EX-3.1 2 a19-8744_1ex3d1.htm EX-3.1

Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

HOOKIPA PHARMA INC.

 

HOOKIPA Pharma Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

1.             The name of the Corporation is HOOKIPA Pharma Inc.  The date of the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware was February 15, 2017 (the “Original Certificate”).  The name under which the Corporation filed the Original Certificate was HOOKIPA Biotech, Inc.

 

2.             This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate”) amends, restates and integrates the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation that was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on February 15, 2019  (as amended, the “Amended and Restated Certificate”), and was duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

3.             The text of the Amended and Restated Certificate is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to provide as herein set forth in full.

 

ARTICLE I

 

The name of the Corporation is HOOKIPA Pharma Inc.

 

ARTICLE II

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is c/o The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801.  The name of its registered agent at such address is The Corporation Trust Company.

 

ARTICLE III

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

 


 

ARTICLE IV

 

CAPITAL STOCK

 

The total number of shares of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is one hundred thirteen million nine hundred thousand (113,900,000) shares of which (i) one hundred million (100,000,000) shares shall be a class designated as common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), (ii)  three million nine hundred thousand (3,900,000) shares shall be a class designated as Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”) and (iii) ten million (10,000,000) shares shall be a class designated as undesignated preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Undesignated Preferred Stock”).

 

Except as otherwise provided in any certificate of designations of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of the class of Common Stock or Undesignated Preferred Stock may from time to time be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares of such class outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.

 

The powers, preferences and rights of, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions upon, each class or series of stock shall be determined in accordance with, or as set forth below in, this Article IV.

 

A.  COMMON STOCK; CLASS A COMMON STOCK

 

Subject to all the rights, powers and preferences of the Undesignated Preferred Stock and except as provided by law or in this Certificate (or in any certificate of designations of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock):

 

(a)           the holders of the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors of the Corporation (the “Directors”) and on all other matters requiring stockholder action, each outstanding share entitling the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate (or on any amendment to a certificate of designations of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock) that alters or changes the powers, preferences, rights or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Undesignated Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series  of Undesignated Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, on such amendment pursuant to this Certificate (or pursuant to a certificate of designations of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL;

 

(b)           the holders of the Class A Common Stock shall be non-voting shares, except as required by law;

 

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(c)           dividends may be declared and paid or set apart for payment upon the Common Stock out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available for the payment of dividends, but only when and as declared by the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof; in the event that such dividend is paid in the form of shares of capital stock of the Corporation, holders of Common Stock shall receive Common Stock and holders of Class A Common Stock shall receive Class A Common Stock;

(d)           upon the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the net assets of the Corporation shall be distributed pro rata to the holders of the Common Stock and Class A Common Stock, treated equally and identically;

 

(e)           in connection with any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other entity, shares of Common Stock and shares of Class A Common Stock shall be treated equally, identically and ratably, on a per share basis, with respect to any consideration into which such shares are converted or any other consideration paid or otherwise distributed to stockholders of the Corporation in the merger or consolidation, unless different treatment of the shares of each class is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock and Class A Common Stock, each voting separately as a class; and

 

(f)    in no event shall any stock dividends or stock splits or combinations of stock be declared or made on Common Stock or Class A Common Stock unless the shares of Common Stock and Class A  Common Stock at the time outstanding are treated equally and identically, except that such dividends or stock splits or combinations shall be made in respect of shares of Common Stock and Class A Common Stock in the form of shares of Common Stock or Class A Common Stock, respectively.

 

B.  CONVERSION OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK

 

1.             Each holder of shares of Class A Common Stock shall have the right to convert each share of Class A Common Stock held by such holder into one share of Common Stock at such holder’s election, which shall be made upon written notice to the Corporation delivered, provided that, the shares of Class A Common Stock may only be converted into shares of Common Stock during such time or times as immediately prior to or as a result of such conversion would not result in the holder(s) thereof beneficially owning (for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”)), when aggregated with affiliates with whom such holder is required to aggregate beneficial ownership for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation.  The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” means initially 4.99% of any class of securities of the Corporation registered under the Exchange Act, which percentage may be increased or decreased by a holder of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock to such other percentage as such holder may designate in writing upon 61 days’ notice the Corporation, provided, however, that such increase or decrease shall only be applicable to such holder.

 

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2.             In order for a holder of Series A Common Stock to voluntarily convert shares of Class A Common Stock to Common Stock, such holder shall deliver written notice to the transfer agent (or by the Corporation if the Corporation serves as its own transfer agent) of the Corporation that such holder elects to convert all or any number of the shares of the Class A Common Stock to Common Stock.  Such notice shall state such holder’s name or the names of the nominees in which such holder wishes the certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock to be issued.  The close of business on the date of receipt by the transfer agent (or by the Corporation if the Corporation serves as its own transfer agent) of such notice shall be the time of conversion, and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Class A Common Stock set forth in the notice shall be deemed to be outstanding of record as of such date.   For any remaining fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Corporation shall, in lieu of issuing a fractional share, pay cash to such holder equal to the product of such fraction multiplied by the fair market value of one share of Common Stock.

 

3.             The one-to-one conversion ratio for the conversion of the Class A Common Stock into Common Stock shall in all events be equitably adjusted in the event of any recapitalization of the Corporation by means of a stock dividend on, or a stock split or combination of, outstanding Common Stock or Class A Common Stock, or in the event of any merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Corporation with another corporation.

 

4.             The Corporation shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of Class A Common Stock, such number of its shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock.

 

5.             If any shares of Class A Common Stock shall be converted pursuant to this Article IV(B), the shares so converted shall be retired and returned to the authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock.

 

C.  UNDESIGNATED PREFERRED STOCK

 

The Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof is expressly authorized, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to provide by resolution or resolutions for, out of the unissued shares of Undesignated Preferred Stock, the issuance of the shares of Undesignated Preferred Stock in one or more series of such stock, and by filing a certificate of designations pursuant to applicable law of the State of Delaware, to establish or change from time to time the number of shares of each such series, and to fix the designations, powers, including voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

STOCKHOLDER ACTION

 

1.             Action without Meeting.  Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be taken or effected by a written consent of stockholders in lieu thereof.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon, and the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, shall be required to amend or repeal any provision of this Article V, Section 1.

 

2.             Special Meetings.  Except as otherwise required by statute and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office, and special meetings of stockholders may not be called by any other person or persons.  Only those matters set forth in the notice of the special meeting may be considered or acted upon at a special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

DIRECTORS

 

1.             General.  The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors except as otherwise provided herein or required by law.

 

2.             Election of Directors.  Election of Directors need not be by written ballot unless the By-laws of the Corporation (the “By-laws”) shall so provide.

 

3.             Number of Directors; Term of Office.  The number of Directors of the Corporation shall be fixed solely and exclusively by resolution duly adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.  The Directors, other than those who may be elected by the holders of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock, shall be classified, with respect to the term for which they severally hold office, into three classes.  The initial Class I Directors of the Corporation shall be Joern Aldag, Jan van de Winkel and David Kaufman; the initial Class II Directors of the Corporation shall be Sander van Deventer, Graziano Seghezzi and Michael A. Kelly; and the initial Class III Directors of the Corporation shall be Julie O’Neill, Christoph Lengauer and Reinhard Kandera. The initial Class I Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2020, the initial Class II Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2021, and the initial Class III Directors shall serve for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2022. The mailing address of each person who is to serve initially as a director is c/o HOOKIPA Pharma Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 72nd Floor, Suite 7240, New York, New York 10118.  At each annual meeting of stockholders, Directors elected to succeed those Directors whose terms expire shall be elected for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual meeting of

 

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stockholders after their election.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Directors elected to each class shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation, death or removal.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever, pursuant to the provisions of Article IV of this Certificate, the holders of any one or more series of Undesignated Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately as a series or together with holders of other such series, to elect Directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate and any certificate of designations applicable to such series.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon, and the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, shall be required to amend or repeal any provision of this Article VI, Section 3.

 

4.             Vacancies.  Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock to elect Directors and to fill vacancies in the Board of Directors relating thereto, any and all vacancies in the Board of Directors, however occurring, including, without limitation, by reason of an increase in the size of the Board of Directors, or the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of a Director, shall be filled solely and exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, and not by the stockholders.  Any Director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of Directors in which the new directorship was created or the vacancy occurred and until such Director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation, death or removal.  Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock to elect Directors, when the number of Directors is increased or decreased, the Board of Directors shall, subject to Article VI, Section 3 hereof, determine the class or classes to which the increased or decreased number of Directors shall be apportioned; provided, however, that no decrease in the number of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.  In the event of a vacancy in the Board of Directors, the remaining Directors, except as otherwise provided by law, shall exercise the powers of the full Board of Directors until the vacancy is filled.

 

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5.             Removal.  Subject to the rights, if any, of any series of Undesignated Preferred Stock to elect Directors and to remove any Director whom the holders of any such series have the right to elect, any Director (including persons elected by Directors to fill vacancies in the Board of Directors) may be removed from office (i) only with cause and (ii) only by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of capital stock then entitled to vote at an election of Directors.  At least forty-five (45) days prior to any annual or special meeting of stockholders at which it is proposed that any Director be removed from office, written notice of such proposed removal and the alleged grounds thereof shall be sent to the Director whose removal will be considered at the meeting.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

 

A Director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a Director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the Director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the DGCL or (d) for any transaction from which the Director derived an improper personal benefit.  If the DGCL is amended after the effective date of this Certificate to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of Directors, then the liability of a Director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.

 

Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VII by either of (i) the stockholders of the Corporation or (ii) an amendment to the DGCL, shall not adversely affect any right or protection existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring before such amendment, repeal or modification of a person serving as a Director at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote thereon, and the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, shall be required to amend or repeal any provision of this Article VII.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

 

1.             Amendment by Directors.  Except as otherwise provided by law, the By-laws of the Corporation may be amended or repealed by the Board of Directors by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office.

 

2.             Amendment by Stockholders.  Except as otherwise provided therein, the By-laws of the Corporation may be amended or repealed at any annual meeting of stockholders, or special

 

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meeting of stockholders called for such purpose, by the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds (2/3) of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote on such amendment or repeal, voting together as a single class; provided, however, that if the Board of Directors recommends that stockholders approve such amendment or repeal at such meeting of stockholders, such amendment or repeal shall only require the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote on such amendment or repeal, voting together as a single class.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

 

The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal this Certificate in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute and this Certificate, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.  Except as otherwise required by this Certificate or by law, whenever any vote of the holders of capital stock of the Corporation is required to amend or repeal any provision of this Certificate, such amendment or repeal shall require the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote on such amendment or repeal, and the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, at a duly constituted meeting of stockholders called expressly for such purpose.

 

[End of Text]

 

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THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION is executed as of this 23rd day of April, 2019.

 

 

HOOKIPA PHARMA INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Joern Aldag

 

Name:

Joern Aldag

 

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 

Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation