EX-1.2 2 a14-8463_3ex1d2.htm EX-1.2

Exhibit 1.2

 

SUNSHINE HEART, INC.

 

$40,000,000

 

SALES AGREEMENT

 

March 21, 2014

 

Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Sunshine Heart, Inc. (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Cowen and Company, LLC (“Cowen”), as follows:

 

1.                                      Issuance and Sale of Shares.  The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell through Cowen, acting as agent and/or principal, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value 0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) having an aggregate offering price of up to $40,000,000.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitation set forth in this Section 1 on the number of Common Stock issued and sold under this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and Cowen shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.  The issuance and sale of Common Stock through Cowen will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), although nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as requiring the Company to use the Registration Statement (as defined below) to issue the Common Stock.

 

The Company shall file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3, including one or more base prospectuses relating to certain securities, including the Common Stock, to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”). The Company may prepare a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Common Stock (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement.  The Company has furnished to Cowen, for use by Cowen, copies of the prospectus included as part of such registration statement, as supplemented, if at all, by the Prospectus Supplement, relating to the Common Stock to be issued from time to time by the Company pursuant to this Agreement.  Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, as amended when it

 



 

became effective, including all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B or 462(b) of the Securities Act, is herein called the “Registration Statement.”  The prospectus specifically relating to the Common Stock to be issued from time to time by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, included in the Registration Statement, as it may be supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or Prospectus Supplement have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Common Stock available for sale pursuant to this Agreement that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i), in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g), is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to either the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System or Interactive Data Electronic Applications (collectively “IDEA”).

 

2.                                      Placements.  Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell the Common Stock hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify Cowen by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) (a “Placement Notice”) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the shares of Common Stock to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the number/amount of shares of Common Stock to be issued (the “Placement Shares”), the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number/amount of shares of Common Stock that may be sold in any one Trading Day (as defined in Section 3) and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters necessary is attached hereto as Schedule 1.  The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 2 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from Cowen set forth on Schedule 2, as such Schedule 2 may be amended in writing from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective upon receipt by Cowen unless and until (i) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, Cowen declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares have been sold, (iii) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice for any reason in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, (iv) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice, or (v) this Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 11.  The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be

 

2



 

paid by the Company to Cowen in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the terms set forth in Schedule 3.  It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor Cowen will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to Cowen and Cowen does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein.  In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.

 

3.                                      Sale of Placement Shares by Cowen.  Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Company’s issuance of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Cowen, for the period specified in the Placement Notice, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq”) to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice.  Cowen will provide written confirmation to the Company (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to Cowen pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by Cowen (as set forth in Section 5(a)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales.  Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice, Cowen may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made through the Nasdaq Capital Market, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker.  If expressly authorized by the Company in a Placement Notice, Cowen may also sell Placement Shares in negotiated transactions. Cowen shall not purchase Placement Shares for its own account as principal unless expressly authorized to do so by the Company in a Placement Notice.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that Cowen will be successful in selling Placement Shares, and (ii) Cowen will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by Cowen to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Section 3.  During the term of this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Cowen agrees that in no event will Cowen or its affiliates engage in any market making, bidding, stabilization or other trading activity with regard to the Common Stock or related derivative securities if such activity would be prohibited under Regulation M or other anti-manipulation rules under the Securities Act.  For the purposes hereof, “Trading Day” means any day on which the Company’s Common Stock is purchased and sold on the principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

3



 

4.                                      Suspension of Sales.

 

The Company or Cowen may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2), suspend any sale of Placement Shares; provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice.  Each of the Parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 2 hereto, as such schedule may be amended from time to time.

 

(a)                                 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information, the Company and Cowen agree that (i) no sale of Placement Shares will take place, (ii) the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares, and (iii) Cowen shall not be obligated to sell or offer to sell any Placement Shares.

 

(b)                                 If either Cowen or the Company has reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied with respect to the Common Stock, it shall promptly notify the other party, and Cowen may, at its sole discretion, suspend sales of the Placement Shares under this Agreement.  Cowen shall calculate on a weekly basis the average daily trading volume (as defined by Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock.

