UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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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 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
On August 18, 2023, Vaccinex, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a stock purchase agreement (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell to the investors named therein (the “Investors”) an aggregate of 3,140,095 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”), at a purchase price of $0.207 per Share (the “Private Placement”). The closing of the Private Placement occurred on August 22, 2023 (the “Closing Date”) for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $650,000.
The sale of the Shares was not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the Shares were issued and sold in a private placement pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the 1933 Act. Each of the Investors represented that it is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Rule 501 of Regulation D, was acquiring the Shares for its own account, and had no direct or indirect arrangement or understanding with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Shares. The Shares were offered and sold without any general solicitation by the Company or its representatives.
In connection with Private Placement, on August 18, 2023, the Company entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with the Investors that affords the Investors certain registration rights with respect to the Shares. Under the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company agreed, among other things, to use its reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the resale of the Investors’ Shares within 120 calendar days from the Closing Date and commercially reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective on or prior to 180 calendar days from the Closing Date.
The foregoing summaries of the Stock Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are qualified by reference to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2, respectively.
Item 3.02 | Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities. |
The information contained in Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 3.02. Neither this Current Report on Form 8-K nor any of the exhibits attached hereto is an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
The following exhibits are filed herewith:
Exhibit |
Exhibit Description | |
10.1 | Stock Purchase Agreement by and between the Company and the Investors, dated as of August 18, 2023 | |
10.2 | Registration Rights Agreement by and between the Company and the Investors, dated as of August 18, 2023 | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Vaccinex, Inc. | ||||||
Date: August 22, 2023 | By: | /s/ Scott E. Royer | ||||
Scott E. Royer | ||||||
Chief Financial Officer |
Exhibit 10.1
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Table of Contents
Page | ||||||
Section 1. |
Purchase and Sale of Common Stock | 1 | ||||
1.1 |
Sale and Issuance of the Shares | 1 | ||||
1.2 |
Closing; Delivery | 1 | ||||
1.3 |
Defined Terms Used in this Agreement | 2 | ||||
1.4 |
Construction | 3 | ||||
Section 2. |
Representations and Warranties of the Company | 4 | ||||
2.1 |
Organization, Good Standing and Qualification | 4 | ||||
2.2 |
Authorization | 4 | ||||
2.3 |
Capitalization | 4 | ||||
2.4 |
Valid Issuance | 5 | ||||
2.5 |
Consents | 5 | ||||
2.6 |
Use of Proceeds | 5 | ||||
2.7 |
No Material Adverse Change | 5 | ||||
2.8 |
SEC Filings | 6 | ||||
2.9 |
No Conflict, Breach, Violation or Default | 6 | ||||
2.10 |
Tax Matters | 7 | ||||
2.11 |
Title to Properties | 7 | ||||
2.12 |
Certificates, Authorities and Permits | 7 | ||||
2.13 |
Labor Matters | 7 | ||||
2.14 |
Intellectual Property | 8 | ||||
2.15 |
Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials | 8 | ||||
2.16 |
Environmental Matters | 8 | ||||
2.17 |
Legal Proceedings | 9 | ||||
2.18 |
Financial Statements | 9 | ||||
2.19 |
Insurance | 9 | ||||
2.20 |
Nasdaq Listing | 9 | ||||
2.21 |
No Directed Selling Efforts or General Solicitation | 9 | ||||
2.22 |
No Registration | 9 | ||||
2.23 |
Private Placement | 9 | ||||
2.24 |
Foreign Corrupt Practices | 10 | ||||
2.25 |
Transactions with Affiliates | 10 | ||||
2.26 |
Internal Controls | 10 | ||||
2.27 |
Regulation M Compliance | 10 | ||||
2.28 |
No Bad Actors | 10 | ||||
2.29 |
Investment Company | 11 |
Section 3. |
Representations and Warranties of the Investors | 11 | ||||
3.1 |
Organization | 11 | ||||
3.2 |
Authorization | 11 | ||||
3.3 |
Purchase Entirely for Own Account | 11 | ||||
3.4 |
Investment Experience | 11 | ||||
3.5 |
Disclosure of Information | 11 | ||||
3.6 |
Restricted Securities | 12 | ||||
3.7 |
Legends | 12 | ||||
3.8 |
Accredited Investor | 12 | ||||
3.9 |
No General Solicitation | 12 | ||||
3.10 |
Short Sales and Confidentiality Prior to the Date Hereof | 12 | ||||
3.11 |
No Government Recommendation or Approval | 13 | ||||
3.12 |
No Conflicts | 13 | ||||
3.13 |
Residency | 13 | ||||
3.14 |
Financial Capability | 13 | ||||
Section 4. |
Covenants | 13 | ||||
4.1 |
Legend Removal | 13 | ||||
4.2 |
Short Sales and Confidentiality After the Date Hereof | 14 | ||||
Section 5. |
Conditions to Closing | 15 | ||||
5.1 |
Conditions to the Investors Obligations | 15 | ||||
5.2 |
Conditions to Obligations of the Company | 16 | ||||
5.3 |
Termination of Obligations to Effect Closing; Effects | 16 | ||||
Section 6. |
Miscellaneous | 17 | ||||
6.1 |
Successors and Assigns | 17 | ||||
6.2 |
Governing Law | 17 | ||||
6.3 |
Counterparts | 17 | ||||
6.4 |
Titles and Subtitles | 17 | ||||
6.5 |
Notices | 17 | ||||
6.6 |
Expenses | 18 | ||||
6.7 |
Waiver | 18 | ||||
6.8 |
Amendments | 18 | ||||
6.9 |
Severability | 18 | ||||
6.10 |
Entire Agreement | 18 | ||||
6.11 |
Specific Enforcement | 18 | ||||
6.12 |
Exclusive Jurisdiction; Venue | 19 | ||||
6.13 |
Publicity | 19 | ||||
6.14 |
Survival | 19 | ||||
6.15 |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 20 |
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STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this Agreement), is made as of August 18, 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, the Company and the Investors are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by the provisions of Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act (as defined below) and Rule 506 (Rule 506) of Regulation D (Regulation D) as promulgated by the SEC (as defined below) under the 1933 Act;
