EX-3.1 2 a8-k12g3exhibit31.htm EX-3.1 Document

Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
SIO GENE THERAPIES INC.
I.
The name of this corporation is Sio Gene Therapies Inc. (the “Corporation”).
II.
The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, 19808, County of New Castle, and the name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is Corporation Service Company.
III.
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
IV.
A. The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares which the Corporation is authorized to issue is 1,010,000,000 shares. 1,000,000,000 shares shall be Common Stock, having a par value per share of $0.00001. 10,000,000 shares shall be Preferred Stock, having a par value per share of $0.00001.
    1    


B.The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide for the issue of all or any of the remaining shares of the Preferred Stock, in one or more series, and to fix the number of shares of such series and to determine or alter for each such series, such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designation, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other rights and such qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors and filed in accordance with the DGCL. The Board of Directors is also expressly authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series subsequent to the issuance of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be decreased in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock, or any series thereof, may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock.
C.Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to law or this Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock).
V.
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and in further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation, of its directors and stockholders, or any class thereof, as the case may be, it is further provided that:
A.Management of the Business.
The management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. Subject to any rights of the holders of shares of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, the number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolutions adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors constituting the Board of Directors.

    2    


B.Board of Directors
Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, directors shall be elected at each annual meeting of stockholders for a term of one year. Each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.
C.Removal of Directors
Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock to remove directors elected by such series of Preferred Stock, any individual director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office at any time with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation, entitled to vote generally at an election of directors.
D.Vacancies.    
Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors or fill vacancies in respect of such directors, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors, shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors or by the sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified or such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.
E.Bylaw Amendments.
The Board of Directors is expressly authorized and empowered to adopt, amend or repeal any provisions of the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the authorized number of directors. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
F.Stockholder Actions.
1.The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
    3    


2.Any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting and without prior notice, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote on that action were present and voted. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, no director may be elected by written consent unless such consent is by unanimous written consent of all shares entitled to vote for the election of directors; provided, however, that a director may be elected at any time, by the written consent of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote for the election of directors, to fill a vacancy (unless such vacancy is created by removal) on the Board of Directors unless previously filled by action of the Board of Directors.
3.Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.
VI.
A.The liability of the directors for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law. In furtherance thereof, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or may hereafter be amended. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing sentence shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing hereunder with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such repeal or modification. If applicable law is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VI to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director to the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as so amended.
B.To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers and agents of the Corporation (and any other persons to which applicable law permits the Corporation to provide indemnification) through Bylaw provisions, agreements with such agents or other persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
C.Any repeal or modification of this Article VI shall only be prospective and shall not adversely affect the rights or protections or increase the liability of any officer or director under this Article VI as in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any act or omission to act giving rise to liability or indemnification.

    4    


VII.
A.Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware) and any appellate court therefrom shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the following claims or causes of action under the Delaware statutory or common law: (A) any derivative claim or cause of action brought on behalf of the Corporation; (B) any claim or cause of action for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation, to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders; (C) any claim or cause of action against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation, arising out of or pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time); (D) any claim or cause of action seeking to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation (as each may be amended from time to time, including any right, obligation, or remedy thereunder); (E) any claim or cause of action as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; and (F) any claim or cause of action against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation, governed by the internal-affairs doctrine, in all cases to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. This Section A of Article VII shall not apply to claims or causes of action brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
B.Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the 1933 Act.
VIII.
A.Any person or entity holding, owning, or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation.
B.The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal, at any time and from time to time, any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, except as provided in paragraph B. of this Article VIII, and all rights, preferences and privileges of whatsoever nature conferred upon the stockholders, directors or any other persons whomsoever by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended herein are granted subject to this reservation.

    


    5    


IX.

The name and the mailing address of the incorporator is:

David Nassif
c/o Sio Gene Therapies Inc.
Eleven Times Square, 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10036

In Witness Whereof, Sio Gene Therapies Inc. has caused this Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by the incorporator of the Corporation on this 12th day of November, 2020.

SIO GENE THERAPIES INC.
By:
/s/ David Nassif
David Nassif
Incorporator

    6