 

5.                                      Settlement.

 

(a)                                 Settlement of Placement Shares.  Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the third (3rd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the date on which such sales are made (each, a “Settlement Date”).  The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by Cowen at which such Placement Shares were sold, after deduction for (i) Cowen’s commission, discount or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, (ii) any other amounts due and payable by the Company to Cowen hereunder pursuant to Section 7(g) (Expenses) hereof, and (iii) any transaction fees imposed by any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

(b)                                 Delivery of Placement Shares.  On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting Cowen’s or its designee’s account (provided Cowen shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradeable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form.  On each Settlement Date, Cowen will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on,

 

4



 

or prior to, the Settlement Date.  The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver duly authorized Placement Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 9(a) (Indemnification and Contribution) hereto, it will (i) hold Cowen harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (ii) pay to Cowen any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

6.                                      Representations and Warranties of the Company.

 

(a)                                 The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Cowen that as of the date of this Agreement and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 20(a)):

 

(i)                                     The Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act.   The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(ii)                                  Each part of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time such part became effective (including each deemed effective date with respect to  Cowen pursuant to Rule 430B or otherwise under the Securities Act), at all other subsequent times until the completion of Cowen’s distribution of the Common Stock, and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus), at the time of filing or the time of first use within the meaning of the Securities Act, at all subsequent times until the completion of Cowen’s distribution of the Common Stock complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements and provisions of the Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations and the Exchange Act and did not and will not contain any 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 not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, or the time of first use within the meaning of the Securities Act, at all subsequent times until the completion of Cowen’s distribution of the Common Stock, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity

 

5



 

with written information relating to Cowen furnished to the Company by Cowen, specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

 

(iii)                               At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Common Stock and (2) at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, including the Company or any subsidiary in the preceding three years not having been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or having been made the subject of a judicial or administrative decree or order as described in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer), nor an “excluded issuer” as defined in Rule 164 under the Securities Act.

 

(iv)                              (1) The consolidated financial statements of the Company and Sunshine Heart Company Pty. Limited, a proprietary limited company registered under the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the “Corporations Act”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Subsidiary”), together with the related notes, set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and fairly present the financial condition of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiary as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States consistently applied throughout the periods involved; the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; all non-GAAP financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus complies with the requirements of Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act; and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no material off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, Item 303(a)(4)(ii)) or any other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons, that may have a material current or, to the Company’s knowledge, material future effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources or significant components of revenue or expenses. No other financial statements or schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus. Ernst & Young LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, is (x) an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities  Act , (y) a registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”)) and (z) in performing

 

6



 

its work for the Company, not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(v)                                 Each of the Company and the Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or similar entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation (to the extent such status is possible in the jurisdiction of incorporation). Each of the Company and the Subsidiary has full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified or registered to do business as a foreign corporation in good standing (to the extent such status is possible in the relevant foreign jurisdiction) in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification or registration necessary and in which the failure to so qualify or register would have a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, management, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiary, taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(vi)                              Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of business, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; and there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt, or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock, other than pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2002 Stock Plan, 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, 2013 Non-Employee Director’s Equity Incentive Plan or New-Hire Equity Incentive Plan, of the Company or the Subsidiary, or any material adverse change in the business, prospects, management, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiary, taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Change”) or any development which would reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.

 

(vii)                           Except as set forth in the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any action, suit or proceeding (a) to which the Company or the Subsidiary is or would be a party or (b) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of the Company or the Subsidiary, any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or the Subsidiary or any property or assets owned or leased by the Company or the Subsidiary before or by any court or Governmental Authority (as defined below), or any arbitrator, which, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change, or would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or the

 

7



 

Subsidiary to perform its obligations under this Agreement or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Common Stock. There are no current or pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, contemplated or threatened, legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings (x) to which the Company or the Subsidiary is subject or (y) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of the Company or the Subsidiary, any employee plan sponsored by the Company or the Subsidiary or any property or assets owned or leased by the Company or the Subsidiary, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, and Prospectus by the Securities Act and that have not been so described.

 

(viii)                        There are no statutes, regulations, contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus or required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act that have not been so described or filed.

 

(ix)                              This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Cowen constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated did not or will not (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or the Subsidiary pursuant to any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or the Subsidiary is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or the Subsidiary is subject, (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s or the Subsidiary’s charter, constitution or by-laws (as applicable) or (C) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule, regulation or decree of any court or arbitrator or federal, state, local or foreign governmental agency or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or the Subsidiary or any of their properties or assets (each, a “Governmental Authority”), except in the case of clause (A) or (C) as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or registration or filing with any Governmental Authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance or sale of the Common Stock by the Company, except such as may be required under the Securities Act or state or foreign securities or blue sky laws or the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”); and the Company has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to consummate the

 

8



 

transactions contemplated hereby, including the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(x)                                 All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the outstanding shares of Common Stock, are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal, state and applicable foreign securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived; the Common Stock which may be sold hereunder by the Company has been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable, and the holders thereof will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and the capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus. There are no preemptive rights, restrictions upon the voting or transfer of any shares of Common Stock or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s charter, by-laws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company or the Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or the Subsidiary is bound. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Common Stock as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (collectively “Registration Rights”), and any person to whom the Company has granted Registration Rights has agreed not to exercise such rights in connection with this Agreement. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal, state and applicable foreign securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived in writing (a copy of which has been delivered to counsel to Cowen) and, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus, the Company owns of record and beneficially, free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens, proxies, equities or other encumbrances, all of the issued and outstanding shares of such stock. Except as described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company or the Subsidiary any shares of the capital stock of the Company or the Subsidiary. The Company has an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization.” The Common Stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained and the Prospectus. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

 

9



 

(xi)                              (A) Each of the Company and the Subsidiary holds, and is operating in compliance in all material respects with, all material franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders of any Governmental Authority or self-regulatory body required for the conduct of its business as currently conducted; (B) all such franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certifications and orders that are material to the Company or the Subsidiary are valid and in full force and effect; (C) neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order that is material to the Company or the Subsidiary or has reason to believe that any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order that are material to the Company or its Subsidiary will not be renewed in the ordinary course; and (D) except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and the Subsidiary is and at all times has been in compliance with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, orders and decrees.

 

(xii)                           Except as described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiary: (A) are and at all times have been in compliance in all material respects with all statutes, rules or regulations applicable to the Company and the Subsidiary regarding the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company or the Subsidiary or to billing, kickbacks, referral relationships or arrangements, ethics, claims processing, claims submission and privacy and security of health information (“Applicable Laws”); (B) have not received any notice of a material adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) or any other Governmental Authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) have not received notice that any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and the Company has no knowledge that any such Governmental Authority is considering such action; and (D) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

(xiii)                        The clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company or the Subsidiary or in which the Company or the Subsidiary or their product candidates have participated have been and, if still

 

10



 

pending, are being conducted (A) in material compliance with all statutes, rules, regulations and guidance applicable thereto and (B) in all material respects in accordance with medical and scientific research procedures that the Company reasonably believes are appropriate. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has received any notices or other correspondence from the FDA or any other Governmental Authority requiring the termination, suspension or material modification of any clinical trials.

 

(xiv)                       Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has (A) offered, authorized, promised, made or agreed to make gifts of money, other property, or anything of value to any actual or potential customer, supplier, governmental employee, Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary, or any person in a position to assist or hinder the Company or the Subsidiary in connection with any actual or proposed transaction or (B) maintained any unrecorded fund or asset of the Company or the Subsidiary for any improper purpose or made any false entries on its books and records for any reason.

 

(xv)                          The Company and the Subsidiary have good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal, except with respect to Intellectual Property, as to which matters of title are addressed in paragraph (xvi) of this Section 6(a)) described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus as being owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects except such as (A) are described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus or (B) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or the Subsidiary. The property held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiary is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company or the Subsidiary.

 

(xvi)                       Each of the Company and the Subsidiary owns, possesses, has a valid license to or can acquire or license on reasonable terms, all Intellectual Property necessary for the conduct of the Company’s and the Subsidiary’s business as now conducted or as described in the Registration Statement, the and the Prospectus to be conducted, except as such failure to own, possess, or acquire such rights would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Furthermore, (A) except as described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there are no rights of third parties to any Intellectual Property owned by the Company or the Subsidiary, or any Intellectual Property described in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus as being owned by them, other than licenses granted to customers and suppliers of the Company or the Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business of the Company or the Subsidiary, and except as so described, there are no restrictions on the ability of the Company or the Subsidiary to control or transfer any rights to the Intellectual Property so owned or described; (B) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no

 

11



 

infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any such Intellectual Property, except as such infringement, misappropriation or violation would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (C) except as described in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s or the Subsidiary’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (D) the Intellectual Property owned by the Company and the Subsidiary, and to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property licensed to the Company and the Subsidiary, has not been adjudged invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which are reasonably likely to form a basis for any such claim; (E) except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or the Subsidiary infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights of others, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has received any written notice of such claim and the Company and the Subsidiary are unaware of any other fact which would be reasonably likely to form a basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (F) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company or the Subsidiary is in violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company or the Subsidiary or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company or the Subsidiary, except for such violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (G) each former and current employee or consultant of the Company or the Subsidiary is a party to a written contract with the Company or the Subsidiary that assigns to the Company or the Subsidiary all rights to all inventions, improvements, discoveries and information relating to the Company or the Subsidiary. “Intellectual Property” means all patents, patent applications, together with any reissuances, continuations, continuations-in-part, revisions, extensions or re-examinations thereof, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, domain names, technology, know-how and other intellectual property.

 

(xvii)                    Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary (A) is in violation of its respective charter, by-laws, constitution or other organizational documents (as applicable), or (B) is in breach of or otherwise in default, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default in the performance of any material obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note, indenture, loan agreement or any other

 

12



 

material contract, lease or other instrument to which it is subject or by which any of them may be bound, or to which any of the material property or assets of the Company or the Subsidiary is subject.

 

(xviii)                 The Company and the Subsidiary have timely filed all relevant federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed and are not in default in the payment of any taxes which were payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto, other than any which the Company or the Subsidiary is contesting in good faith or except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending dispute with any taxing authority relating to any of such returns, and the Company has no knowledge of any proposed liability for any tax to be imposed upon the properties or assets of the Company or the Subsidiary for which there is not an adequate reserve reflected in the Company’s financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus.

 

(xix)                       The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Common Stock other than the Prospectus or other materials permitted by the Securities Act to be distributed by the Company; provided, however, that, the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Common Stock that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(xx)                          The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is included or approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Stock from the Nasdaq Capital Market nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq Capital Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. The Company has complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market for maintenance of inclusion of the Common Stock thereon. The Company has submitted a notice of listing of additional shares relating to the Common Stock being offered pursuant to this Agreement to the Nasdaq Capital Market. Except as previously disclosed to counsel for Cowen or as set forth in the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, no beneficial owners of the Company’s capital stock or subordinated debt who, together with their associated persons and affiliates, hold in the aggregate 10% or more of such capital stock or subordinated debt, have any direct or indirect association or affiliate with a FINRA member.

 

(xxi)                       Other than the Subsidiary, the Company, directly or indirectly, owns, and upon closing of the offering of the Common Stock, directly or indirectly, will own, no capital stock or other equity or ownership or proprietary interest in any corporation, partnership, association, trust or other entity.

 

13



 

(xxii)                    The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and none of the Company, its board of directors and audit committee is aware of any “significant deficiencies” or “material weaknesses” (each as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) in its internal control over financial reporting, or any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of the Company who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls; and since the end of the latest audited fiscal year, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s board of directors has, subject to the exceptions, cure periods and the phase in periods specified in the applicable stock exchange rules (“Exchange Rules”), validly appointed an audit committee to oversee internal accounting controls whose composition satisfies the applicable requirements of the Exchange Rules and the federal securities laws and the Company’s board of directors and/or the audit committee has adopted a charter that satisfies the requirements of the Exchange Rules and the federal securities laws.

 

(xxiii)                 The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance from insurers with appropriately rated claims paying abilities in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or the Subsidiary or its business, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and the Subsidiary are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no claims by the Company or the Subsidiary under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; during the past 12 months, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

14



 

(xxiv)                The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Common Stock hereunder, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(xxv)                   The conditions for use of Form S-3, set forth in the General Instructions thereto, have been satisfied.

 

(xxvi)                The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and were filed on a timely basis with the Commission and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or in the Prospectus, when such documents are filed with the Commission, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(xxvii)             The Company is in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(xxviii)          The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) and such controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that material information relating to the Company, including the Subsidiary, is made known to the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company. The Company has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the Registration Statement, and in the Prospectus.

 

(xxix)                Each of the Company, the Subsidiary, its affiliates and any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents, or employees, has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate, and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with, each of the following laws: (a) anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purposes and scope, (b) anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding

 

15



 

anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 US. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any Executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder or (c) laws and regulations imposing U.S. economic sanctions measures, including, but not limited to, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trading with the Enemy Act, the United Nations Participation Act, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act and the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act, all as amended, and any Executive Order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, including the regulations of the United States Treasury Department set forth under 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder; and neither the Company nor the Subsidiary nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiary has (y) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; or (z) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds.

 

(xxx)                   Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee of the Company or the Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

 

(xxxi)                To the Company’s knowledge, no transaction has occurred between or among the Company and the Subsidiary, on the one hand, and any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% stockholders or any affiliate or affiliates of any such officer, director or 5% stockholders that is required to be described that is not so described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, extended or maintained credit, or arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any of its directors or executive officers in violation of applicable laws, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(xxxii)             Except as disclosed in Prospectus, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is in violation of any statute, any rule, regulation, decision or order of any Governmental Authority 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”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any

 

16



 

Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim.

 

(xxxiii)          Each of the Company and the Subsidiary (A) is in compliance, in all material respects, with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations, treaties, statutes and codes promulgated by any and all governmental authorities (including pursuant to the Occupational Health and Safety Act) relating to the protection of human health and safety in the workplace (“Occupational Laws”); (B) has received all material permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Occupational Laws to conduct its business as currently conducted; and (C) is in compliance, in all material respects, with all terms and conditions of such permit, license or approval. No action, proceeding, revocation proceeding, writ, injunction or claim is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiary relating to Occupational Laws, and the Company does not have knowledge of any facts, circumstances or developments relating to its operations or cost accounting practices that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for or give rise to such actions, suits, investigations or proceedings.

 

(xxxiv) (i) To the knowledge of the Company, no “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code and not exempt under ERISA Section 408 and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan. At no time has the Company or any ERISA Affiliate maintained, sponsored, participated in, contributed to or has or had any liability or obligation in respect of any Employee Benefit Plan subject to Part 3 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA, Title IV of ERISA, or Section 412 of the Code or any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA or any multiple employer plan for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or could incur liability under Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. No Employee Benefit Plan provides or promises, or at any time provided or promised, retiree health, life insurance, or other retiree welfare benefits except as may be required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, or similar state law. Each Employee Benefit Plan is and has been operated in material compliance with its terms and all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and no condition exists that would subject the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to any material tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable law. Each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Code Section 401(a) is so qualified and has a favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS upon which it can rely, and any such determination or opinion letter remains in effect and has not been revoked; to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred since the date of any such determination or opinion letter that is reasonably likely to adversely affect such qualification; (ii) with respect to each

 

17



 

Foreign Benefit Plan, such Foreign Benefit Plan (A) if intended to qualify for special tax treatment, meets, in all material respects, the requirements for such treatment, and (B) if required to be funded, is funded to the extent required by applicable law, and with respect to all other Foreign Benefit Plans, adequate reserves therefore have been established on the accounting statements of the Company or the Subsidiary, as applicable; (iii) neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has any obligations under any collective bargaining agreement with any union and no organization efforts are underway with respect to employees of the Company or the Subsidiary. As used in this Agreement, “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; “Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, including, without limitation, all stock purchase, stock option, stock-based severance, employment, change-in-control, medical, disability, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, employee loan and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA, under which (A) any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or the Subsidiary has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by the Company or the Subsidiary or (B) the Company or the Subsidiary has had or has any present or future obligation or liability; “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; “ERISA Affiliate” means any member of the company’s controlled group as defined in Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o); and “Foreign Benefit Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan established, maintained or contributed to outside of the United States of America or which covers any employee working or residing outside of the United States.

 

(xxxv)            Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus, the Company has not granted rights to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products to any other person and is not bound by any agreement that affects the exclusive right of the Company to develop, manufacture, produce, assemble, distribute, license, market or sell its products.

 

(xxxvi)                           No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or the Subsidiary’s principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxvii)      Subject to compliance with any applicable requirements under the Corporations Act and the Subsidiary’s constitution, the Subsidiary is not currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the

 

18



 

Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), and the Prospectus.

 

(xxxviii)   Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus is based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(xxxix)         Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Common Stock neither the Company nor the Subsidiary will be, a “holding company” or a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company” or of a “subsidiary company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.

 

(xl)                              Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is engaged in any unfair labor practice; except for matters which would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change, (i) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiary before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiary and (C) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place concerning the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary and (iii) there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws, any provision of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended (“WARN Act”) or the WARN Act’s state, foreign or local equivalent, or any provision of ERISA or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or the Subsidiary.

 

(xli)                           Each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith.

 

(xlii)                        Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary nor any of their respective directors, officers or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Stock.

 

19



 

(xliii)                     From the time of filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act (any “Testing-the-Waters Communication”)) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).

 

(xliv)                    The Company has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication and has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications.

 

(b)                                 Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to you or to counsel for Cowen shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Cowen as to the matters covered thereby.

 

(c)                                  The Company acknowledges that Cowen and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 7 hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to Cowen, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

7.                                      Covenants of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with Cowen that:

 

(a)                                 Registration Statement Amendments.  After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will notify Cowen promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (insofar as it relates to the transactions contemplated hereby) or for additional information.

 

(b)                                 Placement Shares Prospectus.   During the term of this Agreement the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to Cowen within two days before the filing and Cowen has not reasonably objected thereto within the two-day period (provided, however, that the failure of Cowen to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect Cowen’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement and the Company will furnish to Cowen at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via IDEA.

 

20



 

(c)                                  Prospectus Filing. The Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (the determination to file or not file any amendment or supplement with the Commission under this Section 7(a), based on the Company’s reasonable opinion or reasonable objections, shall be made exclusively by the Company).

 

(d)                                 Notice of Commission Stop Orders.  The Company will advise Cowen, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance or threatened issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.

 

(e)                                  Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes.  During any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares, (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates (taking into account any extensions available under the Exchange Act) all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act.  If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify Cowen to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay any such amendment or supplement if, in the judgment of the Company, it is in the best interests of the Company to do so.

 

(f)                                   Listing of Placement Shares.  During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by Cowen under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as Cowen reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be

 

21



 

required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

(g)                                  Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Company will furnish to Cowen and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as Cowen may from time to time reasonably request and, at Cowen’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to Cowen to the extent such document is available on IDEA.

 

(h)                                 Earnings Statement.  The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement covering a 12-month period that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s compliance with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to satisfy this Section 7(f).

 

(i)                                     Expenses.  The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereunder, will pay the following expenses all incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, expenses relating to (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Placement Shares, (iii) the qualification of the Placement Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(d) of this Agreement, including filing fees (provided, however, that any fees or disbursements of counsel for Cowen in connection therewith shall be paid by Cowen except as set forth in (vii) below), (iv) the printing and delivery to Cowen of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and of this Agreement, (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Placement Shares for trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market, (vi) filing fees and expenses, if any, of the Commission and the FINRA Corporate Financing Department and (vii) the reasonable fees and disbursements of Cowen’s counsel in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50,000.

 

(j)                                    Use of Proceeds.  The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(k)                                 Notice of Other Sales.  During the pendency of any Placement Notice given hereunder, and for 3 trading days following the termination of any Placement Notice given hereunder, the Company shall provide Cowen notice as promptly

 

22



 

as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any shares of Common Stock (other than Placement Shares offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock; provided, that such notice shall not be required in connection with the (i) issuance, grant or sale of Common Stock, options to purchase shares of Common Stock or Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any stock incentive plan or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Prospectus or pursuant to any qualifying employment inducement award under the Exchange rules, (ii) the issuance of securities in connection with an acquisition, merger or sale or purchase of assets or other business combinations or strategic alliances, (iii) the issuance or sale of Common Stock pursuant to any dividend reinvestment plan that the Company may adopt from time to time provided the implementation of such is disclosed to Cowen in advance, (iv) any shares of common stock issuable upon the exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding or (v) filing of any registration statement under the Securities Act, or any pre-effective or post-effective amendment or prospectus supplement thereto, other than the Registration Statement, relating to the Placement Shares or that is intended to commence a public offering of equity, equity-linked or other derivative securities of the Company.

 

(l)                                     Change of Circumstances.  The Company will, at any time during the pendency of a Placement Notice, advise Cowen promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to Cowen pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(m)                             Due Diligence Cooperation.  The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by Cowen or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as Cowen may reasonably request.

 

(n)                                 Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares.  To the extent that the filing of a prospectus supplement with the Commission with respect to a placement of Placement Shares becomes required under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the Company agrees that on or before such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (each and every filing under Rule 424(b), a “Filing Date”), which prospectus supplement will set forth, within the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold through Cowen, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to Cowen with respect to such Placement Shares (provided that the Company may satisfy its obligations under this Section 7(l)(i) by effecting a filing in accordance with the Exchange Act with respect to such information), and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

23



 

(o)                                 Representation Dates; Certificate.  On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and each time the Company (i) files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares (other than a prospectus supplement filed in accordance with Section 7(l) of this Agreement) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of document(s) by reference to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares; (ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act; (iii) files its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or (iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”); the Company shall furnish Cowen with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m) within three (3) Trading Days of any Representation Date if requested by Cowen.  The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(m) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date; provided, however, that such waiver shall not apply for any Representation Date on which the Company files its annual report on Form 10-K.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide Cowen with a certificate under this Section 7(m), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or Cowen sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide Cowen with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m), dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

(p)                                 Legal Opinion.  On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and within three (3) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause to be furnished to Cowen a written opinion of Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP (“Company Counsel”), or other counsel satisfactory to Cowen, in form and substance satisfactory to Cowen and its counsel, dated the date that the opinion is required to be delivered, substantially similar to the forms of opinion provided to Cowen, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that in lieu of such opinions for subsequent Representation Dates, Company Counsel may furnish Cowen with a letter (a “Reliance Letter”) to the effect that Cowen may rely on a prior opinion delivered under this Section 7(n) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such letter (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented at such Representation Date).

 

(q)                                 Comfort Letter.  On or prior to the date of the first Placement Notice and within three (3) Trading Days of each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable, the Company shall cause its independent

 

24



 

accountants to furnish Cowen letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date of the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance satisfactory to Cowen, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the PCAOB, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to Cowen in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

(r)                                    Market Activities.  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase the Placement Shares, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than Cowen; provided, however, that the Company may bid for and purchase shares of its common stock in accordance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act.

 

(s)                                   Insurance.  The Company and its Subsidiaries shall maintain, or caused to be maintained, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary for the business for which it is engaged.

 

(t)                                    Compliance with Laws.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries shall maintain, or cause to be maintained, all material environmental permits, licenses and other authorizations required by federal, state and local law in order to conduct their businesses as described in the Prospectus, and the Company and each of its Subsidiaries shall conduct their businesses, or cause their businesses to be conducted, in substantial compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations and with applicable environmental laws, except where the failure to maintain or be in compliance with such permits, licenses and authorizations could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(u)                                 Investment Company Act.  The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that neither it nor its subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares and the application of proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, will be an “investment company” within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act.

 

(v)                                 Securities Act and Exchange Act.  The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

 

25



 

(w)                               No Offer to Sell.  Other than a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) approved in advance by the Company and Cowen in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, neither Cowen nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than Cowen in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Placement Shares hereunder

 

(x)                                 Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  The Company and the Subsidiaries will use their commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

8.                                      Conditions to Cowen’s Obligations. The obligations of Cowen hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by Cowen of a due diligence review satisfactory to Cowen in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by Cowen in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)                                 Registration Statement Effective.  The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice which have not yet been issued and sold pursuant to such Registration Statement.

 

(b)                                 No Material Notices.  None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing:  (i) receipt by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, related Prospectus or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially 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 not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

26



 

(c)                                  No Misstatement or Material Omission.  Cowen shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in Cowen’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in Cowen’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(d)                                 Material Changes.  Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change, on a consolidated basis, in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Change or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of Cowen (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

 

(e)                                  Company Counsel Legal Opinion.  Cowen shall have received the opinions of Company Counsel or Reliance Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion or Reliance Letter is required pursuant to Section 7(n).

 

(f)                                   Cowen Counsel Legal Opinion.  Cowen shall have received from LeClairRyan, A Professional Corporation, counsel for Cowen, such opinion or opinions, on or before the date on which the delivery of the Company Counsel legal opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(n), with respect to such matters as Cowen may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they request for enabling them to pass upon such matters.

 

(g)                                  Comfort Letter.  Cowen shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(o) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion is required pursuant to Section 7(o).

 

(h)                                 Representation Certificate.  Cowen shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(i)                                     No Suspension.  Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(j)                                    Other Materials.  On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m), the Company shall have furnished to Cowen such appropriate further information, certificates and documents as Cowen may have reasonably requested. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents

 

27



 

shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish Cowen with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as Cowen shall have reasonably requested.

 

(k)                                 Securities Act Filings Made.  All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

(l)                                     Approval for Listing.  The Placement Shares shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

(m)                             No Termination Event.  There shall not have occurred any event that would permit Cowen to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a).

 

9.                                      Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)                                 Company Indemnification.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Cowen, the directors, officers, partners, employees and agents of Cowen and each person, if any, who (i) controls Cowen within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with Cowen (a “Cowen Affiliate”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all reasonable investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 9(c)) of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which Cowen, or any such person, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any free writing prospectus or (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements in it (with respect to the Prospectus or any free writing prospectus, in light of the circumstances in which such statements were made), not misleading; provided,  however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused directly or indirectly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to Cowen and furnished to the Company by Cowen expressly for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of this Section 9 (a)   This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have.

 

28



 

(b)                                 Cowen Indemnification. Cowen agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company that signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company (a “Company Affiliate”) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 9(a), as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendments thereto) or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or any free writing prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information relating to Cowen and furnished to the Company by Cowen expressly for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of Section 9(a).

 

(c)                                  Procedure.  Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 9 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 9, notify each such indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 9 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 9 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying

 

29



 

party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 9 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding.

 

(d)                                 Contribution.  In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 9 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or Cowen, the Company and Cowen will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than Cowen, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and Cowen may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Cowen on the other. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Cowen on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by Cowen from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company.  If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and Cowen, on the other, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or Cowen, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and Cowen agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 9(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in

 

30



 

respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 9(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 9(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 9(c) hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(d), Cowen shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of Cowen, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 9(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 9(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof.

 

10.                               Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery.  The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 9 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of Cowen, any controlling persons, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

11.                               Termination.

 

(a)                                 Cowen shall have the right by giving written notice as hereinafter specified at any time to terminate this Agreement if (i) any Material Adverse Change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change has occurred that, in the reasonable judgment of Cowen, would materially impair the ability of Cowen to sell the Placement Shares hereunder, (ii) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder; provided, however, in the case of any failure of the Company to deliver (or cause another person to deliver) any certification, opinion, or letter required under Sections 7(m), 7(n), or 7(o), Cowen’s right to terminate shall not arise unless such failure to deliver (or cause to be delivered) continues for more than thirty (30) days from the date such delivery was required; or (iii) any other condition of Cowen’s obligations hereunder is not fulfilled, or (iv), any suspension or limitation of trading in the Placement

 

31



 

Shares or in securities generally on the Nasdaq Capital Market shall have occurred.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g) (Expenses), Section 9 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 10 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 16 (Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 17 (Waiver of Jury Trial) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If Cowen elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 11(a), Cowen shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 12 (Notices).

 

(b)                                 The Company shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(c)                                  Cowen shall have the right, by giving ten (10) days’ written notice as hereinafter specified, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement.  Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(d)                                 Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 11, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares through Cowen on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; provided that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(e)                                  This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 11(a), (b), (c), or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 16 and Section 17 shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(f)                                   Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by Cowen or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(g)                                  Subject to the additional limitations set forth in Section 7 hereof, in the event of termination of this Agreement prior to the sale of any Placement Shares, Cowen shall be entitled only to reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred.

 

32



 

12.                               Notices.  All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement, and if sent to Cowen, shall be delivered to Cowen at Cowen and Company, LLC, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022, fax no. 646-562-1124, Attention:  General Counsel, with a copy to LeClairRyan, 885 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Attention: James T. Seery, Email: james.seery@leclairryan.com; or if sent to the Company, shall be delivered to Sunshine Heart, Inc., 12988 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344, Attention: Chief Executive Officer, with a copy to Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP, Columbia Plaza, 350 East Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007, Attention: Phillip D. Torrence, Esq.  Each party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.  Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day (as defined below), or, if such day is not a Business Day on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which Nasdaq and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.

 

13.                               Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and Cowen and their respective successors and the affiliates, controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 9 hereof. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any party other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that Cowen may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate of Cowen without obtaining the Company’s consent.

 

14.                               Adjustments for Share Splits.  The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Common Stock.

 

15.                               Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability.  This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) and any other writing entered into by the parties relating to this Agreement constitute the entire agreement and supersede all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and Cowen.  In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the

 

33



 

remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

16.                               Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection with any transaction contemplated hereby, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.

 

17.                               Waiver of Jury Trial.  The Company and Cowen each hereby irrevocably waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any claim based upon or arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

18.                               Absence of Fiduciary RelationshipThe Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a)                                 Cowen has been retained solely to act as sales agent in connection with the sale of the Common Stock and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and Cowen has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether Cowen has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

 

(b)                                 the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)                                  the Company has been advised that Cowen and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that Cowen has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

 

(d)                                 the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against Cowen, for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that Cowen shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, partners, employees or creditors of the Company.

 

34



 

19.                               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. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile or electronic transmission.

 

20.                               Use of Information. Cowen may not provide any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to any third party other than its legal counsel advising it on this Agreement unless (i) required pursuant to applicable rules, regulations or orders of any governmental, quasi-governmental,  regulatory, or judicial entity or any stock exchange, (ii)  it is in connection with the assertion by Cowen of a due diligence defense or claim for indemnification hereunder, or (iii) expressly approved by the Company in writing.

 

21.                               Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following term has the meaning set forth below:

 

(a)                                 Applicable Time” means the date of this Agreement, each Representation Date, the date on which a Placement Notice is given, and any date on which Placement Shares are sold hereunder.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

35



 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and Cowen, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and Cowen.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

COWEN AND COMPANY, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Kevin X. Reynolds

 

Name:

Kevin X. Reynolds

 

Title:

Managing Director, Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACCEPTED as of the date

 

first-above written:

 

 

 

SUNSHINE HEART, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jeffrey S. Mathiesen

 

Name:

Jeffrey S. Mathiesen

 

Title:

CFO

 



 

SCHEDULE 1

 

FORM OF PLACEMENT NOTICE

 

From:

 

[              ]

Cc:

 

[              ]

To:

 

[              ]

Subject:

 

Cowen at the Market Offering—Placement Notice

 

Gentlemen:

 

Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Sales Agreement between Sunshine Heart, Inc. (the “Company”), and Cowen and Company, LLC (“Cowen”) dated March      , 2014, I hereby request on behalf of the Company that Cowen sell up to [ ] shares of the Company’s common stock, par value 0.0001 per share, at a minimum market price of $               per share.  Sales should begin on the date of this Notice and shall continue until [DATE] [all shares are sold].

 



 

SCHEDULE 2

 

The Company

 

David Rosa

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

Jeff Mathiesen

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

Cowen

 

Robert Sine

 

Director

 

 

 

William Follis

 

Director

 



 

SCHEDULE 3

 

Compensation

 

Cowen shall be paid compensation in an amount up to 3.0% of the gross proceeds from the sales of Common Stock pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 



 

Exhibit 7(m)

 

OFFICER CERTIFICATE

 

The undersigned, the duly qualified and elected                      , of Sunshine Heart, Inc. (“Company”), a Delaware corporation, does hereby certify in such capacity and on behalf of the Company, pursuant to Section 7(m) of the Sales Agreement dated March      , 2014 (the “Sales Agreement”) between the Company and Cowen and Company, LLC, that to the best of the knowledge of the undersigned.

 

(i)                                     The representations and warranties of the Company in Section 6 of the Sales Agreement (A) to the extent such representations and warranties are subject to qualifications and exceptions contained therein relating to materiality or Material Adverse Change are true and correct on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof, except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date, and (B) to the extent such representations and warranties are not subject to any qualifications or exceptions, are true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof as if made on and as of the date hereof with the same force and effect as if expressly made on and as of the date hereof except for those representations and warranties that speak solely as of a specific date and which were true and correct as of such date; and

 

(ii)                                  The Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied pursuant to the Sales Agreement at or prior to the date hereof.

 

 

 

 

SUNSHINE HEART, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

Date: