SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
SCHEDULE 13D
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 3)*
Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, $0.001 per share par value
(Title of Class of Securities)
00430H 102
(CUSIP Number)
|
Jack W. Schuler c/o Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. 3950 South Country Club, Suite 470 Tucson, Arizona 85714 |
| (520) 365-3100 |
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
March 10, 2014
(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of §§240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box. ¨
Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person’s initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
| CUSIP No. 00430H 102 | ||
| 1 | Names of Reporting Persons. | |
Jack W. Schuler | ||
| 2 | Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group | (a) ¨ |
| (b) ¨ | ||
| 3 | SEC Use Only | |
| 4 | Source of Funds | PF |
| 5 | Check if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required Pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e) | ¨ |
| 6 | Citizenship or Place of Organization | USA |
| NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH |
7 | Sole Voting Power | 8,556,138 |
| 8 | Shared Voting Power | 647,939 | |
| 9 | Sole Dispositive Power | 8,556,138 | |
| 10 | Shared Dispositive Power | 647,939 |
| 11 | Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person | 9,204,077 |
| 12 | Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares | ¨ |
| 13 | Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11) | 22.0% |
| 14 | Type of Reporting Person | IN |
CUSIP No. 00430H 102
This Amendment No. 3 amends and supplements that certain Statement on Schedule 13D filed on May 3, 2012 by Abeja Ventures, LLC (“Abeja”), as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 filed on July 9, 2012 by Abeja, Jack W. Schuler (“Mr. Schuler”), John Patience and Lawrence Mehren, as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 filed on March 20, 2013 by Mr. Schuler, as amended by that certain Amendment No. 2 filed on July 10, 2013 by Mr. Schuler (collectively, the “Schedule 13D”), with respect to the common stock, $0.001 per share par value (the “Common Stock”), of Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc., a Delaware corporation formerly known as Accelr8 Technology Corporation (the “Company”)
Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined in this Amendment No. 3 shall have the meanings set forth in the Schedule 13D. Except as specifically set forth herein, the Schedule 13D remains unmodified.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction
Item 4 of the Schedule 13D is amended and supplemented by adding the following information to Item 4:
On March 10, 2014, the Company filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed rights offering to holders of its common stock. Upon effectiveness of the registration statement, the Company intends to distribute non-transferable subscription rights to purchase an aggregate number of shares of Common Stock yet to be determined worth up to $45,000,000. Each stockholder of record on the record date will receive an as yet undetermined number of subscription rights per share at a subscription price per share yet to be determined. The Company expects the record date to be March 14, 2014 or later. Upon commencement of the rights offering, stockholders will be able to exercise their rights to purchase shares in the rights offering until the expiration date, which has not yet been determined. The Company plans to finalize the number of shares, price of shares, record date and expiration date for the rights offering shortly before the registration statement is declared effective by the SEC.
Mr. Schuler (as trustee of the Jack W. Schuler Living Trust and President of the Schuler Family Foundation) and the Company have entered into a Standby Purchase Agreement dated March 10, 2014 (the “2014 Standby Purchase Agreement”), under which Mr. Schuler (through the entities referenced above) has agreed to purchase any and all shares of Common Stock not subscribed for by the Company’s stockholders pursuant to the exercise of their subscription privileges. No fees or other consideration will be paid by the Company to Mr. Schuler in exchange for his commitment to purchase any and all unsubscribed shares of common stock following the rights offering. Any shares of common stock issued to Mr. Schuler in connection with the standby purchase commitment described above will be “restricted securities” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In light of Mr. Schuler’s commitment, the Company anticipates that it will receive $45,000,000 in proceeds (before expenses) if the rights offering is completed.
The acquisition of the shares by Mr. Schuler (through the entities referenced above) pursuant to the Standby Purchase Agreement is for investment purposes. Mr. Schuler may acquire additional shares of the Company from time to time and may dispose of any or all of the shares held by him at any time.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer
Item 6 of the Schedule 13D is amended and supplemented by adding the following information to Item 6:
The disclosure set forth under Item 4 of regarding the 2014 Standby Purchase Agreement is incorporated herein by reference.
CUSIP No. 00430H 102
Item 7. Material to be Filed as Exhibits
Item 7 of the Schedule 13D is amended and supplemented by replacing Item 7 in its entirety with the information below.
| Exhibit 1 | Standby Purchase Agreement, dated March 10, 2014, by and among Jack W. Schuler as trustee of the Jack W. Schuler Living Trust, the Schuler Family Foundation and Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. |
CUSIP No. 00430H 102
SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and correct.
| Date: March 18, 2014 | By: | /s/ Jack W. Schuler |
| Jack W. Schuler |
EXHIBIT 1
STANDBY PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This STANDBY PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into on March 10, 2014, by and among Schuler Family Foundation (the “Foundation”), Jack Schuler, Trustee of the Jack W. Schuler Living Trust (the “Trustee”) (the Foundation and Trustee, collectively, the “Standby Purchasers,” and each individually, a “Standby Purchaser”), and Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company proposes to distribute, at no charge, to each holder of record of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) on a record date to be set by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Record Date”) non-transferable rights (the “Rights”) to subscribe for and purchase additional shares of Common Stock (the “Rights Offering”);
WHEREAS, the Company desires to raise a total of $45,000,000 in connection with the Rights Offering;
WHEREAS, in connection with the Rights Offering, the Company’s stockholders of record as of the Record Date will receive a specified fractional number of Rights for each share of Common Stock held as of the Record Date (i.e., for each one (1) share of Common Stock held as of the Record Date, the stockholder will receive less than one (1) Right, with the actual fraction being determined by reference to the total amount of the Rights Offering and the total number of shares of Common Stock to be offered in connection therewith);
WHEREAS, each whole Right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock (the “Subscription Privilege”) at a specified price equal to 90% of the market price of the Common Stock as reported by the NASDAQ Capital Market on the latest practicable date prior to the launch of the Rights Offering (the “Subscription Price”); and
WHEREAS, in order to facilitate the Rights Offering, the Company has offered to the Standby Purchasers the opportunity, and the Standby Purchasers have agreed and committed, to purchase at the Subscription Price, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, any shares of Common Stock that are not exercised pursuant to the Subscription Privilege in the Rights Offering (the “Unsubscribed Shares” and such offering, the “Standby Offering”).
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1. Standby Purchase Commitment.
(a) Standby Purchase Commitment. If and to the extent Unsubscribed Shares are not purchased by the Company’s stockholders pursuant to the exercise of Rights in connection with the Rights Offering, the Standby Purchasers hereby agree, on a joint and several basis, to purchase from the Company at the Subscription Price all such Unsubscribed Shares, up to the full amount of shares of Common Stock offered by the Company in the Rights Offering (the “Commitment Amount”). The Standby Purchasers (i) acknowledge that the precise Commitment Amount is yet to be determined based on the Company’s pending determination of a Rights Offering amount, and (ii) affirm their agreement to the Commitment Amount.
(b) Allocation of Unsubscribed Shares. Promptly following the expiration of the Rights Offering, the Company will determine the amount of Unsubscribed Shares. Upon the Company’s determination of the number of Unsubscribed Shares, the Company promptly will notify the Standby Purchasers in writing of the amount of Common Stock to be purchased by them, which amount may be less than the Commitment Amount (the “Allocated Amount”).
| 1 |
(c) Closing. On the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the closing of the purchase and sale of the Allocated Amount (the “Closing”) shall take place at the offices of the Company at 10:00 a.m., Arizona time, on the third business day following the closing of the Rights Offering, or such other place, time or date as may be determined by the parties hereto (the “Closing Date”). At the Closing, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Standby Purchasers (or their respective designees) one or more certificates (or evidence of book-entry records) representing the shares of Common Stock issued to the Standby Purchasers (or their respective designees, it being understood that the Standby Purchasers shall be permitted to instruct the Company to have such shares allocated between them as the Standby Purchasers may specify in writing) in respect of the Allocated Amount, and the Standby Purchasers shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to the Company, in cash or other immediately available funds, the aggregate Subscription Price relating to such shares of Common Stock.
(d) Withdrawal and Termination. At any time prior to the Closing Date, the Company may in its sole discretion withdraw or terminate the Rights Offering or the Standby Offering. In the event that the Company withdraws or terminates the Rights Offering or the Standby Offering, the Company will return the Standby Purchasers’ payment, or portion thereof, if any, to the Standby Purchasers, without interest or other income, promptly thereafter.
Section 2. Representations and Warranties of the Standby Purchaser. Each Standby Purchaser, jointly and severally with the other Standby Purchaser, represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
(a) Existence and Good Standing; Authority. Each Standby Purchaser is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation and has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted.
(b) Authorization of Agreement; Enforceability. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by each Standby Purchaser. This Agreement is valid, binding and enforceable against each Standby Purchaser in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principals.
(c) Accredited Investor. Each Standby Purchaser is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(d) Information; Knowledge of Business. Through its trustee or officers, as applicable, each Standby Purchaser is familiar with the business in which the Company is engaged. Each Standby Purchaser (through its trustee or officers) has knowledge and experience in financial and business matters; is familiar with the investments of the type that it is undertaking to purchase; is fully aware of the problems and risks involved in making an investment of this type; and is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of this investment. Each Standby Purchaser acknowledges that, prior to executing this Agreement, it (and each of its representatives) has had the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers or obtain additional information from a representative of the Company concerning the financial and other affairs of the Company.
(e) Availability of Funds. Each Standby Purchaser has available sufficient funds to pay the full Commitment Amount if needed.
(f) Investment Intent. Each Standby Purchaser is acquiring its shares of Common Stock for its own account, with the intention of holding such shares for investment and with no present intention of participating, directly or indirectly, in a distribution of the shares, and each Standby Purchaser will not make any sale, transfer or other disposition of the shares for a period of six months from the Closing Date.
(g) No Manipulation or Stabilization of Price. Neither Standby Purchaser has taken and neither Standby Purchaser will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in order to facilitate the sale or resale of any securities of the Company, and neither Standby Purchaser is aware of any such action taken or to be taken by any person.
| 2 |
Section 3. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
(a) Existence and Good Standing; Authority. The Company is a corporation validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has all requisite corporate power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted.
(b) Authorization of Agreement; Enforceability. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. This Agreement is valid, binding and enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principals.
(c) Due Authorization and Issuance of Shares. All of the shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement will have been duly authorized for issuance prior to the Closing, and, when issued and distributed as set forth in the prospectus to be filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the Rights Offering (the “Prospectus”), will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and none of such shares of Common Stock will have been issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any security holders of the Company arising as a matter of law or under or pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, the Company’s Bylaws, as amended, or any material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(d) No Conflicts. The Company is not in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or Bylaws, as amended, or in default under any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company is a party, the effect of which violation or default could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not conflict with, or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company is a party which lien, charge or encumbrance could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company, or result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property; and, except as required by the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and applicable state securities laws, no consent, authorization or order of, or filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement.
Section 4. Conditions to Closing.
(a) Conditions to Both Parties’ Obligations. The obligations of the Company and the Standby Purchasers to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder in connection with the Standby Offering are subject to the fulfillment, prior to or on the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) the Rights Offering shall have been consummated in accordance with the terms and conditions described in the Prospectus; and
(ii) no judgment, injunction, decree, regulatory proceeding or other legal restraint shall prohibit, or have the effect of rendering unachievable, the consummation of the Standby Offering or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Conditions to Company’s Obligations. The obligations of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder in connection with the Standby Offering are subject to the fulfillment, prior to or on the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) the representations and warranties of each Standby Purchaser in Section 2 shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as if made as of such date; and
| 3 |
(ii) the Standby Purchasers shall have performed all of their obligations hereunder.
(c) Conditions to Standby Purchasers’ Obligations. The obligations of the Standby Purchasers to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder in connection with the Standby Offering are subject to the fulfillment, prior to or on the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 3 shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as if made as of such date; and
(ii) the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder.
Section 5. Survival. The representations and warranties of the parties contained in this Agreement or in any certificate delivered hereunder shall survive the Closing hereunder.
Section 6. Covenants.
(a) SEC Filings. The Company agrees, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Company is advised or obtains knowledge thereof, to advise the Standby Purchasers with a confirmation in writing, of (i) the time when any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed, (ii) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding, suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement relating to the Rights Offering (the “Registration Statement”) or any amendment thereto or any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (iii) the issuance by any state securities commission of any notice of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the shares of Common Stock for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for such purpose, (iv) the receipt of any comments from the Commission directed toward the Registration Statement or any document incorporated therein by reference, and (v) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order or the imposition of any such suspension and, if any such order is issued or suspension is imposed, to obtain the withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.
(b) Information About Standby Purchasers. The Standby Purchasers agree to furnish to the Company all information with respect to the Standby Purchasers that may be necessary or appropriate and will make any information furnished to the Company for the Prospectus by the Standby Purchasers not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated in the Prospectus or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) Public Announcements. Neither the Company nor the Standby Purchasers shall issue any public announcement, statement or other disclosure with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior consent of the other party hereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, except if such public announcement, statement or other disclosure is required by applicable law or applicable stock market regulations, in which case the disclosing party shall consult in advance with respect to such disclosure with the other parties to the extent reasonably practicable.
(d) NASDAQ Listing. The Company shall cause the shares of Common Stock issued to the Standby Purchasers hereunder to be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market.
Section 7. Termination.
(a) By Standby Purchasers. The Standby Purchasers may terminate this Agreement (i) upon the occurrence of a suspension of trading in the Common Stock by the NASDAQ Capital Market, any suspension of payments with respect to banks in the United States or a declaration of war or national emergency in the United States, or (ii) if the Company materially breaches its obligations under this Agreement and such breach is not cured within five business days following written notice to the Company.
| 4 |
(b) By Company. The Company may terminate this Agreement (i) in the event the Company, in its reasonable judgment, determines that it is not in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to proceed with the Rights Offering and/or the Standby Offering, (ii) if consummation of the Rights Offering and/or the Standby Offering is prohibited by applicable law, rules or regulations, or (iii) if the Standby Purchasers materially breach their obligations under this Agreement and such breach is not cured within five business days following written notice to the Standby Purchasers.
(c) Other. Any of the parties hereto may terminate this Agreement if the transactions contemplated hereby are not consummated by May 31, 2014 through no fault of the terminating party. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the parties’ mutual consent.
(d) Effect of Termination. The Company and the Standby Purchasers hereby agree that any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7 (other than termination by one party in the event of a breach of this Agreement by the other party or a misrepresentation of any of the statements made hereby by the other party), shall be without liability to the Company or the Standby Purchasers.
Section 8. Notices. All notices, communications and deliveries required or permitted by this Agreement shall be made in writing signed by the party making the same, shall specify the Section of this Agreement pursuant to which it is given or being made and shall be deemed given or made (a) on the date delivered if delivered in person, (b) on the third (3rd) business day after it is mailed if mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) (with postage and other fees prepaid) or (c) on the day after it is delivered, prepaid, to an overnight express delivery service that confirms to the sender delivery on such day, as follows:
If to the Company:
Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc.
3950 South Country Club, Suite 470
Tucson, Arizona 85714
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Fax: (520) 269-6580
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice to the Company) to:
Snell & Wilmer L.L.P.
One Arizona Center
400 East Van Buren
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Attention: Daniel M. Mahoney
Fax: (602) 382-6070
If to the Standby Purchasers, as provided on the signature page hereto.
or to such other representative or at such other address of a party as such party hereto may furnish to the other parties in writing in accordance with this Section 8.
Section 9. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the Standby Purchasers and the Company, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.
Section 10. Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each Standby Purchaser hereby agrees to, jointly and severally with such other Standby Purchaser, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers and authorized agents from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities relating to or arising out of any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking made by or on behalf of each Standby Purchaser in this Agreement.
| 5 |
Section 11. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware.
Section 12. Amendments. This Agreement may be modified or amended only with the written consent of the Company and the Standby Purchasers.
Section 13. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid under the applicable law of any jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
Section 14. Miscellaneous.
(a) Notwithstanding any term to the contrary herein, no person other than the Company or the Standby Purchasers shall be entitled to rely on and/or have the benefit of, as a third party beneficiary or under any other theory, any of the representations, warranties, agreements, covenants or other provisions of this Agreement.
(b) The headings in this Agreement are for purposes of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning of this Agreement.
(c) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(d) The Standby Purchasers shall not assign this Agreement or any of their rights hereunder without the Company’s prior written consent.
(e) Each party to this Agreement shall pay his, her or its own costs and expenses (including attorney fees) incurred in connection with the Rights Offering, the Standby Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 6 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Standby Purchasers have executed this Agreement on and as of the date first set forth above.
| STANDBY PURCHASERS: | ||
| SCHULER FAMILY FOUNDATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Jack Schuler | |
| Jack Schuler | ||
| President | ||
| Address for Notices: | ||
| JACK W. SCHULER LIVING TRUST | ||
| /s/ Jack Schuler | ||
| Jack Schuler, Trustee of the Jack W. Schuler Living Trust | ||
| Address for Notices: | ||
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
ACCELERATE DIAGNOSTICS, INC.
| By: | /s/ Steve Reichling | |
| Steve Reichling | ||
| Chief Financial Officer |