised the Selling Stockholders that while they are engaged in a distribution of the shares included in this prospectus they are required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Stockholders, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to

 

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induce any person to bid for or purchase any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares offered hereby this prospectus.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby is being passed upon for us by Hogan Lovells US LLP, Baltimore, Maryland.

EXPERTS

The financial statements of Vaccinex, Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022, incorporated by reference in this prospectus by reference to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report. Such financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of such firm given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The SEC file number for each of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is 001-38624. The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain important information that you should read about us.

The following documents are incorporated by reference into this document:

 

   

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023;

 

   

the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December  31, 2022 from our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 6, 2023;

 

   

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2023;

 

   

our Current Reports on Form 8-K (other than portions thereof furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of Form 8-K and exhibits accompanying such reports that relate to such items) filed with the SEC on March  23, 2023, April  3, 2023, May  12, 2023, May  15, 2023, May  19, 2023, and May 30, 2023; and

 

   

the description of our capital stock included under the caption “Description of Capital Stock” contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on August 8, 2018, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description, including Exhibit 4.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2020.

All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, including those filed after the date of the initial registration statement of which this prospectus is part and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents. We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or related exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

Any statement contained herein or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this document will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of the document to the extent that a statement contained in this document or any other subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this document modifies or supersedes the statement.

You may request, orally or in writing, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference. These documents will be provided to you at no cost, by contacting: Vaccinex, Inc., Attn: Corporate Secretary, 1895 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, New York 14620. In addition, copies of any or all of the documents incorporated herein by reference may be accessed at our website at www.vaccinex.com.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy and information statements, and other information with the SEC. This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC relating to the common stock to be offered under this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and the exhibits to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the common stock to be offered under this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed as a part of the registration statement.

The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, where you may read and copy the registration statement, as well as our reports, proxy and information statements, and other information. The address of the SEC’s web site is www.sec.gov.

Copies of certain information filed by us with the SEC are also available on our website at www.vaccinex.com.

 

 

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this registration statement, all of which will be paid by the Registrant. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee.

 

     Amount  

Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee

   $  190.95  

Accounting fees and expenses

     25,000.00  

Legal fees and expenses

     25,000.00  

Printing and miscellaneous expenses

     4,809.05  
  

 

 

 

Total Expenses

   $  55,000.00  
  

 

 

 

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or the DGCL, provides that a Delaware corporation, in its certificate of incorporation, may limit the personal liability of a director or officer to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director or officer, except for liability for any:

 

   

transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal benefit;

 

   

act or omission not in good faith or that involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

unlawful payment of dividends or redemption of shares; or

 

   

breach of the director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders.

Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) because that person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or other enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, so long as the person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party, to any threatened, pending, or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to obtain a judgment in its favor because the person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or other enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, so long as the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed was in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests, except that no indemnification shall be permitted without judicial approval if a court has determined that the person is to be liable to the corporation with respect to such claim. Section 145(c) of the DGCL provides that, if a present or former director or officer has been successful in defense of any action referred to in Sections 145(a) and (b) of the DGCL, the corporation must indemnify such officer or director against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) he or she actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action.

 

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Section 145(g) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee, or agent of another corporation or other enterprise against any liability asserted against and incurred by such person, in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation could indemnify the person against such liability under Section 145 of the DGCL.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, or Charter, and our amended and restated bylaws provide for the indemnification of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL.

We have entered into separate indemnification agreements with all of our directors and officers in addition to the indemnification provided for in our Charter and our amended and restated bylaws. These indemnification agreements provide, among other things, that we will indemnify our directors and officers for certain expenses, including damages, judgments, fines, penalties, settlements and costs, and attorneys’ fees and disbursements, incurred by a director or officer in any claim, action, or proceeding arising in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company, or in connection with service at our request for another corporation or entity. The indemnification agreements also provide for procedures that will apply in the event that a director or officer makes a claim for indemnification.

We also maintain a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy pursuant to which our directors and officers are insured against liability for actions taken in their capacities as directors and officers.

Item 16. Exhibits.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.
  

Description

  3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Vaccinex, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 13, 2018).
  3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws of Vaccinex, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 3.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 13, 2018).
  4.1    Reference is made to Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 .
  4.2*    Registration Rights Agreement, by and among the Company and certain Investors, dated March 30, 2023.
  4.3*    Registration Rights Agreement, by and among the Company and certain Investors, dated May 15, 2023.
  4.4*    Registration Rights Agreement, by and between the Company and Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, dated May 17, 2023.
  4.5    Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-226103), as amended, filed on July 9, 2018).
  5.1*    Opinion of Hogan Lovells US LLP.
23.1*    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP.
23.2*    Consent of Hogan Lovells US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*    Power of Attorney.
107*    Filing Fee Table.

 

*

Filed herewith.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

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(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rochester, in the State of New York, on June 14, 2023.

 

VACCINEX, INC.
By:  

/s/ Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

Name:   Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal Executive Officer)
  June 14, 2023

/s/ Scott E. Royer, CFA, MBA

Scott E. Royer, CFA, MBA

   Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
  June 14, 2023

*

Albert D. Friedberg

   Chairman of the Board   June 14, 2023

*

Chrystyna Bedrij Stecyk

   Director   June 14, 2023

*

Jacob B. Frieberg

   Director   June 14, 2023

*

Bala S. Manian, Ph.D.

   Director   June 14, 2023

*

Gerald E. Van Strydonck

   Director   June 14, 2023

*

Barbara Yanni

   Director   June 14, 2023
* By:  

/s/ Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

  Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.
Attorney-in-Fact

 

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EX-4.2

Exhibit 4.2

Execution Version

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of March 30, 2023, by and between Vaccinex, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Lublin Financial Corporation (the “Investor”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2023, by and between the Company and the Investor (the “Purchase Agreement”), the Investor shall acquire an aggregate of 4,975,608 shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Investor’s investment pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement with the Investor in order to grant the Investor the registration rights described herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Defined Terms Used in this Agreement. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms used in this Agreement shall be construed to have the meanings set forth or referenced below.

1.1 “Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 105th calendar day following the Closing Date (or, in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Closing Date); provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to the Registration Statement shall be as promptly as commercially reasonable following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, and provided, further, that if such Effectiveness Date falls on a day that is not a Trading Day, then the Effectiveness Date shall be the next succeeding Trading Day.

1.2 “Filing Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required hereunder, the 75th calendar day after the Closing Date.

1.3 “Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

1.4 “Losses” means losses, damages, taxes, liabilities, obligations, deficiencies, claims, interest, awards, judgments, penalties, costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees and disbursements, and other out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in investigating, preparing or defending the foregoing).


1.5 “Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A under the 1933 Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

1.6 “Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all of the Shares, and (b) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) after such time as (x) the Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (y) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144 and new shares not bearing legends restricting transfer shall have been delivered to the purchasers thereof (or, in the case of book-entry shares, appropriate notifications shall have been made on the books of the Transfer Agent), or (z) such Registrable Securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 as set forth in a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders.

1.7 “Registration Statement” means the registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2.1, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

1.8 “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Principal Trading Market; provided, that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such Principal Trading Market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hours of trading on such Principal Trading Market (or, if such Principal Trading Market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such Principal Trading Market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time).

Section 2. Shelf Registration.

2.1 On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and use reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC the Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 415”). Subject to SEC comments, such Registration Statement shall contain substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Exhibit A; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required

 

2


to be named as an “underwriter” within the meaning of the 1933 Act without such Holder’s express prior written consent, except that a Holder may be named as a “statutory underwriter” if such Holder is, or is affiliated with, a broker-dealer and states such fact in its Selling Stockholder Questionnaire (as defined below) or if the staff of the SEC requires such Holder to be so named. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement filed under this Agreement to be declared effective under the 1933 Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the 1933 Act between the Effectiveness Date and the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall notify the Holders via e-mail of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement within two calendar days of the Company’s telephonic confirmation of effectiveness with the SEC.

2.2 If the Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC by the applicable Effectiveness Date, (any such failure referred to as an “Event”) then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on the Effectiveness Date and on each monthly anniversary of the Effectiveness Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to the product of 1.0% multiplied by the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares multiplied by the proportion of (A) the Shares held by such Holder for which the Registration Statement had not been declared effective to (B) the total number of Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The parties agree that the maximum aggregate liquidated damages payable to the Holders under this Agreement shall be 8.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2.2 in full within seven calendar days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 1.0% per month (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.

2.3 If at any time the SEC takes the position that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 or requires any Holder to be named as an “underwriter,” the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to persuade the SEC that the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is a valid secondary offering and not an offering “by or on behalf of the issuer” as defined in Rule 415 and that none of the Holders is an “underwriter.” In the event that, despite the Company’s commercially reasonable efforts and compliance with the terms of this Section 2.3, the SEC refuses to alter its position, the Company shall (i) remove from such Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities as the SEC may require to assure the Company’s compliance

 

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with the requirements of Rule 415 (collectively, the “SEC Restrictions”); provided, however, that the Company shall not agree to name any Holder as an “underwriter” in such Registration Statement without the prior written consent of such Holder; provided, further, that if any such Holder refuses to be named as an underwriter as required by the SEC Restrictions, such Holder’s Registrable Securities shall be removed from the Registration Statement and such Registrable Securities shall be deemed to constitute Cut Back Shares and the provisions of this Section 2.3 shall apply to such Cut Back Shares. Any cut-back imposed on the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be allocated among the Holders on a pro rata basis and shall be applied first to any of the Registrable Securities of such Holder as such Holder shall designate, unless the SEC Restrictions otherwise require or provide or the Holders otherwise agree. In furtherance of the foregoing, if requested by the Company, each Holder shall provide the Company with notice of its sale of substantially all of the Registrable Securities under such Registration Statement such that the Company will be able to file one or more additional Registration Statements covering the Cut Back Shares. No liquidated damages shall accrue as to any Cut Back Shares until such date as the Company is able to effect the registration of such Cut Back Shares in accordance with any SEC Restrictions applicable to such Cut Back Shares (such date, the “Restriction Termination Date”). From and after the Restriction Termination Date applicable to any Cut Back Shares, all of the provisions of this Section 2 (including the Company’s obligations with respect to the filing of a Registration Statement and its obligations to use commercially reasonable efforts to have such Registration Statement declared effective within the time periods set forth herein and the liquidated damages provisions relating thereto) shall again be applicable to such Cut Back Shares; provided, however, that (i) the Filing Date for such Registration Statement including such Cut Back Shares shall be 20 Trading Days after such Restriction Termination Date, and (ii) the date by which the Effectiveness Date with respect to such Cut Back Shares shall be the 90th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date (or in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date).

Section 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

3.1 Not less than five Trading Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement and not less than three Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, but not including (A) any 1934 Act filing or (B) any supplement or post-effective amendment to a registration statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (i) furnish to each Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its representatives to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the 1933 Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith, provided, that the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than four Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of the Registration Statement or two Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. In connection with any Registration Statement, each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form provided by the Company (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on the date that is the later of (x) two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date and (y) the fourth Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section 3.1.

 

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3.2 (i) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith (subject to any requirement that a post-effective amendment be declared effective by the SEC) as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 424”), (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably practicable to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the SEC relating to the Registration Statement (provided, that the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

3.3 Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (c) through (f) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably practicable (and, in the case of (a)(1) below, not less than one Trading Day prior to such filing) and, if requested by any such Person, confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day:

(a) (1) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed (other than (I) any 1934 Act filing or (II) any supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (2) when the SEC notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the SEC comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (3) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective,

(b) of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information,

(c) of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any actions, claims, suits or proceedings (“Actions”) for that purpose,

 

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(d) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Action for such purpose,

(e) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and

(f) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration Statement or Prospectus, provided, however, in no event shall any such notice contain any information which would constitute material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

3.4 Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

3.5 If requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the SEC; provided, that any such item which is available on the EDGAR system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.

3.6 Subject to the terms of this Agreement, consent to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3.3.

3.7 Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the

 

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Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject, or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.

3.8 If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.

3.9 Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3.3, as promptly as reasonably practicable under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with Section 3.3(c) through (f) to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3.9 to suspend the availability of the Registration Statement and Prospectus for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12-month period.

3.10 Otherwise use reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, including, without limitation, Rule 172 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 172”), file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424, promptly inform the Holders in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Holders are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder.

3.11 Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities.

 

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Section 4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with the Company’s obligations under this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company, whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include (i) all registration and filing fees (including fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with the Principal Trading Market, and (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or blue sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with blue sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities), (ii) printing expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) 1933 Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Purchase Agreement, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.

Section 5. Indemnification.

5.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the Holder’s representatives, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statement was made in such the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of Holders or controlling person expressly for use in the preparation thereof or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3.3(c) through (f), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice (as defined below) contemplated in Section 6.3. No investigation by any Holder or knowledge by any Holder of any facts or circumstances shall affect the Company’s indemnification obligations under this Section 5.1. The

 

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Company shall notify the Holders promptly upon becoming aware of the institution, threat or assertion of any Action arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified person and shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by any of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.7.

5.2 Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its representatives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based solely upon: any untrue statement or alleged misstatement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in any case covering the Shares or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by or on behalf of Holders expressly for use in preparation of the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus. In no event shall the liability of a selling Holder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

5.3 Conduct of Indemnification Actions.

(a) If any Action shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

(b) An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless: (i) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses, (ii) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Action and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Action, or (iii) the named parties to any such Action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying

 

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Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Action effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Action.

(c) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Action in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 5) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within 30 calendar days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees, disbursements, costs and expenses applicable to such Actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

5.4 Contribution.

(a) If the indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.2 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Action to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 was available to such party in accordance with its terms.

(b) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a Holder of Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.

 

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(c) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 5.4 are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.

Section 6. Miscellaneous.

6.1 Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to seek specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any Action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

6.2 Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act, if and to the extent applicable to it in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, unless an exemption therefrom is available to such Holder.

6.3 Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3.3(c) through (f), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3.9.

6.4 Piggy-Back Registrations. If, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the 1933 Act) or their then-equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within 15 calendar days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the

 

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Company shall not be required to provide notice or otherwise register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6.4 that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 (without volume restrictions or current public information requirements) or that are the subject of a then-effective Registration Statement that is available for resales or other dispositions by such Holder; and provided, further, that if the Company intends to file a registration statement in connection with an underwritten public offering (an “Underwritten Offering”), and the managing underwriter has advised the Company in good faith that the inclusion of all of the Registrable Securities requested to be included by the Holders participating in such Underwritten Offering (including pursuant to this Section 6.4) shall be limited due to market conditions, the order of priority of the securities to be included in such offering shall be: (i) first, the primary securities to be included in such Underwritten Offering; (ii) second, any securities that the Holders request to include in such Registration Statement, on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and (iii) any other securities that are requested to be included in such Registration Statement on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and provided, further, that, by written notice delivered to the Company, any Holder (an “Opting-Out Holder”) may elect to waive its right to participate in registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 (“Registration Opt-Out”), until such time as such written notice is rescinded in writing. During such time as a Registration Opt-Out is in effect: (x) the Opting-Out Holder shall not receive notices of any proposed registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 and (y) shall not be entitled to participate in any registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4.

6.5 Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of 51% or more of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Holder (or group of Holders), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Holder (or group of Holders) shall be required. If the Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given only by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6.5. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the similarly-situated parties to this Agreement.

6.6 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

 

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6.7 Successors and Assigns. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the parties. The Company may not assign (except to any third party that acquires all or substantially all of the Company’s business, whether by merger, sale of assets or otherwise) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities.

6.8 No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

6.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

6.10 Governing Law; Enforcement. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, including Sections 6.2 and 6.11 thereof.

6.11 Severability. If one or more of the terms or provisions of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void, invalid, or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the validity or enforceability of the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision in any other situation or in any other jurisdiction, and the term or provision shall be considered severed from this Agreement solely for such situation and solely in such jurisdiction, unless the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision is of such essential importance to this Agreement that it is to be reasonably assumed that the parties hereto would not have entered into this Agreement without the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision. If the final judgment of such court declares that any term or provision hereof is void, invalid, or unenforceable, the parties hereto parties hereto agree to: (a) reduce the scope, duration, area, or applicability of the term or provision or to delete specific words or phrases to the minimum extent necessary to cause such term or provision as so reduced or amended to be enforceable; and (b) make a good-faith effort to replace any void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision with a valid and enforceable term or provision such that the objectives contemplated by the parties hereto when entering this Agreement may be realized.

6.12 Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind

 

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of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Holders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or transactions. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any Action for such purpose. The use of a single agreement with respect to the obligations of the Company contained was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Holder, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement is between the Company and a Holder, solely, and not between the Company and the Holders collectively and not between and among Holders.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

VACCINEX, INC.
By:  

/s/ Maurice Zauderer

  Name: Maurice Zauderer
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

LUBLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Joseph Rutman

  Name: Joseph Rutman
  Title: Director

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Exhibit A

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the shares of common stock on behalf of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees, and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, on a continuous or delayed basis, sell any or all of their common stock covered hereby directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. The sale of the Selling Stockholders’ common stock offered by this prospectus may be effected in one or more of the following methods:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

transactions involving cross or block trades;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

exchange distributions in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

short sales after the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part becomes effective;

 

   

transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

   

“at the market” into an existing market for the common stock;

 

   

through the writing of options on the shares;

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares of the Selling Stockholders may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, such shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.


The Selling Stockholders may also sell or transfer shares of common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the Selling Stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell the shares directly to market makers acting as principals and/or broker-dealers acting as agents for themselves or their customers. Such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholders and/or the purchasers of shares for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal or both, which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions. Market makers and block purchasers purchasing the shares will do so for their own account and at their own risk. It is possible that the Selling Stockholders will attempt to sell shares of common stock in block transactions to market makers or other purchasers at a price per share that may be below the then market price.

Brokers, dealers, underwriters, or agents participating in the distribution of the shares held by the Selling Stockholders as agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the Selling Stockholders and/or purchasers of the common stock for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent. The Selling Stockholders may agree to indemnify any agent, dealer or broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of the shares if liabilities are imposed on that person under the Securities Act.

The Selling Stockholders have advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of their shares of common stock, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with a proposed sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholders. If we are notified by the Selling Stockholders that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares of common stock, if required, we will file a supplement to this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities that require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

With regard only to the shares it sells for its own behalf, each Selling Stockholder may be deemed an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. This offering as it relates to each Selling Stockholder will terminate on the date that all shares offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus have been sold.

 

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We may suspend the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus for certain periods of time for certain reasons, including if the prospectus is required to be supplemented or amended to include additional material information.

If the Selling Stockholders use this prospectus for any sale of the shares of common stock, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

We are required to pay the expenses in connection with the registration of the shares being registered hereunder. We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the date that (i) the securities may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect.

Regulation M

The anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of our common stock and activities of the Selling Stockholders.

We have advised the Selling Stockholders that while they are engaged in a distribution of the shares included in this prospectus they are required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Stockholders, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares offered hereby this prospectus.

 

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EX-4.3

Exhibit 4.3

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of May 15, 2023, by and among Vaccinex, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the Investors identified on Exhibit A (each an “Investor” and collectively the “Investors”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 12, 2023, by and among the Company and the Investors (the “Purchase Agreement”), the Investors shall acquire an aggregate of 1,196,964 shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Investors’ investment pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement with the Investors in order to grant the Investors the registration rights described herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Defined Terms Used in this Agreement. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms used in this Agreement shall be construed to have the meanings set forth or referenced below.

1.1 “Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 105th calendar day following the Closing Date (or, in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Closing Date); provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to the Registration Statement shall be as promptly as commercially reasonable following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, and provided, further, that if such Effectiveness Date falls on a day that is not a Trading Day, then the Effectiveness Date shall be the next succeeding Trading Day.

1.2 “Filing Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required hereunder, the 75th calendar day after the Closing Date.

1.3 “Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

1.4 “Losses” means losses, damages, taxes, liabilities, obligations, deficiencies, claims, interest, awards, judgments, penalties, costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees and disbursements, and other out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in investigating, preparing or defending the foregoing).


1.5 “Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A under the 1933 Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

1.6 “Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all of the Shares, and (b) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) after such time as (x) the Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (y) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144 and new shares not bearing legends restricting transfer shall have been delivered to the purchasers thereof (or, in the case of book-entry shares, appropriate notifications shall have been made on the books of the Transfer Agent), or (z) such Registrable Securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 as set forth in a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders.

1.7 “Registration Statement” means the registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2.1, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

1.8 “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Principal Trading Market; provided, that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such Principal Trading Market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hours of trading on such Principal Trading Market (or, if such Principal Trading Market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such Principal Trading Market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time).

Section 2. Shelf Registration.

2.1 On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and use reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC the Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 415”). Subject to SEC comments, such Registration Statement shall contain substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Exhibit B; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required

 

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to be named as an “underwriter” within the meaning of the 1933 Act without such Holder’s express prior written consent, except that a Holder may be named as a “statutory underwriter” if such Holder is, or is affiliated with, a broker-dealer and states such fact in its Selling Stockholder Questionnaire (as defined below) or if the staff of the SEC requires such Holder to be so named. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement filed under this Agreement to be declared effective under the 1933 Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the 1933 Act between the Effectiveness Date and the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall notify the Holders via e-mail of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement within two calendar days of the Company’s telephonic confirmation of effectiveness with the SEC.

2.2 If the Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC by the applicable Effectiveness Date, (any such failure referred to as an “Event”) then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on the Effectiveness Date and on each monthly anniversary of the Effectiveness Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to the product of 1.0% multiplied by the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares multiplied by the proportion of (A) the Shares held by such Holder for which the Registration Statement had not been declared effective to (B) the total number of Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The parties agree that the maximum aggregate liquidated damages payable to the Holders under this Agreement shall be 8.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2.2 in full within seven calendar days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 1.0% per month (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.

2.3 If at any time the SEC takes the position that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 or requires any Holder to be named as an “underwriter,” the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to persuade the SEC that the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is a valid secondary offering and not an offering “by or on behalf of the issuer” as defined in Rule 415 and that none of the Holders is an “underwriter.” In the event that, despite the Company’s commercially reasonable efforts and compliance with the terms of this Section 2.3, the SEC refuses to alter its position, the Company shall (i) remove from such Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities as the SEC may require to assure the Company’s compliance

 

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with the requirements of Rule 415 (collectively, the “SEC Restrictions”); provided, however, that the Company shall not agree to name any Holder as an “underwriter” in such Registration Statement without the prior written consent of such Holder; provided, further, that if any such Holder refuses to be named as an underwriter as required by the SEC Restrictions, such Holder’s Registrable Securities shall be removed from the Registration Statement and such Registrable Securities shall be deemed to constitute Cut Back Shares and the provisions of this Section 2.3 shall apply to such Cut Back Shares. Any cut-back imposed on the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be allocated among the Holders on a pro rata basis and shall be applied first to any of the Registrable Securities of such Holder as such Holder shall designate, unless the SEC Restrictions otherwise require or provide or the Holders otherwise agree. In furtherance of the foregoing, if requested by the Company, each Holder shall provide the Company with notice of its sale of substantially all of the Registrable Securities under such Registration Statement such that the Company will be able to file one or more additional Registration Statements covering the Cut Back Shares. No liquidated damages shall accrue as to any Cut Back Shares until such date as the Company is able to effect the registration of such Cut Back Shares in accordance with any SEC Restrictions applicable to such Cut Back Shares (such date, the “Restriction Termination Date”). From and after the Restriction Termination Date applicable to any Cut Back Shares, all of the provisions of this Section 2 (including the Company’s obligations with respect to the filing of a Registration Statement and its obligations to use commercially reasonable efforts to have such Registration Statement declared effective within the time periods set forth herein and the liquidated damages provisions relating thereto) shall again be applicable to such Cut Back Shares; provided, however, that (i) the Filing Date for such Registration Statement including such Cut Back Shares shall be 20 Trading Days after such Restriction Termination Date, and (ii) the date by which the Effectiveness Date with respect to such Cut Back Shares shall be the 90th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date (or in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date).

Section 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

3.1 Not less than five Trading Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement and not less than three Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, but not including (A) any 1934 Act filing or (B) any supplement or post-effective amendment to a registration statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (i) furnish to each Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its representatives to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the 1933 Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith, provided, that the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than four Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of the Registration Statement or two Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. In connection with any Registration Statement, each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form provided by the Company (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on the date that is the later of (x) two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date and (y) the fourth Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section 3.1.

 

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3.2 (i) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith (subject to any requirement that a post-effective amendment be declared effective by the SEC) as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 424”), (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably practicable to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the SEC relating to the Registration Statement (provided, that the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

3.3 Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (c) through (f) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably practicable (and, in the case of (a)(1) below, not less than one Trading Day prior to such filing) and, if requested by any such Person, confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day:

(a) (1) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed (other than (I) any 1934 Act filing or (II) any supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (2) when the SEC notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the SEC comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (3) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective,

(b) of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information,

(c) of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any actions, claims, suits or proceedings (“Actions”) for that purpose,

 

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(d) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Action for such purpose,

(e) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and

(f) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration Statement or Prospectus, provided, however, in no event shall any such notice contain any information which would constitute material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

3.4 Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

3.5 If requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the SEC; provided, that any such item which is available on the EDGAR system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.

3.6 Subject to the terms of this Agreement, consent to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3.3.

3.7 Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the

 

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Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject, or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.

3.8 If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.

3.9 Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3.3, as promptly as reasonably practicable under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with Section 3.3(c) through (f) to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3.9 to suspend the availability of the Registration Statement and Prospectus for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12-month period.

3.10 Otherwise use reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, including, without limitation, Rule 172 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 172”), file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424, promptly inform the Holders in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Holders are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder.

3.11 Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities.

 

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Section 4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with the Company’s obligations under this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company, whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include (i) all registration and filing fees (including fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with the Principal Trading Market, and (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or blue sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with blue sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities), (ii) printing expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) 1933 Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Purchase Agreement, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.

Section 5. Indemnification.

5.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the Holder’s representatives, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statement was made in such the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of Holders or controlling person expressly for use in the preparation thereof or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3.3(c) through (f), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice (as defined below) contemplated in Section 6.3. No investigation by any Holder or knowledge by any Holder of any facts or circumstances shall affect the Company’s indemnification obligations under this Section 5.1. The

 

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Company shall notify the Holders promptly upon becoming aware of the institution, threat or assertion of any Action arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified person and shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by any of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.7.

5.2 Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its representatives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based solely upon: any untrue statement or alleged misstatement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in any case covering the Shares or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by or on behalf of Holders expressly for use in preparation of the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus. In no event shall the liability of a selling Holder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

5.3 Conduct of Indemnification Actions.

(a) If any Action shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

(b) An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless: (i) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses, (ii) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Action and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Action, or (iii) the named parties to any such Action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying

 

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Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Action effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Action.

(c) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Action in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 5) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within 30 calendar days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees, disbursements, costs and expenses applicable to such Actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

5.4 Contribution.

(a) If the indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.2 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Action to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 was available to such party in accordance with its terms.

(b) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a Holder of Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.

 

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(c) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 5.4 are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.

Section 6. Miscellaneous.

6.1 Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to seek specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any Action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

6.2 Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act, if and to the extent applicable to it in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, unless an exemption therefrom is available to such Holder.

6.3 Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3.3(c) through (f), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3.9.

6.4 Piggy-Back Registrations. If, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the 1933 Act) or their then-equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within 15 calendar days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the

 

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Company shall not be required to provide notice or otherwise register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6.4 that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 (without volume restrictions or current public information requirements) or that are the subject of a then-effective Registration Statement that is available for resales or other dispositions by such Holder; and provided, further, that if the Company intends to file a registration statement in connection with an underwritten public offering (an “Underwritten Offering”), and the managing underwriter has advised the Company in good faith that the inclusion of all of the Registrable Securities requested to be included by the Holders participating in such Underwritten Offering (including pursuant to this Section 6.4) shall be limited due to market conditions, the order of priority of the securities to be included in such offering shall be: (i) first, the primary securities to be included in such Underwritten Offering; (ii) second, any securities that the Holders request to include in such Registration Statement, on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and (iii) any other securities that are requested to be included in such Registration Statement on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and provided, further, that, by written notice delivered to the Company, any Holder (an “Opting-Out Holder”) may elect to waive its right to participate in registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 (“Registration Opt-Out”), until such time as such written notice is rescinded in writing. During such time as a Registration Opt-Out is in effect: (x) the Opting-Out Holder shall not receive notices of any proposed registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 and (y) shall not be entitled to participate in any registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4.

6.5 Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of 51% or more of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Holder (or group of Holders), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Holder (or group of Holders) shall be required. If the Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given only by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6.5. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the similarly-situated parties to this Agreement.

6.6 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

 

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6.7 Successors and Assigns. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the parties. The Company may not assign (except to any third party that acquires all or substantially all of the Company’s business, whether by merger, sale of assets or otherwise) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities.

6.8 No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

6.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

6.10 Governing Law; Enforcement. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, including Sections 6.2 and 6.11 thereof.

6.11 Severability. If one or more of the terms or provisions of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void, invalid, or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the validity or enforceability of the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision in any other situation or in any other jurisdiction, and the term or provision shall be considered severed from this Agreement solely for such situation and solely in such jurisdiction, unless the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision is of such essential importance to this Agreement that it is to be reasonably assumed that the parties hereto would not have entered into this Agreement without the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision. If the final judgment of such court declares that any term or provision hereof is void, invalid, or unenforceable, the parties hereto parties hereto agree to: (a) reduce the scope, duration, area, or applicability of the term or provision or to delete specific words or phrases to the minimum extent necessary to cause such term or provision as so reduced or amended to be enforceable; and (b) make a good-faith effort to replace any void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision with a valid and enforceable term or provision such that the objectives contemplated by the parties hereto when entering this Agreement may be realized.

6.12 Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind

 

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of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Holders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or transactions. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any Action for such purpose. The use of a single agreement with respect to the obligations of the Company contained was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Holder, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement is between the Company and a Holder, solely, and not between the Company and the Holders collectively and not between and among Holders.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

VACCINEX, INC.
By:   /s/ Maurice Zauderer
  Name: Maurice Zauderer
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

3I, LP
By:   /s/ Maier J. Tarlow
  Name: Maier J. Tarlow
  Title: Manager On Behalf Of The GP

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

AIGH INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LP
By:   /s/ Orin Hirschman
  Name: Orin Hirschman
  Title: Managing Partner, AIGH Capital Management LLC

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

LUBLIN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Joseph Rutman
  Name: Joseph Rutman
  Title: Director

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Exhibit A

Schedule of Investors

3i, LP

AIGH Investment Partners, LP

Lublin Financial Corporation


Exhibit B

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the shares of common stock on behalf of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees, and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, on a continuous or delayed basis, sell any or all of their common stock covered hereby directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. The sale of the Selling Stockholders’ common stock offered by this prospectus may be effected in one or more of the following methods:

 

 

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

 

transactions involving cross or block trades;

 

 

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

 

exchange distributions in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

 

privately negotiated transactions;

 

 

short sales after the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part becomes effective;

 

 

transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

 

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

 

“at the market” into an existing market for the common stock;

 

 

through the writing of options on the shares;

 

 

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

 

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares of the Selling Stockholders may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, such shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.


The Selling Stockholders may also sell or transfer shares of common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the Selling Stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell the shares directly to market makers acting as principals and/or broker-dealers acting as agents for themselves or their customers. Such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholders and/or the purchasers of shares for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal or both, which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions. Market makers and block purchasers purchasing the shares will do so for their own account and at their own risk. It is possible that the Selling Stockholders will attempt to sell shares of common stock in block transactions to market makers or other purchasers at a price per share that may be below the then market price.

Brokers, dealers, underwriters, or agents participating in the distribution of the shares held by the Selling Stockholders as agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the Selling Stockholders and/or purchasers of the common stock for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent. The Selling Stockholders may agree to indemnify any agent, dealer or broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of the shares if liabilities are imposed on that person under the Securities Act.

The Selling Stockholders have advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of their shares of common stock, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with a proposed sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholders. If we are notified by the Selling Stockholders that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares of common stock, if required, we will file a supplement to this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities that require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).


With regard only to the shares it sells for its own behalf, each Selling Stockholder may be deemed an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. This offering as it relates to each Selling Stockholder will terminate on the date that all shares offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus have been sold.

We may suspend the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus for certain periods of time for certain reasons, including if the prospectus is required to be supplemented or amended to include additional material information.

If the Selling Stockholders use this prospectus for any sale of the shares of common stock, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

We are required to pay the expenses in connection with the registration of the shares being registered hereunder. We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the date that (i) the securities may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect.

Regulation M

The anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of our common stock and activities of the Selling Stockholders.

We have advised the Selling Stockholders that while they are engaged in a distribution of the shares included in this prospectus they are required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Stockholders, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares offered hereby this prospectus.

EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

Execution Version

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of May 17, 2023, by and between Vaccinex, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, a Delaware non-profit corporation (the “Investor”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 16, 2023, by and between the Company and the Investor (the “Purchase Agreement”), the Investor shall acquire 2,521,118 shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the Investor’s investment pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Company desires to enter into this Agreement with the Investor in order to grant the Investor the registration rights described herein.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

Section 1. Defined Terms Used in this Agreement. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms used in this Agreement shall be construed to have the meanings set forth or referenced below.

1.1 “Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 105th calendar day following the Closing Date (or, in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Closing Date); provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the SEC that the Registration Statement will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to the Registration Statement shall be as promptly as commercially reasonable following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, and provided, further, that if such Effectiveness Date falls on a day that is not a Trading Day, then the Effectiveness Date shall be the next succeeding Trading Day.

1.2 “Filing Date” means, with respect to the Registration Statement required hereunder, the 75th calendar day after the Closing Date.

1.3 “Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.

1.4 “Losses” means losses, damages, taxes, liabilities, obligations, deficiencies, claims, interest, awards, judgments, penalties, costs and expenses (including reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees, experts’ fees and disbursements, and other out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in investigating, preparing or defending the foregoing).


1.5 “Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement (including a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A under the 1933 Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.

1.6 “Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all of the Shares, and (b) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) after such time as (x) the Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the SEC under the 1933 Act and such Registrable Securities have been disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement, (y) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144 and new shares not bearing legends restricting transfer shall have been delivered to the purchasers thereof (or, in the case of book-entry shares, appropriate notifications shall have been made on the books of the Transfer Agent), or (z) such Registrable Securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without current public information pursuant to Rule 144 as set forth in a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed, delivered and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders.

1.7 “Registration Statement” means the registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2.1, including the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.

1.8 “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Principal Trading Market; provided, that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such Principal Trading Market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hours of trading on such Principal Trading Market (or, if such Principal Trading Market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such Principal Trading Market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time).

Section 2. Shelf Registration.

2.1 On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and use reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC the Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 415”). Subject to SEC comments, such Registration Statement shall contain substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Exhibit A; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required

 

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to be named as an “underwriter” within the meaning of the 1933 Act without such Holder’s express prior written consent, except that a Holder may be named as a “statutory underwriter” if such Holder is, or is affiliated with, a broker-dealer and states such fact in its Selling Stockholder Questionnaire (as defined below) or if the staff of the SEC requires such Holder to be so named. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement filed under this Agreement to be declared effective under the 1933 Act as promptly as reasonably practicable after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the 1933 Act between the Effectiveness Date and the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Transfer Agent and the affected Holders (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall notify the Holders via e-mail of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement within two calendar days of the Company’s telephonic confirmation of effectiveness with the SEC.

2.2 If the Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC by the applicable Effectiveness Date, (any such failure referred to as an “Event”) then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on the Effectiveness Date and on each monthly anniversary of the Effectiveness Date (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to the product of 1.0% multiplied by the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares multiplied by the proportion of (A) the Shares held by such Holder for which the Registration Statement had not been declared effective to (B) the total number of Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The parties agree that the maximum aggregate liquidated damages payable to the Holders under this Agreement shall be 8.0% of the aggregate purchase price paid for the Shares. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section 2.2 in full within seven calendar days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 1.0% per month (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.

2.3 If at any time the SEC takes the position that the offering of some or all of the Registrable Securities in the Registration Statement is not eligible to be made on a delayed or continuous basis under the provisions of Rule 415 or requires any Holder to be named as an “underwriter,” the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to persuade the SEC that the offering contemplated by such Registration Statement is a valid secondary offering and not an offering “by or on behalf of the issuer” as defined in Rule 415 and that none of the Holders is an “underwriter.” In the event that, despite the Company’s commercially reasonable efforts and compliance with the terms of this Section 2.3, the SEC refuses to alter its position, the Company shall (i) remove from such Registration Statement such portion of the Registrable Securities (the “Cut Back Shares”) and/or (ii) agree to such restrictions and limitations on the registration and resale of the Registrable Securities as the SEC may require to assure the Company’s compliance

 

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with the requirements of Rule 415 (collectively, the “SEC Restrictions”); provided, however, that the Company shall not agree to name any Holder as an “underwriter” in such Registration Statement without the prior written consent of such Holder; provided, further, that if any such Holder refuses to be named as an underwriter as required by the SEC Restrictions, such Holder’s Registrable Securities shall be removed from the Registration Statement and such Registrable Securities shall be deemed to constitute Cut Back Shares and the provisions of this Section 2.3 shall apply to such Cut Back Shares. Any cut-back imposed on the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.3 shall be allocated among the Holders on a pro rata basis and shall be applied first to any of the Registrable Securities of such Holder as such Holder shall designate, unless the SEC Restrictions otherwise require or provide or the Holders otherwise agree. In furtherance of the foregoing, if requested by the Company, each Holder shall provide the Company with notice of its sale of substantially all of the Registrable Securities under such Registration Statement such that the Company will be able to file one or more additional Registration Statements covering the Cut Back Shares. No liquidated damages shall accrue as to any Cut Back Shares until such date as the Company is able to effect the registration of such Cut Back Shares in accordance with any SEC Restrictions applicable to such Cut Back Shares (such date, the “Restriction Termination Date”). From and after the Restriction Termination Date applicable to any Cut Back Shares, all of the provisions of this Section 2 (including the Company’s obligations with respect to the filing of a Registration Statement and its obligations to use commercially reasonable efforts to have such Registration Statement declared effective within the time periods set forth herein and the liquidated damages provisions relating thereto) shall again be applicable to such Cut Back Shares; provided, however, that (i) the Filing Date for such Registration Statement including such Cut Back Shares shall be 20 Trading Days after such Restriction Termination Date, and (ii) the date by which the Effectiveness Date with respect to such Cut Back Shares shall be the 90th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date (or in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 135th calendar day following the Restriction Termination Date).

Section 3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:

3.1 Not less than five Trading Days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement and not less than three Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, but not including (A) any 1934 Act filing or (B) any supplement or post-effective amendment to a registration statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (i) furnish to each Holder copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders, and (ii) cause its representatives to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the 1933 Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities shall reasonably object in good faith, provided, that the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than four Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of the Registration Statement or two Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. In connection with any Registration Statement, each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form provided by the Company (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on the date that is the later of (x) two Trading Days prior to the Filing Date and (y) the fourth Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section 3.1.

 

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3.2 (i) Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith (subject to any requirement that a post-effective amendment be declared effective by the SEC) as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 424”), (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to any comments received from the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably practicable to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the SEC relating to the Registration Statement (provided, that the Company shall excise any information contained therein which would constitute material nonpublic information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.

3.3 Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice shall, pursuant to clauses (c) through (f) hereof, be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably practicable (and, in the case of (a)(1) below, not less than one Trading Day prior to such filing) and, if requested by any such Person, confirm such notice in writing no later than one Trading Day following the day:

(a) (1) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is proposed to be filed (other than (I) any 1934 Act filing or (II) any supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement that is not related to such Holder’s Registrable Securities), (2) when the SEC notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the SEC comments in writing on such Registration Statement, and (3) with respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective,

(b) of any request by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information,

(c) of the issuance by the SEC or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any actions, claims, suits or proceedings (“Actions”) for that purpose,

 

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(d) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Action for such purpose,

(e) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and

(f) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration Statement or Prospectus, provided, however, in no event shall any such notice contain any information which would constitute material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

3.4 Use its commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.

3.5 If requested by a Holder, furnish to such Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the SEC; provided, that any such item which is available on the EDGAR system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.

3.6 Subject to the terms of this Agreement, consent to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 3.3.

3.7 Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for the resale by the Holder under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the

 

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Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified, subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject, or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.

3.8 If requested by a Holder, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.

3.9 Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3.3, as promptly as reasonably practicable under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with Section 3.3(c) through (f) to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 3.9 to suspend the availability of the Registration Statement and Prospectus for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days (which need not be consecutive days) in any 12-month period.

3.10 Otherwise use reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, including, without limitation, Rule 172 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 172”), file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424, promptly inform the Holders in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Holders are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the Registrable Securities hereunder.

3.11 Use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities.

 

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Section 4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with the Company’s obligations under this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company, whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include (i) all registration and filing fees (including fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the SEC, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with the Principal Trading Market, and (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or blue sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with blue sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities), (ii) printing expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) 1933 Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Purchase Agreement, any legal fees or other costs of the Holders.

Section 5. Indemnification.

5.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the Holder’s representatives, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act) and the officers, directors, members, stockholders, partners, agents and employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent title or any other title) of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all Losses, as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (A) such untrue statement was made in such the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of Holders or controlling person expressly for use in the preparation thereof or (B) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3.3(c) through (f), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice (as defined below) contemplated in Section 6.3. No investigation by any Holder or knowledge by any Holder of any facts or circumstances shall affect the Company’s indemnification obligations under this Section 5.1. The

 

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Company shall notify the Holders promptly upon becoming aware of the institution, threat or assertion of any Action arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified person and shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by any of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.7.

5.2 Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its representatives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based solely upon: any untrue statement or alleged misstatement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus in any case covering the Shares or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by or on behalf of Holders expressly for use in preparation of the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus. In no event shall the liability of a selling Holder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.

5.3 Conduct of Indemnification Actions.

(a) If any Action shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an “Indemnified Party”), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all reasonable fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.

(b) An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless: (i) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses, (ii) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Action and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Action, or (iii) the named parties to any such Action (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and counsel to the Indemnified Party shall reasonably believe that a material conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying

 

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Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and the reasonable fees and expenses of separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Action effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Action in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Action.

(c) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees, disbursements, costs and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Action in a manner not inconsistent with this Section 5) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within 30 calendar days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party; provided, that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees, disbursements, costs and expenses applicable to such Actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.

5.4 Contribution.

(a) If the indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.2 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Action to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 was available to such party in accordance with its terms.

(b) The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a Holder of Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.

 

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(c) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 5.4 are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.

Section 6. Miscellaneous.

6.1 Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a Holder of any of their respective obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages, shall be entitled to seek specific performance of its rights under this Agreement. Each of the Company and each Holder agrees that monetary damages would not provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in the event of any Action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it shall not assert or shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

6.2 Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act, if and to the extent applicable to it in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement, unless an exemption therefrom is available to such Holder.

6.3 Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3.3(c) through (f), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition of the Registrable Securities hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3.9.

6.4 Piggy-Back Registrations. If, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the 1933 Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the 1933 Act) or their then-equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with the Company’s employee benefit plans, then the Company shall deliver to each Holder a written notice of such determination and, if within 15 calendar days after the date of the delivery of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the

 

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Company shall not be required to provide notice or otherwise register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6.4 that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 (without volume restrictions or current public information requirements) or that are the subject of a then-effective Registration Statement that is available for resales or other dispositions by such Holder; and provided, further, that if the Company intends to file a registration statement in connection with an underwritten public offering (an “Underwritten Offering”), and the managing underwriter has advised the Company in good faith that the inclusion of all of the Registrable Securities requested to be included by the Holders participating in such Underwritten Offering (including pursuant to this Section 6.4) shall be limited due to market conditions, the order of priority of the securities to be included in such offering shall be: (i) first, the primary securities to be included in such Underwritten Offering; (ii) second, any securities that the Holders request to include in such Registration Statement, on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and (iii) any other securities that are requested to be included in such Registration Statement on a pro rata basis, based on the number of requested securities; and provided, further, that, by written notice delivered to the Company, any Holder (an “Opting-Out Holder”) may elect to waive its right to participate in registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 (“Registration Opt-Out”), until such time as such written notice is rescinded in writing. During such time as a Registration Opt-Out is in effect: (x) the Opting-Out Holder shall not receive notices of any proposed registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4 and (y) shall not be entitled to participate in any registration statements pursuant to this Section 6.4.

6.5 Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of 51% or more of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities; provided, that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Holder (or group of Holders), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Holder (or group of Holders) shall be required. If the Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given only by such Holder or Holders of all of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the first sentence of this Section 6.5. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the similarly-situated parties to this Agreement.

6.6 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.

 

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6.7 Successors and Assigns. The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the respective successors and assigns of the parties. The Company may not assign (except to any third party that acquires all or substantially all of the Company’s business, whether by merger, sale of assets or otherwise) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then-outstanding Registrable Securities.

6.8 No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

6.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

6.10 Governing Law; Enforcement. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement, including Sections 6.2 and 6.12 thereof.

6.11 Severability. If one or more of the terms or provisions of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be void, invalid, or unenforceable in any situation in any jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions hereof or the validity or enforceability of the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision in any other situation or in any other jurisdiction, and the term or provision shall be considered severed from this Agreement solely for such situation and solely in such jurisdiction, unless the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision is of such essential importance to this Agreement that it is to be reasonably assumed that the parties hereto would not have entered into this Agreement without the void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision. If the final judgment of such court declares that any term or provision hereof is void, invalid, or unenforceable, the parties hereto parties hereto agree to: (a) reduce the scope, duration, area, or applicability of the term or provision or to delete specific words or phrases to the minimum extent necessary to cause such term or provision as so reduced or amended to be enforceable; and (b) make a good-faith effort to replace any void, invalid, or unenforceable term or provision with a valid and enforceable term or provision such that the objectives contemplated by the parties hereto when entering this Agreement may be realized.

6.12 Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind

 

13


of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Holders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or transactions. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any Action for such purpose. The use of a single agreement with respect to the obligations of the Company contained was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Holder, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Holder. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement is between the Company and a Holder, solely, and not between the Company and the Holders collectively and not between and among Holders.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

14


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

VACCINEX, INC.
By:  

/s/ Maurice Zauderer

  Name: Maurice Zauderer
  Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

ALZHEIMER’S DRUG DISCOVERY FOUNDATION
By:  

/s/ Howard Fillit, MD

  Name: Howard Fillit, MD
 

Title: Cofounder and Chief Science

Officer

[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]


Exhibit A

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We are registering the shares of common stock on behalf of the Selling Stockholders. The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees, and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, on a continuous or delayed basis, sell any or all of their common stock covered hereby directly to one or more purchasers or through brokers, dealers, or underwriters who may act solely as agents at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to the prevailing market prices, at negotiated prices, or at fixed prices, which may be changed on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. The sale of the Selling Stockholders’ common stock offered by this prospectus may be effected in one or more of the following methods:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;

 

   

transactions involving cross or block trades;

 

   

purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;

 

   

exchange distributions in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

short sales after the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part becomes effective;

 

   

transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise;

 

   

“at the market” into an existing market for the common stock;

 

   

through the writing of options on the shares;

 

   

a combination of any such methods of sale; and

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

In order to comply with the securities laws of certain states, if applicable, the shares of the Selling Stockholders may be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers. In addition, in certain states, such shares may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and complied with.


The Selling Stockholders may also sell or transfer shares of common stock pursuant to any available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, including under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, or Rule 144, if available, rather than under this prospectus. In addition, the Selling Stockholders may transfer the shares of common stock by other means not described in this prospectus.

The Selling Stockholders may also sell the shares directly to market makers acting as principals and/or broker-dealers acting as agents for themselves or their customers. Such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the Selling Stockholders and/or the purchasers of shares for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they sell as principal or both, which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer might be in excess of customary commissions. Market makers and block purchasers purchasing the shares will do so for their own account and at their own risk. It is possible that the Selling Stockholders will attempt to sell shares of common stock in block transactions to market makers or other purchasers at a price per share that may be below the then market price.

Brokers, dealers, underwriters, or agents participating in the distribution of the shares held by the Selling Stockholders as agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts, or concessions from the Selling Stockholders and/or purchasers of the common stock for whom the broker-dealers may act as agent. The Selling Stockholders may agree to indemnify any agent, dealer or broker-dealer that participates in transactions involving sales of the shares if liabilities are imposed on that person under the Securities Act.

The Selling Stockholders have advised us that they have not entered into any agreements, understandings or arrangements with any underwriters or broker-dealers regarding the sale of their shares of common stock, nor is there an underwriter or coordinating broker acting in connection with a proposed sale of shares of common stock by the Selling Stockholders. If we are notified by the Selling Stockholders that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares of common stock, if required, we will file a supplement to this prospectus.

In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities that require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction).

With regard only to the shares it sells for its own behalf, each Selling Stockholder may be deemed an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act. This offering as it relates to each Selling Stockholder will terminate on the date that all shares offered by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this prospectus have been sold.

 

A-2


We may suspend the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus for certain periods of time for certain reasons, including if the prospectus is required to be supplemented or amended to include additional material information.

If the Selling Stockholders use this prospectus for any sale of the shares of common stock, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

We are required to pay the expenses in connection with the registration of the shares being registered hereunder. We have agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the date that (i) the securities may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, without the requirement for us to be in compliance with the current public information under Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect.

Regulation M

The anti-manipulation rules of Regulation M under the Exchange Act may apply to sales of our common stock and activities of the Selling Stockholders.

We have advised the Selling Stockholders that while they are engaged in a distribution of the shares included in this prospectus they are required to comply with Regulation M promulgated under the Exchange Act. With certain exceptions, Regulation M precludes the Selling Stockholders, any affiliated purchasers, and any broker-dealer or other person who participates in the distribution from bidding for or purchasing, or attempting to induce any person to bid for or purchase any security that is the subject of the distribution until the entire distribution is complete. Regulation M also prohibits any bids or purchases made in order to stabilize the price of a security in connection with the distribution of that security. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares offered hereby this prospectus.

 

A-3

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO     

Hogan Lovells US LLP

Harbor East

100 International Drive

Suite 2000

Baltimore, MD 21202

T +1 410 659 2700

F +1 410 659 2701

www.hoganlovells.com

June 14, 2023

Board of Directors

Vaccinex, Inc.

1895 Mount Hope Avenue

Rochester, NY 14620

To the addressee referred to above:

We are acting as counsel to Vaccinex, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with its registration statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to the proposed public offering by the selling stockholders listed in the Registration Statement of up to 3,815,642 issued and outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”), all of which may be sold from time to time and on a delayed or continuous basis, as set forth in the prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), and as to be set forth in one or more supplements to the Prospectus. This opinion letter is furnished to you at your request to enable you to fulfill the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K, 17 C.F.R. § 229.601(b)(5), in connection with the Registration Statement.

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have examined copies of such agreements, instruments and documents as we have deemed an appropriate basis on which to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the aforesaid documents, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the accuracy and completeness of all documents submitted to us, the authenticity of all original documents, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies (including pdfs). As to all matters of fact, we have relied on the representations and statements of fact made in the documents so reviewed, and we have not independently established the facts so relied on. This opinion letter is given, and all statements herein are made, in the context of the foregoing.

This opinion letter is based as to matters of law solely on the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended. We express no opinion herein as to any other statutes, rules or regulations (and in particular, we express no opinion as to any effect that such other statutes, rules or regulations may have on the opinions expressed herein).

Based upon, subject to and limited by the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Shares have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

Hogan Lovells US LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in the District of Columbia. “Hogan Lovells” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP, with offices in: Alicante Amsterdam Baltimore Beijing Birmingham Boston Brussels Colorado Springs Denver Dubai Dusseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Houston Johannesburg London Los Angeles Luxembourg Madrid Mexico City Miami Milan Minneapolis Monterrey Munich New York Northern Virginia Paris Philadelphia Rome San Francisco São Paulo Shanghai Silicon Valley Singapore Sydney Tokyo Warsaw Washington, D.C. Associated Offices: Budapest Jakarta Riyadh Shanghai FTZ Ulaanbaatar. Business Service Centers: Johannesburg Louisville. Legal Services Center: Berlin. For more information see www.hoganlovells.com


Board of Directors

Vaccinex, Inc.

June 14, 2023

Page 2

 

This opinion letter has been prepared for use in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the effective date of the Registration Statement.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are an “expert” within the meaning of the Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated March 31, 2023 relating to the financial statements of Vaccinex, Inc. (“the Company”), appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
Rochester, New York
June 14, 2023
EX-24.1

Exhibit 24.1

VACCINEX, INC.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each of the undersigned directors and officers of Vaccinex, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Registrant”), hereby constitutes and appoints Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D. and Scott E. Royer, CFA, MBA, and each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution and full power to act without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent to act in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to execute and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), one or more registration statement(s) on Form S-3 relating to the offer and resale by certain selling stockholders of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Registrant in connection with those certain Registration Rights Agreements, dated March 30, 2023, May 15, 2023, and May 17, 2023, and any and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto, including pre-effective and post-effective amendments or supplements or any additional registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462 promulgated under the Securities Act, with full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate or desirable to be done in the premises, or in the name, place and stead of the undersigned, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and approving all that said attorneys-in-fact or any of them and any substitute therefor may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original with respect to the person executing it.

 

Signature    Title   Date

/s/ Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

Maurice Zauderer, Ph.D.

  

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Scott E. Royer, CFA, MBA

Scott E. Royer, CFA, MBA

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Albert D. Friedberg

Albert D. Friedberg

  

Chairman of the Board

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Chrystyna Bedrij Stecyk

Chrystyna Bedrij Stecyk

  

Director

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Jacob B. Frieberg

Jacob B. Frieberg

  

Director

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Bala S. Manian, Ph.D.

Bala S. Manian, Ph.D.

  

Director

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Gerald E. Van Strydonck

Gerald E. Van Strydonck

  

Director

  June 8, 2023

/s/ Barbara Yanni

Barbara Yanni

  

Director

  June 8, 2023
EX-FILING FEES

Exhibit 107

Calculation of Filing Fee Table

Form S-3

(Form Type)

Vaccinex, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Table 1: Newly Registered Securities

 

                 
     Security
Type
  Security
Class Title
  Fee
Calculation
Rule
  Amount
Registered(1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit (2)
  Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Fee Rate   Amount of
Registration
Fee
                 
Fees to Be Paid   Equity   Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share   Other   3,815,642   $0.4541   $1,732,683.03   0.0001102   $190.95
           
    Total Offering Amounts       $—     $190.95
           
    Total Fees Previously Paid     —     —     —  
           
    Total Fee Offsets     —     —     —  
           
    Net Fee Due       —     —     $190.95

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), there is also being registered hereby such indeterminate number of additional shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the registrant as may be issued or issuable because of stock splits, stock dividends, stock distributions, and similar transactions.

(2)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) of the Securities Act, on the basis of the average of the high and low prices for a share of the registrant’s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Capital Market on June 13, 2023, which date is a date within five business days of the filing of this registration statement.