WHEREAS, the Investors wish to, severally and not jointly, purchase from the Company, and the Company wishes to sell and issue to the Investors, upon the terms and subject to the conditions stated in this Agreement, in aggregate, the number of shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the Common Stock), set forth next to the word Total on Exhibit A (the Shares); and
WHEREAS, contemporaneously with the sale of the Shares, the Company and the Investors will execute and deliver a Registration Rights Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the Registration Rights Agreement), pursuant to which the Company will agree to provide certain registration rights in respect of the Shares purchased by the Investors.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Purchase and Sale of Common Stock.
1.1 Sale and Issuance of the Shares. On the Closing Date (as defined below), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company will sell and issue, and the Investors will purchase, severally and not jointly, for a price per Share of $0.207, the number of Shares set forth opposite the name of such Investor under the heading Number of Shares to be Purchased on Exhibit A attached hereto.
1.2 Closing; Delivery.
(a) Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 5, the completion of the purchase and sale of the Shares (the Closing) shall occur remotely via exchange of documents and signatures at a time (the Closing Date) determined by the Company and of which the Investors will be notified at least one Business Day in advance by the Company but (i) in no event earlier than the Business Day after the date hereof and (ii) in no event later than September 1, 2023, or as otherwise agreed to by the Company and the Investors.
(b) On the Closing Date, each Investor shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, via wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to the wire instructions delivered to such Investor by the Company on or prior to the Closing Date, an amount equal to the purchase price to be paid by the Investor for the Shares to be acquired by it as set forth opposite the name of such Investor under the heading Aggregate Purchase Price of Shares on Exhibit A attached hereto.
(c) At the Closing or within one Trading Day thereof, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Investor a number of Shares, registered in the name of the Investor (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions), equal to the number of Shares set forth opposite the name of such Investor under the heading Number of Shares to be Purchased on Exhibit A attached hereto. The Shares shall be delivered via a book-entry record through the Transfer Agent (as defined below).
1.3 Defined Terms Used in this 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.
(a) 1933 Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(b) 1934 Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(c) Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries Controls, is controlled by, or is under common Control with such Person.
(d) Business Day means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York generally are authorized or required by law or other governmental actions to close.
(e) Company Covered Person means, with respect to the Company as an issuer for purposes of Rule 506, any Person listed in the first paragraph of Rule 506(d)(1).
(f) Companys Knowledge means the actual knowledge of the executive officers (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) of the Company.
(g) Control (including the terms controlling, controlled by or under common control with) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
(h) Material Adverse Effect means any fact, circumstance, change, event, occurrence, or effect that, individually, or in the aggregate with any such other facts, circumstances, changes, events, occurrences, or effects, would have, or would reasonably be expected to have, a material adverse effect on the financial condition, business, properties, assets, liabilities, or results of operations of the Company, taken as a whole.
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(i) Material Contract means any contract, instrument, or other agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound that has been filed or was required to have been filed as an exhibit to the SEC Filings (as defined below) pursuant to Item 601(b)(4) or Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K.
(j) Nasdaq means the Nasdaq Capital Market.
(k) Person means any individual, firm, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, company, or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
(l) Principal Trading Market means the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is primarily listed on and quoted for trading, which, as of the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, shall be Nasdaq.
(m) SEC means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
(n) Short Sales means all short sales as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the 1934 Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock).
(o) Trading Day means (i) a day on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and traded on its Principal Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board, OTCQX or OTCQB), or (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on a Trading Market (other than the OTC Bulletin Board, OTCQX or OTCQB), a day on which the Common Stock is traded in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the OTC Bulletin Board or OTC Markets Group Inc., as applicable, or (iii) if the Common Stock is not quoted on any Trading Market, a day on which the Common Stock is quoted in the over-the-counter market as reported in the pink sheets by OTC Markets Group Inc. (or any similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices); provided, that in the event that the Common Stock is not listed or quoted as set forth in (i), (ii) or (iii) hereof, then Trading Day shall mean a Business Day.
(p) Trading Market means whichever of the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the OTC Bulletin Board, OTCQX or OTCQB on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question.
(q) Transaction Documents means this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
1.4 Construction. Whenever required by the context, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular forms of nouns, pronouns, and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa. Reference to any agreement, document, or instrument means such agreement, document, or instrument as amended or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof and, if applicable, hereof. A reference to any party hereto includes such partys permitted assignees and/or the respective successors in title to substantially the whole of such partys undertaking.
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All references to Sections and Exhibits contained in this Agreement are, unless specifically indicated otherwise, references to sections or exhibits of or to this Agreement. The recitals and exhibits to this Agreement form part of the operative provisions of this Agreement and references to this Agreement shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include references to the recitals and exhibits to this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: (a) day means a calendar day; (b) U.S. or United States means the United States of America; (c) dollar or $ means lawful currency of the United States; (d) including or include means including without limitation; and (e) references in this Agreement to specific laws includes the succeeding law, section, or provision corresponding thereto and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section 2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Investors that, except as described in the Companys SEC Filings, which qualify these representations and warranties in their entirety:
2.1 Organization, Good Standing and Qualification. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has all requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and to own or lease its properties. The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property makes such qualification or leasing necessary unless the failure to so qualify has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.2 Authorization. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority and has taken all requisite corporate action necessary for, and no further action on the part of the Company, its officers, directors and stockholders is necessary for, (i) the authorization, execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, (ii) the authorization of the performance of all obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, and (iii) the authorization, issuance (or reservation for issuance) and delivery of the Shares. The Transaction Documents constitute, or when executed will constitute, the legal, valid, and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium, and similar laws of general applicability, relating to or affecting creditors rights generally and to general equitable principles.
2.3 Capitalization. The Company is authorized under its Certificate of Incorporation to issue 100,000,000 shares of Common Stock. The Companys disclosure of its issued and outstanding capital stock in its most recent SEC Filing containing such disclosure was accurate in all material respects as of the date indicated in such SEC Filing. All of the issued and outstanding shares of the Companys capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. No Person is entitled to preemptive or similar statutory or contractual rights with respect to the issuance by the Company of any securities of the Company, including, without limitation, the Shares. Except for stock options approved pursuant to Company stock-based compensation plans described in the SEC Filings and securities exercisable for, convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company disclosed in the SEC Filings, there are no outstanding warrants, options, convertible securities or
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other rights, agreements or arrangements of any character under which the Company is or may be obligated to issue any equity securities of any kind, except as contemplated by this Agreement. There are no voting agreements, buy-sell agreements, option or right of first purchase agreements or other agreements of any kind among the Company and any of the securityholders of the Company relating to the securities of the Company held by them. No Person has the right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company under the 1933 Act, whether on a demand basis or in connection with the registration of securities of the Company for its own account or for the account of any other Person. The issuance and sale of the Shares hereunder will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any other Person (other than the Investors) and will not result in the adjustment of the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of any outstanding security. The Company does not have outstanding stockholder purchase rights or poison pill or any similar arrangement in effect giving any Person the right to purchase any equity interest in the Company upon the occurrence of certain events.
2.4 Valid Issuance. The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and paid for pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and shall be free and clear of all encumbrances and restrictions (other than those created by the Investors), except for restrictions on transfer set forth in the Transaction Documents or imposed by applicable securities laws.
2.5 Consents. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents and the offer, issuance and sale of the Shares require no consent of, action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Person, governmental body, agency, or official other than (a) filings that have been made pursuant to applicable state securities laws, (b) post-sale filings pursuant to applicable state and federal securities laws, (c) filings pursuant to the rules and regulations of Nasdaq, and (d) filing of the registration statement required to be filed by the Registration Rights Agreement, each of which the Company has filed or undertakes to file within the applicable time.
2.6 Use of Proceeds. The net proceeds of the sale of the Shares hereunder shall be used by the Company to fund the ongoing development and clinical trials of pepinemab and for working capital and general corporate purposes.
2.7 No Material Adverse Change. Since December 31, 2022, except as identified and described in the SEC Filings filed at least one Trading Day prior to the date hereof, there has not been:
(a) any change in the consolidated assets, liabilities, financial condition, or operating results of the Company from that reflected in the financial statements included in the SEC Filings, except for changes in the ordinary course of business which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, individually or in the aggregate;
(b) any declaration or payment by the Company of any dividend, or any authorization or payment by the Company of any distribution, on any of the capital stock of the Company, or any redemption or repurchase by the Company of any securities of the Company;
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(c) any material damage, destruction, or loss, whether or not covered by insurance, to any assets or properties of the Company;
(d) any waiver, not in the ordinary course of business, by the Company of a material right or of a material debt owed to it;
(e) any satisfaction or discharge of any lien, claim or encumbrance or payment of any obligation by the Company, except in the ordinary course of business and which is not material to the assets, properties, financial condition, operating results, or business of the Company (as such business is presently conducted);
(f) any change or amendment to the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or material change to any Material Contract or arrangement by which the Company is bound or to which any of its assets or properties is subject;
(g) any material labor difficulties or, to the Companys Knowledge, labor union organizing activities with respect to employees of the Company;
(h) any material transaction entered into by the Company other than in the ordinary course of business;
(i) the loss of the services of any key employee, or material change in the composition or duties of the senior management of the Company; or
(j) any other event or condition of any character that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.8 SEC Filings. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements, and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the one year period preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (collectively, the SEC Filings). At the time of filing thereof, the SEC Filings complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder.
2.9 No Conflict, Breach, Violation or Default. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the issuance and sale of the Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof will not, except (solely in the case of clauses (i)(b) and (ii)) for such violations, conflicts or defaults as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of (a) any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Companys Certificate of Incorporation or the Companys Bylaws, both as in effect on the date hereof (true and complete copies of which have been made available to the Investors through the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (the EDGAR system)), or (b) assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties in Section 3, any applicable
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statute, rule, regulation or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company, or any of its assets or properties, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any Material Contract. This Section 2.9 does not relate to matters with respect to tax status, which are the subject of Section 2.10, employee relations and labor matters, which are the subject of Section 2.13, or Environmental Laws (as defined below), which are the subject of Section 2.16.
2.10 Tax Matters. The Company has timely prepared and filed all material tax returns required to have been filed by it with all appropriate governmental agencies and timely paid all material taxes shown thereon or otherwise owed by it. There are no material unpaid assessments against the Company nor, to the Companys Knowledge, any audits by any federal, state, or local taxing authority. All material taxes that the Company is required to withhold or to collect for payment have been duly withheld and collected and paid to the proper governmental entity or third party when due. There are no tax liens pending or, to the Companys Knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its assets or property. With the exception of agreements or other arrangements that are not primarily related to taxes entered into in the ordinary course of business, there are no outstanding tax sharing agreements or other such arrangements between the Company and any other corporation or entity (other than a subsidiary of the Company).
2.11 Title to Properties. The Company has good and marketable title to all real properties and all other properties and assets owned by it, in each case free from liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company holds any leased real or personal property under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions, except such as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.12 Certificates, Authorities and Permits. The Company possesses adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it, except where failure to so possess would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, individually or in the aggregate, on the Company.
2.13 Labor Matters.
(a) The Company is not party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreements or other agreements with labor organizations. To the Companys Knowledge, the Company has not violated in any material respect any laws, regulations, orders, or contract terms affecting the collective bargaining rights of employees or labor organizations, or any laws, regulations or orders affecting employment discrimination, equal opportunity employment, or employees health, safety, welfare, wages, and hours.
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(b) No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company, or with the employees of any principal supplier, manufacturer, customer, or contractor of the Company, exists or, to the Companys Knowledge, is threatened or imminent.
2.14 Intellectual Property. To the Companys Knowledge, the Company owns, possesses, licenses or has other rights to use, all patents, copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, service names, trade secrets and other intellectual property described in the SEC Filings necessary for the conduct of the Companys business as currently conducted and that the failure to so have would have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the Intellectual Property). There is no pending or, to the Companys Knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by any Person that the Companys business as now conducted infringes or violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other intellectual property rights of another. To the Companys Knowledge, there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company that would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality, and value of the non-public portions of the Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company, except where failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.15 Tests and Preclinical and Clinical Trials. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by the Company or conducted on behalf of the Company that are described in the SEC Filings were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with the relevant experimental protocols, procedures and controls and all applicable laws; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the SEC Filings are accurate and complete and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials in all material respects as of the respective dates of such SEC Filings; the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes are materially inconsistent with the study, test or trial results described or referred to in the SEC Filings when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and the Company has not received any notices or written correspondence from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company.
2.16 Environmental Matters. The Company is not in violation of any material statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, Environmental Laws), has not released any hazardous substances regulated by Environmental Law onto any real property that it owns or operates, and has not received any written notice or claim it is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, which violation, release, notice, claim, or liability would reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and to the Companys Knowledge, there is no pending or threatened investigation that would reasonably be expected to lead to such a claim.
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2.17 Legal Proceedings. There are no legal, governmental, or regulatory investigations, actions, suits, or proceedings pending to which the Company is or may reasonably be expected to become a party or to which any property of the Company is or may reasonably be expected to become the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
2.18 Financial Statements. The financial statements included in the SEC Filings comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing (or to the extent corrected by a subsequent restatement) and present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of the dates shown and its consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, subject in the case of unaudited financial statements to normal year-end audit adjustments, and such consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (GAAP) (except as may be disclosed therein or in the notes thereto, and except that the unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and, in the case of quarterly financial statements, except as permitted by Form 10-Q under the 1934 Act).
2.19 Insurance. The Company maintains in full force and effect insurance coverage that is customary for comparably situated companies for the business being conducted and properties owned or leased by the Company, and the Company reasonably believes such insurance coverage to be adequate against all liabilities, claims and risks against which it is customary for comparably situated companies to insure.
2.20 Nasdaq Listing. There are no proceedings pending or, to the Companys Knowledge, threatened against the Company relating to the continued listing of the Common Stock on Nasdaq and the Company has not received any notice of the delisting of the Common Stock from Nasdaq.
2.21 No Directed Selling Efforts or General Solicitation. Neither the Company nor any Person acting on its behalf has conducted any general solicitation or general advertising (as those terms are used in Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of any of the Shares.
2.22 No Registration. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investors set forth in Section 3, neither the Company nor any Person acting on its behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any Company security or solicited any offers to buy any Company security, under circumstances that would adversely affect reliance by the Company on Section 4(a)(2) and Regulation D for the exemption from registration for the transactions contemplated hereby or would require registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act.
2.23 Private Placement. Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investors set forth in Section 3, the offer and sale of the Shares to the Investors as contemplated hereby is exempt from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. The issuance and sale of the Shares does not contravene the rules and regulations of Nasdaq.
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2.24 Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the Companys Knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of in any material respect any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.
2.25 Transactions with Affiliates. None of the executive officers or directors of the Company and, to the Companys Knowledge, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company (other than as holders of stock options and/or restricted stock, and for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the Companys Knowledge, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner, except for transactions involving amounts of $120,000 or less.
2.26 Internal Controls. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the 1934 Act), which are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Companys principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within those entities. Since the end of the Companys most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no material weaknesses in the Companys internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or would reasonably be expected to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal controls over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or would reasonably be expected to materially affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting.
2.27 Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to the Companys Knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Shares, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.
2.28 No Bad Actors. No bad actor disqualifying event described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i)-(viii) (a Disqualification Event) is applicable to the Company or, to the Companys Knowledge, any Company Covered Person, except for a Disqualification Event as to which Rule 506(d)(2)(iiiv) or (d)(3) is applicable.
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2.29 Investment Company. The Company is not required to be registered as, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately following the Closing will not be required to register as, an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 3. Representations and Warranties of the Investors. Each of the Investors hereby severally, and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company that:
3.1 Organization. Such Investor is either an individual or a duly incorporated or organized and validly existing corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other legal entity, has all requisite corporate, partnership or limited liability company power and authority, as applicable, to enter into and consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder, and to invest in the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, and, if an entity, is in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization.
3.2 Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by such Investor of the Transaction Documents to which such Investor is a party have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of the Investor, and each has been duly executed and when delivered will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Investor, enforceable against such Investor in accordance with their respective terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability, relating to or affecting creditors rights generally, and general principles of equity.
3.3 Purchase Entirely for Own Account. Such Investor is acquiring the Shares as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understanding with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Shares. Such Investor is acquiring the Shares hereunder in the ordinary course of its business. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed a representation or warranty by such Investor to hold the Shares for any period of time. Such Investor is not a broker-dealer registered with the SEC under the 1934 Act or an entity engaged in a business that would require it to be so registered.
3.4 Investment Experience. Such Investor acknowledges that it can bear the economic risk and complete loss of its investment in the Shares and has such knowledge, sophistication, and experience in financial or business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment contemplated hereby, and has so evaluated the merits and risks.
3.5 Disclosure of Information. Such Investor has had an opportunity to receive, review and understand all information related to the Company requested by it and to ask questions of and receive answers from the Company regarding the Company, its business and the terms and conditions of the offering of the Shares, and has conducted and completed its own independent due diligence. Such Investor acknowledges that copies of the SEC Filings are available on the EDGAR system. Based on the information such Investor has deemed appropriate, it has independently made its own analysis and decision to enter into the Transaction Documents. Such Investor is relying exclusively on its own investment analysis and due diligence (including professional advice it deems appropriate) with respect to the execution, delivery, and performance of the Transaction Documents, the Shares and the business, condition
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(financial and otherwise), management, operations, properties, and prospects of the Company, including but not limited to all business, legal, regulatory, accounting, credit, and tax matters. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigation conducted by such Investor shall modify, limit, or otherwise affect such Investors right to rely on the Companys representations and warranties contained in this Agreement.
3.6 Restricted Securities. Such Investor understands that the Shares are characterized as restricted securities under the U.S. federal securities laws inasmuch as they are being acquired from the Company in a transaction not involving a public offering and that under such laws and applicable regulations such securities may be resold without registration under the 1933 Act only in certain limited circumstances.
3.7 Legends. It is understood that, except as provided below, certificates evidencing the Shares (or uncertificated interests in the Shares) may bear the following or any similar legend:
(a) THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AND HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION THEREOF. NO SUCH TRANSFER MAY BE EFFECTED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATED THERETO OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL IN A FORM SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933.
(b) If required by the authorities of any state in connection with the issuance of sale of the Shares, the legend required by such state authority.
3.8 Accredited Investor. Such Investor is an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D. Such Investor has executed and delivered to the Company a questionnaire in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the Investor Questionnaire), which such Investor represents and warrants is true, correct, and complete.
3.9 No General Solicitation. Such Investor did not learn of the investment in the Shares as a result of any general or public solicitation or general advertising, or publicly disseminated advertisements or sales literature, including (a) any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, website, or similar media, or broadcast over television or radio, or (b) any seminar or meeting to which such Investor was invited by any of the foregoing means of communications.
3.10 Short Sales and Confidentiality Prior to the Date Hereof. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Investor has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Investor, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Investor was first contacted by the Company or any other Person regarding the transactions contemplated hereby and ending immediately prior to the date hereof. Such Investor, its Affiliates and authorized representatives and advisors who are aware of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have
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maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to such Investor in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including the existence and terms of such transactions). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to the identification of the availability of, or securing of, available shares to borrow in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.
3.11 No Government Recommendation or Approval. Such Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency, or similar agency of any other country, has reviewed, approved, passed upon, or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Company or the purchase of the Shares.
3.12 No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Investor of the Transaction Documents and the consummation by such Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Investor or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Investor is a party, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Investor, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Investor to perform its obligations hereunder.
3.13 Residency. Such Investors office in which its investment decision with respect to the Shares was made is located at the address immediately below such Investors name on its signature page hereto.
3.14 Financial Capability. Such Investor has immediately available funds necessary to consummate the Closing on the terms and conditions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4. Covenants.
4.1 Legend Removal.
(a) In connection with any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of the Shares by an Investor pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act (Rule 144) or pursuant to any other exemption under the 1933 Act such that the purchaser acquires freely tradable shares and upon compliance by the Investor with the requirements of this Agreement, if requested by the Investor, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the transfer agent for the Common Stock (the Transfer Agent) to remove any restrictive legends related to the book entry account holding such Shares and make a new, unlegended entry for such book entry Shares sold or disposed of without restrictive legends within three Trading Days of any such request therefor from such Investor, provided, that the Company has timely received from the Investor customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company in connection therewith.
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(b) Subject to receipt from the Investor by the Company and the Transfer Agent of customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection therewith, upon the earliest of such time as the Shares (i) have been sold or transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement, (ii) have been sold pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) are eligible for resale under Rule 144(b)(1) or any successor provision (such earliest date, the Effective Date), the Company shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.1(b) and within three Trading Days of any request therefor from an Investor accompanied by such customary and reasonably acceptable documentation referred to above, (A) deliver to the Transfer Agent irrevocable instructions that the Transfer Agent shall make a new, unlegended entry for such book entry Shares, and (B) cause its counsel to deliver to the Transfer Agent one or more opinions to the effect that the removal of such legends in such circumstances may be effected under the 1933 Act if required by the Transfer Agent to effect the removal of the legend in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. The Company agrees that following the Effective Date, it will use commercially reasonable efforts to deliver or cause to be delivered to such Investor a certificate representing such Shares (or uncertificated interest therein) that is free from all restrictive and other legends within three Trading Days of the delivery by an Investor to the Company or the Transfer Agent of a certificate representing shares issued with a restrictive legend and receipt from the Investor by the Company and the Transfer Agent of the customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection therewith that is referred to above. Shares subject to legend removal hereunder may be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Investor by crediting the account of the Investors prime broker with the DTC system as directed by such Investor. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its Transfer Agent and all DTC fees associated with such issuance.
(c) Each Investor, severally and not jointly with the other Investors, agrees with the Company (i) that such Investor will sell any Shares pursuant to either the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery requirements, or an exemption therefrom, (ii) that if Shares are sold pursuant to a registration statement, they will be sold in compliance with the plan of distribution set forth therein and (iii) that if, after the effective date of the registration statement covering the resale of the Shares, such registration statement is not then effective and the Company has provided notice to such Investor to that effect, such Investor will sell Shares only in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act.
4.2 Short Sales and Confidentiality After the Date Hereof. Each Investor covenants that neither it nor any Affiliates acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any Short Sales during the period from the date hereof until the earlier of such time as (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced or (ii) this Agreement is terminated in full. Each Investor covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company, such Investor will maintain (and will cause its Affiliates, authorized representatives and advisors who are aware of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents) to maintain the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including the existence and terms of such transactions). Each Investor understands and acknowledges that the SEC currently takes the position that coverage of Short Sales of shares of the Common Stock against the box prior to effectiveness of a resale
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registration statement with securities included in such registration statement would be a violation of Section 5 of the 1933 Act, as set forth in Item 239.10 of the Securities Act Rules Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations compiled by the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Corporation Finance, and covenants that neither it nor any Affiliates acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any such Short Sales.
Section 5. Conditions to Closing.
5.1 Conditions to the Investors Obligations. The obligation of each Investor to purchase Shares at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to such Investors satisfaction, on or prior to the Closing Date, of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by such Investor (as to itself only):
(a) The representations and warranties made by the Company in Section 2 hereof shall be true and correct as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date.
(b) The Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations and covenants herein required to be performed by it on or prior to the Closing Date.
(c) The Company shall have obtained any and all consents, permits, approvals, registrations, and waivers necessary for the consummation of the purchase and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, all of which shall be in full force and effect.
(d) The Company shall have executed and delivered the Registration Rights Agreement.
(e) No judgment, writ, order, injunction, award, or decree of or by any court, or judge, justice, or magistrate, including any bankruptcy court or judge, or any order of or by any governmental authority, shall have been issued, and no action or proceeding shall have been instituted by any governmental authority, enjoining or preventing the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(f) The Company shall have delivered a certificate, executed on behalf of the Company by an officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying to the fulfillment of the conditions specified in subsections (a), (b), (c), (e), (h) and (i) of this Section 5.1.
(g) The Company shall have delivered a certificate, executed on behalf of the Company by an officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company approving the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the issuance of the Shares, certifying the current versions of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company and certifying as to the signatures and authority of persons signing the Transaction Documents and related documents on behalf of the Company.
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(h) There shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof.
(i) No stop order or suspension of trading shall have been imposed by Nasdaq, the SEC or any other governmental or regulatory body with respect to public trading in the Common Stock.
5.2 Conditions to Obligations of the Company. The Companys obligation to sell and issue Shares at the Closing is subject to the fulfillment to the satisfaction of the Company on or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions, any of which may be waived by the Company:
(a) The representations and warranties made by the Investors in Section 3 hereof shall be true and correct as of the date hereof, and shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date with the same force and effect as if they had been made on and as of such date. The Investors shall have performed in all material respects all obligations and covenants herein required to be performed by them on or prior to the Closing Date.
(b) The Investors shall have executed and delivered each Investor Questionnaire and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(c) Any Investor purchasing Shares at the Closing shall have paid in full its purchase price to the Company.
5.3 Termination of Obligations to Effect Closing; Effects.
(a) The obligations of the Company, on the one hand, and the Investors, on the other hand, to effect the Closing shall terminate as follows:
(i) Upon the mutual written consent of the Company and Investors that agreed to purchase a majority of the Shares to be issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement;
(ii) By the Company if any of the conditions set forth in Section 5.2 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Company;
(iii) By an Investor (with respect to itself only) if any of the conditions set forth in Section 5.1 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the Investor; or
(iv) By either the Company or any Investor (with respect to itself only) if the Closing has not occurred on or prior to ten calendar days after the date hereof;
provided, however, that, except in the case of clause (i) above, the party seeking to terminate its obligation to effect the Closing shall not then be in breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants, or agreements contained in the Transaction Documents if such breach has resulted in the circumstances giving rise to such partys seeking to terminate its obligation to effect the Closing.
(b) In the event of termination by the Company or any Investor of its obligations to effect the Closing pursuant to this Section 5.3, written notice thereof shall be given to the other Investors by the Company and the other Investors shall have the right to terminate their obligations to effect the Closing upon written notice to the Company and the other Investors. Nothing in this Section 5.3 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any breach by such party of the terms and provisions of the Transaction Documents or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under the Transaction Documents.
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Section 6. Miscellaneous.
6.1 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, provided, however, that an Investor may not assign this Agreement without the written consent of the Company. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and assigns any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement.
6.2 Governing Law. This Agreement and all claims or causes of action (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) that may be based upon, arise out of or relate to this Agreement or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of or related to any representation or warranty made in or in connection with this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
6.3 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 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.
6.4 Titles and Subtitles. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
6.5 Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon the earlier of actual receipt, or (a) personal delivery to the party to be notified, (b) when sent, if sent by
electronic mail or facsimile during normal business hours of the recipient, and if not sent during normal business hours, then on the recipients next Business Day, (c) five days after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or (d) one Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight courier, freight prepaid, specifying next Business Day delivery, with written verification of receipt. All communications shall be sent to the respective parties at their address or e-mail address as set forth on the signature page, or to such address, e-mail address or facsimile number as subsequently modified by written notice given in accordance with this Section 6.5.
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6.6 Expenses. Each party shall pay its own expenses (including fees and expenses of financial advisors, attorneys, and other advisors) incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, due diligence, execution, delivery, and performance of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
6.7 Waiver. Waiver by the Company or any Investor of a breach hereunder by any Investor or the Company, respectively, shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other provision. No delay or omission by a party in exercising or availing itself of any right, power or privilege hereunder shall preclude the later exercise of any such right, power or privilege by such party. No waiver shall be effective unless made in writing with specific reference to the relevant provision(s) of this Agreement and signed by a duly authorized representative of the party granting the waiver. All remedies, either under this Agreement or by law or otherwise afforded to any party, shall be cumulative and not alternative.
6.8 Amendments. Any term of this Agreement may be amended or terminated only with the written consent of the Company and the Investors representing a majority of the Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may not be amended and the observance of any term of this Agreement may not be waived with respect to any Investor without the written consent of such Investor unless such amendment or waiver applies to all Investors in the same fashion.
6.9 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 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.
6.10 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents constitute the full and entire understanding and agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and any other written or oral agreement relating to the subject matter hereof or thereof existing among the parties are expressly canceled.
6.11 Specific Enforcement. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific intent or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof, in addition to any other remedy to which they may be entitled by law or equity.
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6.12 Exclusive Jurisdiction; Venue. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder, or for recognition and enforcement of any judgment in respect of this Agreement and the rights and obligations arising hereunder brought by another party hereto or its successors or assigns, shall be brought and determined exclusively in the Delaware Court of Chancery, or, if the Delaware Court of Chancery declines to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, any federal court within the State of Delaware, or, if both the Delaware Court of Chancery and the federal courts within the State of Delaware decline to accept jurisdiction over a particular matter, any other state court within the State of Delaware, and, in each case, any appellate court therefrom. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits with regard to any such action or proceeding for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, to the personal jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in any court other than the aforesaid courts. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding with respect to this Agreement, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above named courts for any reason other than the failure to serve in accordance with this Section 6.12, (b) any claim that it or its property is exempt or immune from the jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable law, any claim that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts. Each of the parties hereto agrees that service of process upon such party in any such action or proceeding shall be effective if such process is given as a notice in accordance with Section 6.5.
6.13 Publicity. Except as set forth below, no public release or announcement concerning the transactions contemplated hereby shall be issued by any Investor without the prior consent of the Company, except as such release or announcement may be required by law or the applicable rules or regulations of any securities exchange or securities market, in which case the Investors shall allow the Company reasonable time to comment on such release or announcement in advance of such issuance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Investor may identify the Company and the value of such Investors security holdings in the Company in accordance with applicable investment reporting and disclosure regulations or internal policies without prior notice to or consent from the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, filings pursuant to Sections 13 and 16 of the 1934 Act).
6.14 Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement for a period of one year following the Closing Date.
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6.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY. EACH PARTY (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT, OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (B) MAKES THIS WAIVER VOLUNTARILY, AND (C) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EACH PARTY HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION 6.15.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Stock Purchase Agreement as of the date first written above.
COMPANY: | ||||
VACCINEX, INC. | ||||
By: | /s/ Maurice Zauderer | |||
Name: Maurice Zauderer | ||||
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||
Address: | 1895 Mount Hope Avenue | |||
Rochester, New York 14620 | ||||
With a copy to: | ||||
Hogan Lovells US LLP | ||||
100 International Drive | ||||
Suite 2000 | ||||
Baltimore, Maryland 21202 | ||||
Attn: William Intner |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Stock Purchase Agreement as of the date first written above.
INVESTOR: | ||
E & R VENTURES, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Eli Almo | |
Name: Eli Almo | ||
Title: Member | ||
By: | /s/ Rebecca Almo | |
Name: Rebeccca Almo | ||
Title: Member | ||
Address: 6060 52nd Avenue South | ||
Seattle, Washington 98118 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Stock Purchase Agreement as of the date first written above.
INVESTOR: | ||
110 VENTURES LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Lilly Gold | |
Name: Lilly Gold | ||
Title: Owner | ||
Address: 110 East 57th St. | ||
Apt. 11E | ||
New York, New York 10022 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Stock Purchase Agreement as of the date first written above.
INVESTOR: | ||
AMPLE INVESTING AND TRADING, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Jacob Almo | |
Name: Jacob Almo | ||
Title: Member | ||
Address: 285 Starling Rd. | ||
Englewood, New Jersey 07631 |
EXHIBIT A
Schedule of Investors
Investor Name | Number of Shares to be Purchased |
Aggregate Purchase Price of Shares |
||||||
E & R Ventures, LLC |
1,207,729 | $ | 249,999.90 | |||||
110 Ventures LLC |
1,207,729 | $ | 249,999.90 | |||||
Ample Investing and Trading, LLC |
724,637 | $ | 149,999.86 | |||||
Total |
3,140,095 | $ | 649,999.66 |
EXHIBIT B
Registration Rights Agreement
EXHIBIT C
Investor Questionnaire
Exhibit 10.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is made and entered into as of August 18, 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 August 18, 2023, by and among the Company and the Investors (the Purchase Agreement), the Investors shall acquire an aggregate of 3,140,095 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 60th calendar day following the Filing Date (or, in the event of a substantive review by the SEC, the 90th calendar day following the Filing 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 120th 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, with such changes as the Company shall reasonably
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propose, subject to the consent of each Holder, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required to be named as an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act without such Holders 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 Companys 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 other than where there are delays related to the SEC issuing comments regarding whether any shareholder named in the Registration Statement should be identified as an underwriter (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 Companys commercially reasonable efforts and
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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 Companys compliance 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 Holders 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 Companys 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 Companys 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 Holders 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
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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.
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 Holders 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,
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(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,
(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.
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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 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 Companys 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.
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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.
Section 4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with the Companys 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 Companys 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 Holders 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
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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 Companys indemnification obligations under this Section 5.1. The 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.
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(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 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.
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(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.
(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
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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 Companys 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 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, 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.
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 Companys 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.
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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 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
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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.
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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 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
E & R VENTURES, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Eli J. Almo | |
Name: Eli J. Almo | ||
Title: Member | ||
By: | /s/ Rebecca Almo | |
Name: Rebecca Almo | ||
Title: Member |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
110 VENTURES LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Lilly Gold | |
Name: Lilly Gold | ||
Title: Owner |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed and delivered this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
AMPLE INVESTING AND TRADING, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Jacob Almo | |
Name: Jacob Almo | ||
Title: Member |
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Exhibit A
Schedule of Investors
E & R Ventures, LLC
110 Ventures LLC
Ample Investing and Trading, LLC
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Exhibit B
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION