EX-2.1 2 tm214487d1_ex2-1.htm EXHIBIT 2.1

 

Exhibit 2.1 

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

by and among

 

CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.,

 

CABO MERGER SUB I, INC.,

 

CABO MERGER SUB II, LLC,

 

and

 

QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, INC.

 

Dated as of January 28, 2021

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Article I CERTAIN GOVERNANCE MATTERS 3
Section 1.1 Parent Matters 3
Section 1.2 First Step Surviving Company Matters 3
Section 1.3 Surviving Company Matters 4
Article II THE MERGER 4
Section 2.1 Formation of Merger Subs 4
Section 2.2 The Merger 5
Section 2.3 Closing 5
Section 2.4 Effective Time 5
Section 2.5 Effects of the Merger 5
Article III EFFECT ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT Companies; EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES 6
Section 3.1 Conversion of Capital Stock 6
Section 3.2 Treatment of Options and Other Equity-Based Awards and Warrants 9
Section 3.3 Withholding Rights 11
Section 3.4 Dissenters Rights 11
Article IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY 11
Section 4.1 Organization, Standing and Power 12
Section 4.2 Capital Stock 13
Section 4.3 No Subsidiaries 14
Section 4.4 Authority 14
Section 4.5 No Conflict; Consents and Approvals 15
Section 4.6 Financial Statements 16
Section 4.7 No Undisclosed Liabilities 17
Section 4.8 Absence of Certain Changes or Events 17
Section 4.9 Litigation 18
Section 4.10 Compliance with Laws 18
Section 4.11 Health Care Regulatory Matters. 18
Section 4.12 Benefit Plans 21
Section 4.13 Labor and Employment Matters 23
Section 4.14 Environmental Matters 25
Section 4.15 Taxes 26
Section 4.16 Contracts 28
Section 4.17 Insurance 28
Section 4.18 Properties 29

 

 

 

 

Section 4.19 Intellectual Property 29
Section 4.20 State Takeover Statutes 31
Section 4.21 No Rights Plan 31
Section 4.22 Related Party Transactions 31
Section 4.23 Certain Payments 32
Section 4.24 Brokers 32
Section 4.25 Stock Purchase Agreement 32
Section 4.26 Accredited Investor Status 32
Section 4.27 No Other Representations and Warranties 33
Article V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUBS 33
Section 5.1 Organization, Standing and Power 33
Section 5.2 Capital Stock 34
Section 5.3 Subsidiaries 35
Section 5.4 Authority 36
Section 5.5 No Conflict; Consents and Approvals 37
Section 5.6 SEC Reports; Financial Statements 38
Section 5.7 No Undisclosed Liabilities 40
Section 5.8 Absence of Certain Changes or Events 40
Section 5.9 Litigation 41
Section 5.10 Compliance with Laws 41
Section 5.11 Health Care Regulatory Matters. 41
Section 5.12 Benefit Plans 44
Section 5.13 Labor and Employment Matters 45
Section 5.14 Environmental Matters 47
Section 5.15 Taxes 48
Section 5.16 Contracts 49
Section 5.17 Insurance 50
Section 5.18 Properties 50
Section 5.19 Intellectual Property 51
Section 5.20 Related Party Transactions 53
Section 5.21 Certain Payments 53
Section 5.22 Brokers 53
Section 5.23 Opinion of Financial Advisor 54
Section 5.24 Merger Subs 54
Section 5.25 State Takeover Statutes 54
Section 5.26 No Other Representations or Warranties 54
Article VI COVENANTS 54
Section 6.1 Proxy Statement 54
Section 6.2 Stockholders’ Meeting 55
Section 6.3 Indemnification, Exculpation and Insurance 56
Section 6.4 Section 16 Matters 57
Section 6.5 Employee Matters 57

 

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Section 6.6 Tax Matters. 58
Section 6.7 Private Placement 58
Section 6.8 Obligations of Merger Subs 58
Article VII CONDITIONS PRECEDENT 59
Section 7.1 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger 59
Section 7.2 Closing Deliveries of the Company 59
Section 7.3 Closing Deliveries of Parent 60
Article VIII GENERAL PROVISIONS 60
Section 8.1 Non-survival of Representations and Warranties 60
Section 8.2 Amendment or Supplement 61
Section 8.3 Waiver 61
Section 8.4 Fees and Expenses 61
Section 8.5 Notices 61
Section 8.6 Certain Definitions 62
Section 8.7 Interpretation 65
Section 8.8 Entire Agreement 66
Section 8.9 No Third-Party Beneficiaries 66
Section 8.10 Governing Law 66
Section 8.11 Submission to Jurisdiction 66
Section 8.12 Assignment; Successors 67
Section 8.13 Specific Performance 67
Section 8.14 Currency 67
Section 8.15 Severability 67
Section 8.16 Waiver of Jury Trial 68
Section 8.17 Counterparts 68
Section 8.18 Facsimile or .pdf Signature 68
Section 8.19 No Presumption against Drafting Party 68

 

Exhibit A     Parent Support Agreements

Exhibit B     Lock-Up Agreement

Exhibit C     Stock Purchase Agreement

Exhibit D     Exchange Ratio Calculation

Exhibit E     Form of Certificate of Designation

 

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INDEX OF DEFINED TERMS

 

Definition Location
Action 4.9
Adjusted Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap 3.1(a)(i)(A)
Affiliate 8.6(a)
Aggregate Valuation 3.1(a)(i)(B)
Agreement Preamble
As-Converted Exchange Ratio 3.1(a)(i)(C)
Assumed Common Option 3.2(a)
Assumed Common Warrant 3.2(b)
Assumed Preferred Warrant 3.2(b)
Business Day 8.6(b)
CARES Act 4.7
Cash and Cash Equivalents 8.6(c)
Certificate of Designation 8.6(d)
Charter Amendment Proposal 6.2(a)
Closing 2.3
Closing Date 2.3
COBRA 4.12(c)(v)
Code Recitals
Common Stock Exchange Ratio 3.1(a)(i)(D)
Company Preamble
Company Allocation Percentage 3.1(a)(i)(E)
Company Balance Sheet 4.7
Company Board 4.1(b)
Company Bylaws 4.1(b)
Company Charter 4.1(b)
Company Common Stock Recitals
Company Disclosure Letter Article IV
Company Equity Plan 3.2(a)
Company Interim Financial Statements 4.6(a)
Company Lock-Up Agreements Recitals
Company Material Adverse Effect 4.1(a)
Company Merger Shares 3.1(a)(i)(F)
Company Option 3.2(a)
Company Outstanding Shares 3.1(a)(i)(G)
Company Owned IP 8.6(e)
Company Plans 4.13(a)
Company Preferred Stock 4.2(a)
Company Products 4.11(c)
Company Registered IP 4.19(a)
Company Safety Notices 4.11(g)
Company Stock Awards 4.2(b)

 

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Company Stockholder Approval 4.4(c)
Company Unaudited Financial Statements 4.6(a), 4.6(a)
Company Valuation 3.1(a)(i)(H)
Company Warrant 3.2(b)
Concurrent Investment Recitals
Contract 4.5(a)
control 8.6(f)
Conversion Proposal 6.2(a)
Conversion Ratio 3.1(a)(i)(I)
Covered Person 5.2(e)
D&O Indemnified Parties 6.3(a)
Delaware Secretary of State 2.4
DGCL Recitals
Disqualifying Event 5.2(e)
Dissenting Shares 3.5
DLLCA 2.2
Environmental Law 4.14(b)
ERISA 4.12(a)
Exchange Act 4.5(b)
Excluded Shares 3.1(a)(iii)
FDA 4.11(c)
FDA Ethics Policy 4.11(i)
First Certificate of Merger 2.4
First Effective Time 2.4
First Merger Recitals
First Merger Consideration 3.1(a)(i)
First Merger Sub Preamble
First Step Surviving Company 2.2
GAAP 4.6(a)
Governmental Entity 4.5(b)
Hazardous Substance 4.14(c)
Health Care Laws 4.11(a)
Intellectual Property 8.6(g)
Intended Tax Treatment Recitals
IRS 4.13(a)
IT Systems 4.19(g)
knowledge 8.6(h)
Law 4.5(a)
Liens 4.5(a)
Lock-Up Agreement Recitals
Lower Parent Net Cash Amount 3.1(a)(i)(J)
Lower Target Parent Net Cash 3.1(a)(i)(K)
Material Contracts 4.16(a)
Measurement Date 5.2(a)
Merger Recitals
Merger Subs Preamble

 

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Nasdaq 8.6(i)
Net Cash 8.6(j)
Ordinary Course Agreement 4.15(g)
Parent Preamble
Parent Allocation Percentage 3.1(a)(i)(L)
Parent Balance Sheet 8.6(k)
Parent Board 5.1(b)
Parent Capital Stock 8.6(l)
Parent Capital Stock Issuance 5.4(a)
Parent Closing Price 8.6(m)
Parent Common Stock Recitals
Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap 3.1(a)(i)(M)
Parent Convertible Preferred Stock Recitals
Parent Disclosure Letter Article V
Parent Equity Value 3.1(a)(i)(N)
Parent IT Systems 5.19(f)
Parent Lock-Up Agreements Recitals
Parent Material Adverse Effect 5.1(a)
Parent Material Contracts 5.16(a)
Parent Options 5.2(a)
Parent Outstanding Shares 3.1(a)(i)(O)
Parent Owned IP 8.6(n)
Parent Plans 5.12(a)
Parent Products 5.11(c)
Parent Registered IP 5.19(a)
Parent Safety Notices 5.11(g)
Parent SEC Documents 5.6(a)
Parent Stockholder Approval 5.4(a)
Parent Stockholder Matters 6.2(a)
Parent Stockholder Meeting 6.2(a)
Parent Support Agreements Recitals
Parent Valuation 3.1(a)(i)(P)
PBGC 4.12(c)(iii)
Pension Plan 4.12(b)
Permits 4.10
Permitted Liens 4.18(a)
Person 8.6(o)
Personal Information 8.6(p)
Post-Closing Parent Shares 3.1(a)(i)(Q)
Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio 3.1(a)(i)(R)
Privacy Laws 4.19(h)
Proxy Statement 6.1(a)
Representative 8.6(q)
Sarbanes-Oxley Act 5.6(a)
SEC 8.6(r)
Second Certificate of Merger 2.4

 

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Second Effective Time 2.4
Second Merger Recitals
Second Merger Sub Preamble
Securities Act 4.5(b)
Stock Purchase Agreement Recitals
Subsidiary 8.6(s)
Surviving Company 2.2
Takeover Laws 4.20
Target Parent Net Cash 3.1(a)(i)(S)
Tax Action 4.15(c)
Tax Return 8.6(t)
Taxes 8.6(u)
Trade Secrets 8.6(g)
Transaction Expenses 8.6(v)
Upper Parent Net Cash Amount 3.1(a)(i)(T)
Upper Target Parent Net Cash 3.1(a)(i)(U)
WARN Act 4.13(d)
Withholding Agent 3.4

 

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AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement), dated as of January 28, 2021, by and among CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), CABO MERGER SUB I, INC., a Delaware corporation (“First Merger Sub”), CABO MERGER SUB II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Second Merger Sub” and together with First Merger Sub, “Merger Subs”), and QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, Parent and the Company intend to effect a merger of First Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “First Merger) in accordance with this Agreement and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). Upon consummation of the First Merger, First Merger Sub will cease to exist and the Company will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent;

 

WHEREAS, immediately following the First Merger and as part of the same overall transaction of the First Merger, the Company will merge with and into Second Merger Sub (the “Second Merger and, together with the First Merger, the “Merger”), with Second Merger Sub being the surviving entity of the Second Merger;

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend that the First Merger and Second Merger, taken together, will constitute an integrated transaction described in Rev. Rul. 2001-46, 2001-2 C.B. 321 that qualifies as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code), and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Intended Tax Treatment”), and that this Agreement be, and hereby is, adopted as a “plan of reorganization” for the purposes of Section 368 of the Code and Treasury Regulations Section 1.368-2(g);

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has deemed it advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders that the Company engage in the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has (i) unanimously approved this Agreement, the First Merger, with the Company continuing as the First Step Surviving Company (as defined below), after the First Effective Time (as defined below), pursuant to which each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Company Common Stock) and each share of Company Preferred Stock shall be converted into the right to receive a number of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Parent (the “Parent Common Stock”) equal to the Common Stock Exchange Ratio and a number of shares of Series X Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Parent (the “Parent Convertible Preferred Stock”) equal to the Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, subject in any event to Section 3.1(a)(v), and the Second Merger, with Second Merger Sub continuing as the Surviving Company (as defined below) and (ii) resolved to recommend that the Company stockholders adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger;

 

 

 

WHEREAS, subsequent to such approval by the Board of Directors of the Company, but prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the requisite Company stockholders by written consent and in accordance with the Company’s certificate of incorporation, the Company’s bylaws and the DGCL (i) adopted this Agreement and approved the Merger, (ii) acknowledged that the approval given thereby is irrevocable and that such stockholder is aware of its rights to demand appraisal for its shares pursuant to Section 262 of the DGCL, a true and correct copy of which was attached thereto, and that such stockholder has received and read a copy of Section 262 of the DGCL and (iii) acknowledged that by its approval of the Merger it is waiving its appraisal rights with respect to its shares in connection with the Merger, and the Company Stockholder Approval is to become effective by its terms immediately following the execution of this Agreement by the parties hereto;

 

WHEREAS, First Merger Sub is a newly incorporated Delaware corporation that is wholly-owned by Parent, and has been formed for the sole purpose of effecting the First Merger;

 

WHEREAS, Second Merger Sub is a newly formed Delaware limited liability company that is wholly-owned by Parent, and has been formed for the sole purpose of effecting the Second Merger;

 

WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent and First Merger Sub and the sole member of Second Merger Sub have each approved this Agreement and the Merger;

 

WHEREAS, Parent, Merger Subs and the Company each desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Merger and also to prescribe certain conditions to the Merger as specified herein;

 

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and as a condition and inducement to the Company’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, the officers, directors and stockholders of Parent listed on Section A of the Parent Disclosure Letter have entered into Support Agreements, dated as of the date of this Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Parent Support Agreements), pursuant to which such stockholders have, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, agreed to vote all of their shares of capital stock of Parent in favor of the Conversion Proposal and the Charter Amendment Proposal;

 

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and as a condition and inducement to Parent’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, the Persons listed on Section A of the Company Disclosure Letter are executing lock-up agreements in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement, and collectively, the “Company Lock-Up Agreements”);

 

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and as a condition and inducement to the Company’s willingness to enter into this Agreement, the Persons listed on Section B of the Parent Disclosure Letter are executing lock-up agreements in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (collectively, the “Parent Lock-Up Agreements); and

 

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, certain investors have entered into a stock purchase agreement representing an aggregate commitment of not less than $110,000,000 in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (collectively, the “Stock Purchase Agreement), pursuant to which such Persons will have agreed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, to subscribe and purchase shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock concurrently with the Closing (the “Concurrent Investment”).

 

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AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Parent, Merger Subs and the Company hereby agree as follows:

 

Article I
CERTAIN GOVERNANCE MATTERS

 

Section 1.1            Parent Matters.

 

(a)          Parent Certification of Incorporation. As of the First Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of Parent shall be identical to the Certificate of Incorporation of Parent immediately prior to the First Effective Time, until thereafter amended in accordance with its terms and as provided by applicable Law.

 

(b)          Parent Bylaws. As of the First Effective Time, the Bylaws of Parent shall be identical to the Bylaws of Parent immediately prior to the First Effective Time, until thereafter amended in accordance with their terms and as provided by applicable Law.

 

(c)          Board of Directors. The parties shall take all action necessary (including, to the extent necessary, procuring the resignation or removal of any directors on the Board of Directors of Parent immediately prior to the First Effective Time) so that, as of immediately after the Second Effective Time, the number of directors that comprise the full Board of Directors of Parent shall be eight (8), and such Board of Directors shall immediately after the Second Effective Time initially consist of the individuals listed in Section 1.1(c) of the Parent Disclosure Letter.

 

(d)          Lock-up Agreements. Parent and the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to have each of the Persons that will serve as directors or officers of Parent following the Closing to execute and deliver a Lock-Up Agreement prior to Closing.

 

(e)           Parent Officers. The parties shall take all action necessary (including, to the extent necessary, procuring the resignation or removal of any officers of Parent immediately prior to the First Effective Time) so that, as of the First Effective Time, the Parent officers shall initially consist of the Persons listed in Section 1.1(e) of the Parent Disclosure Letter.

 

Section 1.2            First Step Surviving Company Matters.

 

(a)           First Step Surviving Company Certificate of Incorporation. At the First Effective Time, the Certificate of Incorporation of the First Step Surviving Company shall be amended to read in its entirety as the Certificate of Incorporation of First Merger Sub (except that references to the name of First Merger Sub shall be replaced by references to the name of the First Step Surviving Company), until thereafter amended in accordance with applicable Law.

 

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(b)         First Step Surviving Company Bylaws. At the First Effective Time, the Bylaws of the First Step Surviving Company shall be amended to read in their entirety as the Bylaws of First Merger Sub (except that references to the name of First Merger Sub shall be replaced by references to the name of the First Step Surviving Company), until thereafter amended in accordance with applicable Law.

 

(c)          First Step Surviving Company Directors. The directors of First Merger Sub immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be the directors of the First Step Surviving Company until the earlier of their resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified.

 

(d)          First Step Surviving Company Officers. The officers of the First Merger Sub immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be the officers of the First Step Surviving Company until the earlier of their resignation or removal or until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified.

 

Section 1.3            Surviving Company Matters.

 

(a)        Surviving Company Certificate of Formation Incorporation. At the Second Effective Time, the Certificate of Formation of the Surviving Company shall be identical to the Certificate of Formation of Second Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Second Effective Time until thereafter amended in accordance with applicable Law; provided that the Certificate of Formation of Second Merger Sub shall be amended pursuant to the Second Certificate of Merger solely to replace references to the name of Second Merger Sub by references to the name “QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, LLC”.

 

(b)          Surviving Company Limited Liability Company Agreement. At the Second Effective Time, the limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Company shall be identical to the limited liability company agreement of Second Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Second Effective Time, until thereafter amended in accordance with applicable Law; provided that all references to the name of Second Merger Sub shall be replaced by references to the name “QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, LLC”.

 

(c)          Manager of Surviving Company. The manager of the Surviving Company in accordance with the Certificate of Formation and the limited liability company agreement of Surviving Company, shall be Parent.

 

Article II
THE MERGER

 

Section 2.1            Formation of Merger Subs. Parent has caused the Merger Subs to be organized under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

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Section 2.2           The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with the DGCL, at the First Effective Time, First Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company. Following the First Merger, the separate corporate existence of First Merger Sub shall cease, and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation in the Merger (the “First Step Surviving Company) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in accordance with the DGCL and the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (“DLLCA”), at the Second Effective Time, the First Step Surviving Company will merge with and into Second Merger Sub. Following the Second Merger, the separate existence of the First Step Surviving Company shall cease, and Second Merger Sub will continue as the surviving company in the Second Merger (the “Surviving Company”).

 

Section 2.3          Closing. The closing of the Merger (the “Closing) shall take place on the date of this Agreement, or at such other date, time or place as agreed to in writing by Parent and the Company, following the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI (subject to the satisfaction or, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waiver of those conditions), remotely by electronic exchange of documents. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to in this Agreement as the “Closing Date.”

 

Section 2.4           Effective Time. Upon the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement, at the Closing, (i) the parties shall cause the First Merger to be consummated by executing and filing a certificate of merger with respect to the First Merger (the “First Certificate of Merger) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Secretary of State”), executed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the DGCL, and (ii) the parties shall cause the Second Merger to be consummated by executing and filing a certificate of merger with respect to the Second Merger (the “Second Certificate of Merger”) with the Delaware Secretary of State, executed in accordance with the relevant provisions of the DGCL and DLLCA. The First Merger shall become effective at such time as the First Certificate of Merger is duly filed with the Delaware Secretary of State or at such other time as Parent and the Company shall agree in writing and shall specify in the First Certificate of Merger (the time the First Merger becomes effective being the “First Effective Time”). The Second Merger shall become effective at such time as the Second Certificate of Merger is duly filed with the Delaware Secretary of State or at such other time as Parent and the Company shall agree in writing and shall specify in the Second Certificate of Merger (the time the Second Merger becomes effective being the “Second Effective Time”).

 

Section 2.5           Effects of the Merger. At and after the First Effective Time, the First Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and in the relevant provisions of the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the First Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the Company and First Merger Sub shall vest in the First Step Surviving Company, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the Company and First Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the First Step Surviving Company. At and after the Second Effective Time, the Second Merger shall have the effects set forth in this Agreement and in the relevant provisions of the DGCL and the DLLCA. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Second Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges, powers and franchises of the First Step Surviving Company and Second Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Company, and all debts, liabilities and duties of the First Step Surviving Company and Second Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities and duties of the Surviving Company.

 

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Article III
EFFECT ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT Companies;
EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES

 

Section 3.1            Conversion of Capital Stock.

 

(a)          At the First Effective Time, by virtue of the First Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Subs, the Company or the holders of any shares of capital stock of the Parent, Merger Subs or the Company:

 

(i)            Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement (including Section 3.1(a)(v)), each share of Company Common Stock or Company Preferred Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time (other than any Excluded Shares or Dissenting Shares) shall thereupon be converted into and become exchangeable for a number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Exchange Ratio and a number of shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock equal to the Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio (collectively, the “First Merger Consideration”). As of the First Effective Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock shall no longer be outstanding and shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and shall thereafter only represent the right to receive the First Merger Consideration, without interest. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the following respective meanings:

 

(A)            Adjusted Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap” means (1) the Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap minus (2) the number of shares of Parent Common Stock subject to such Assumed Common Options.

 

(B)             Aggregate Valuation” means the sum of (1) the Company Valuation, plus (2) the Parent Valuation.

 

(C)           As-Converted Exchange Ratio” means the ratio (rounded down to six decimal places) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (1) the Company Merger Shares by (2) the Company Outstanding Shares.

 

(D)           Common Stock Exchange Ratio” means the quotient (rounded down to six decimal places) obtained by dividing (1) the Adjusted Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap by (2) the result of (A) the Company Outstanding Shares, minus (B) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to outstanding Company Options as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(E)             Company Allocation Percentage” means the quotient (rounded to six decimal places) determined by dividing (1) the Company Valuation by (2) the Aggregate Valuation.

 

(F)             Company Merger Shares” means the product (rounded to the nearest whole share) determined by multiplying (1) the Post-Closing Parent Shares by (2) the Company Allocation Percentage.

 

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(G)          Company Outstanding Shares” means the total number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time expressed on a fully diluted and as-converted-to-Company Common Stock basis, assuming, without limitation or duplication, the exercise of all Company Options, Company Warrants and other derivative securities of the Company outstanding as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(H)             Company Valuation” means $185,000,000.

 

(I)              Conversion Ratio” means 1,000, which is equal to the number of shares of Parent Common Stock into which each share of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock initially is convertible.

 

(J)            Lower Parent Net Cash Amount” means (1) if Net Cash is less than the Lower Target Parent Net Cash, the amount that the Target Parent Net Cash exceeds the Net Cash and (2) in all other cases, zero (0).

 

(K)             Lower Target Parent Net Cash” means $34,250,000.

 

(L)              Parent Allocation Percentage” means one (1) minus the Company Allocation Percentage.

 

(M)         Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap” means the product (rounded down to the nearest whole share) determined by multiplying (1) 19.99% and (2) the total number of shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(N)             Parent Equity Value” means $25,000,000.

 

(O)           Parent Outstanding Shares” means the total number of shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time expressed on a fully-diluted and as-converted-to-Parent Common Stock basis, and assuming the exercise (using the treasury stock method determined by excluding out-of-the-money options, warrants and other derivative securities) of all options, warrants and other derivative securities of Parent outstanding as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(P)           Parent Valuation” means (1) the Parent Equity Value, plus (2) Target Parent Net Cash minus (3) the Lower Parent Net Cash Amount (if any) plus (4) the Upper Parent Net Cash Amount (if any).

 

(Q)            Post-Closing Parent Shares” means the quotient (rounded to the nearest whole share) determined by dividing (1) the Parent Outstanding Shares by (2) the Parent Allocation Percentage.

 

(R)              Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio” means the quotient (rounded up to nine decimal places) obtained by dividing (1) the difference between the As-Converted Exchange Ratio and the Common Stock Exchange Ratio by (2) the Conversion Ratio.

 

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(S)               Target Parent Net Cash” means $35,000,000.

 

(T)          Upper Parent Net Cash Amount” means (1) if Net Cash is greater than Upper Target Parent Net Cash, the amount that the Net Cash exceeds the Target Parent Net Cash and (2) in all other cases, zero (0).

 

(U)              Upper Target Parent Net Cash” means $35,750,000.

The calculation of each of the “As-Converted Exchange Ratio,” the “Common Stock Exchange Ratio” and the “Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio” is attached hereto as Exhibit D.

 

(ii)         At the First Effective Time, each share of Parent Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall remain outstanding. Immediately following the First Effective Time, shares of Parent Common Stock, if any, owned by the First Step Surviving Company shall be surrendered to Parent without payment therefor.

 

(iii)          Each share of Company Common Stock held in the treasury of the Company or owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent or First Merger Sub immediately prior to the First Effective Time (collectively, “Excluded Shares”) shall automatically be cancelled and shall cease to exist, and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.

 

(iv)         Each share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of First Merger Sub issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall be converted into and become one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the First Step Surviving Company.

 

(v)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (A) the aggregate number of shares of Parent Common Stock issued pursuant to Section 3.1(a)(i) in exchange for issued and outstanding shares of Company Common Stock or issuable pursuant to Assumed Common Options and Assumed Common Warrants shall not exceed the Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap and (B) to the extent such aggregate number of shares of Parent Common Stock would (but for the application of this clause (v)) exceed the Parent Common Stock Consideration Cap, the Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio and the Common Stock Exchange Ratio shall be equitably adjusted to the minimum extent necessary to avoid such result.

 

(vi)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (A) no fractional shares of Parent Common Stock or fractional shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock shall be issued in the First Merger, (B) all fractional shares of Parent Common Stock that a Person otherwise would be entitled to receive as a result of the First Merger shall be aggregated and, if a fractional share results from such aggregation, such Person shall be entitled to receive, in lieu thereof, an amount in cash, without interest, determined by multiplying the fraction of the applicable share of Parent Common Stock to which such Person otherwise would have been entitled by the Parent Closing Price, and (C) all fractional shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock that a Person otherwise would be entitled to receive as a result of the First Merger shall be aggregated and, if a fractional share results from such aggregation, such Person shall be entitled to receive, in lieu thereof, an amount in cash, without interest, determined by multiplying the fraction of the applicable share of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock to which such Person otherwise would have been entitled by the product of (1) the Conversion Ratio and (2) the Parent Closing Price.

 

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(b)          At the Second Effective Time, by virtue of the Second Merger and without any further action on the part of Parent, the First Step Surviving Company, Second Merger Sub or their respective securityholders, each share of common stock of the First Step Surviving Company issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Second Effective Time shall be cancelled and extinguished without any conversion thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect thereto.

 

Section 3.2            Treatment of Options and Other Equity-Based Awards and Warrants.

 

(a)           At the First Effective Time, each outstanding option (each, a “Company Option”) to purchase shares of Company Common Stock granted under the Company’s 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Company Equity Plan”), whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall, at the First Effective Time, cease to represent a right to acquire shares of Company Common Stock and shall be assumed and converted, at the First Effective Time, into an option to purchase a number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the As-Converted Exchange Ratio, multiplied by the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Option as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, with an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Company Option as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, divided by the As-Converted Exchange Ratio (an “Assumed Common Option”), on terms and conditions (including any vesting or forfeiture and post-termination exercise provisions, but not taking into account any acceleration thereof provided for in the Company Equity Plan or in the related award document by reason of the transactions contemplated hereby) that are otherwise the same as were applicable to such Company Option as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time except as follows: (x) Assumed Common Options held by any consultant of the Company whose engagement is terminated at the Closing shall continue to vest in accordance with the schedule set forth in the applicable award agreement but shall fully vest and become exercisable at the First Effective Time and (y) Assumed Common Options held by each by consultant of the Company whose engagement with the Company continues following the Closing shall fully vest and become exercisable on the earlier to occur between the (A) twelve (12)-month anniversary of the First Effective Time, subject to such individual’s continued services to Parent through such date and (B) the date on which such individual’s services with Parent are terminated by Parent without “cause” (as such term is defined in any written services agreement by and between a such continuing consultant and Parent or if such term is not defined in any such written services agreement, then as such term is defined as of the date hereof in Parent’s Executive Severance Benefits Plan effective April 15, 2016); provided, that in the case of any Company Option to which Section 421 of the Code applies as of the First Effective Time (taking into account the effect of any accelerated vesting thereof, if applicable) by reason of its qualification under Section 422 of the Code, the exercise price, the number of shares of Parent Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code; provided further, that in the case of any Company Option to which Section 409A of the Code applies as of the First Effective Time, the exercise price, the number of shares of Parent Common Stock subject to such option and the terms and conditions of exercise of such option shall be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code in order to avoid the imposition of any additional Taxes thereunder. The provisions of clause (x) and (y) above shall operate for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each of such consultants.

 

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(b)          At the First Effective Time, each warrant entitling the holder to purchase one share of Company Common Stock (each, a “Company Warrant”), whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time shall, at the First Effective Time, cease to represent a right to acquire shares of Company Common Stock and shall be assumed and converted, at the First Effective Time, into (i) a warrant to purchase a number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the Common Stock Exchange Ratio, multiplied by the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Warrant as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, with an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Company Option as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, divided by the As-Converted Exchange Ratio (an “Assumed Common Warrant”), and (ii) a warrant to purchase a number of shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock equal to the Preferred Stock Exchange Ratio, multiplied by the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Warrant as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, with an exercise price per share equal to (x) the Conversion Ratio, multiplied by (y) the exercise price per share of such Company Warrant as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, divided by (z) the As-Converted Exchange Ratio (an “Assumed Preferred Warrant”), in each case on terms and conditions (including any vesting or forfeiture and exercise provisions) that are otherwise the same as were applicable to such Company Warrant as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(c)          Prior to the First Effective Time, the Company shall take all action necessary for the adjustment of the Company Options under this Section 3.2. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that, as of the First Effective Time, no holder of a Company Option (or former holder of a Company Option) or a participant in the Company Equity Plan shall have any rights thereunder to acquire, or other rights in respect of, the capital stock of the Company, the First Step Surviving Company or any of their Subsidiaries, or any other equity interest therein. As soon as practicable after the First Effective Time, Parent shall deliver a notice to holders of Assumed Common Options describing the adjustments set forth in this Section 3.2. To the extent necessary to effect Parent’s obligations under this Section 3.2, Parent shall assume sponsorship of the Company Equity Plan, effective as of the First Effective Time.

 

(d)         Parent shall reserve for issuance a number of shares of Parent Common Stock at least equal to the number of shares of Parent Common Stock that will be subject to Assumed Common Options, Assumed Common Warrants and Assumed Preferred Warrants as a result of the actions contemplated by this Section 3.2. As soon as practicable following the First Effective Time, Parent shall file a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any successor form, or if Form S-8 is not available, other appropriate forms) with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock that are or may become subject to the Assumed Common Options and shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement or registration statements (and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so long as the Assumed Common Options remain outstanding and such shares of Parent Common Stock are required to be registered.

 

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Section 3.3           Withholding Rights. Parent, First Merger Sub, the First Step Surviving Company and the Surviving Company (each, a “Withholding Agent) shall each be entitled to deduct and withhold, or cause to be deducted and withheld, from the consideration otherwise payable to any holder of shares of Company Common Stock or otherwise pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as Parent, First Merger Sub, the First Step Surviving Company or the Surviving Company reasonably determines it is required to deduct and withheld under the Code, or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law; provided that if a Withholding Agent determines that any payment to any stockholder of the Company hereunder is subject to deduction and/or withholding, then, except with respect to compensatory payments or as a result of a failure to deliver the certificate described in Section 6.6(c), such Withholding Agent shall (i) provide notice to such stockholder as soon as reasonably practicable after such determination and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with such stockholder prior to Closing to reduce or eliminate any such deduction and/or withholding. To the extent that amounts are so deducted and withheld and are remitted to the applicable taxing authority, such amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Person in respect of whom such deduction and withholding was made.

 

Section 3.4           Dissenters Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each share of the Company Common Stock (other than Excluded Shares) outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time and held by a holder who is entitled to demand and has properly demanded appraisal for such shares of the Company Common Stock in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL (“Dissenting Shares”) shall not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive a portion of the First Merger Consideration unless and until such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses such holder’s right to appraisal and payment under the DGCL. If, after the First Effective Time, any such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or loses such holder’s right to appraisal, such Dissenting Shares shall thereupon be treated as if they had been converted as of the First Effective Time into the right to receive the portion of the First Merger Consideration, if any, to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section 3.1(a)(i), without interest. The Company shall give Parent (a) prompt notice of any demands received by the Company for appraisal of any shares of the Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the First Effective Time, attempted written withdrawals of such demands, and any other instruments served pursuant to the DGCL and received by the Company relating to stockholders’ rights to appraisal with respect to the First Merger and (b) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to any exercise of such appraisal rights under the DGCL. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, voluntarily make any payment with respect to any demands for payment of fair value for capital stock of the Company, offer to settle or settle any such demands or approve any withdrawal of any such demands.

 

Article IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

 

Except as set forth in the corresponding section or subsection of the disclosure letter delivered by the Company to Parent (the “Company Disclosure Letter) (it being agreed that the disclosure of any information in a particular section or subsection of the Company Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure of such information with respect to any other section or subsection of this Agreement to which the relevance of such information is readily apparent on its face), the Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Subs as follows:

 

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Section 4.1            Organization, Standing and Power.

 

(a)         The Company (i) is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) has all requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted and (iii) is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except in the case of clause (iii), where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, “Company Material Adverse Effect” means any event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts that (A) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition, results of operations of the Company or (B) materially impairs the ability of the Company to consummate the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of clause (A) only, Company Material Adverse Effect shall not include any event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts to the extent resulting from (1) changes or conditions generally affecting the industries in which the Company operates, or the economy or the financial, debt, banking, capital, credit or securities markets, in the United States, including effects on such industries, economy or markets resulting from any regulatory and political conditions or developments in general, (2) the outbreak or escalation of war or acts of terrorism or any natural disasters, acts of God or comparable events, epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including the COVID-19 virus) or any worsening of the foregoing, or any declaration of martial law, quarantine or similar directive, policy or guidance or Law or other action by any Governmental Entity in response thereto, (3) changes in Law or GAAP, or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, (4) the public announcement of this Agreement, or (5) any specific action taken (or omitted to be taken) by the Company at or with the express written consent of Parent; provided, that, with respect to clauses (1), (2) and (3), the impact of such event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts is not disproportionately adverse to the Company as compared to other participants in the industries in which the Company operates.

 

(b)          The Company has previously made available to Parent true and complete copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (the “Company Charter”) and Bylaws (the “Company Bylaws”), in each case as amended to the date of this Agreement, and each as so delivered is in full force and effect. The Company is not in violation of any provision of the Company Charter or Company Bylaws. Except with respect to the extent relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or in draft form and except as may be redacted to preserve a privilege (including attorney-client privilege), the Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of the minutes of all meetings of the Company’s stockholders, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) and each committee of the Company Board held since January 1, 2018.

 

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Section 4.2                 Capital Stock.

 

(a)               The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 2,500,000 shares of Company Common Stock and 1,500,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, all of which are designated as Series A Preferred Stock (the “Company Preferred Stock”). As of the date hereof, (i) 752,688 shares of Company Common Stock (excluding treasury shares) were issued and outstanding, (ii) no shares of Company Common Stock were held by the Company in its treasury, (iii) 1,393,966 shares of Company Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, (iv) no shares of Company Preferred Stock were held by the Company in its treasury, (v) 119,251 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company Equity Plan (of which 13,257 shares were subject to outstanding Company Options), (vi) 119,251 Company Warrants are issued and outstanding, and (vii) 119,251 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company Warrants. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are, and all shares reserved for issuance will be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive rights. The Company does not have outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, securities having the right to vote) with the stockholders of the Company on any matter. Except as set forth above in this Section 4.2(a), there are no outstanding (A) shares of capital stock or other voting securities or equity interests of the Company, (B) securities of the Company convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock of the Company or other voting securities or equity interests of the Company, (C) stock appreciation rights, “phantom” stock rights, performance units, interests in or rights to the ownership or earnings of the Company or other equity equivalent or equity-based awards or rights, (D) subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, Contracts or other rights to acquire from the Company, or obligations of the Company to issue, any shares of capital stock of the Company, voting securities, equity interests or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or other voting securities or equity interests of the Company or rights or interests described in the preceding clause (C), or (E) obligations of the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any such securities or to issue, grant, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, granted, delivered or sold, any such securities. There are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to which the Company is a party or of which the Company has knowledge with respect to the holding, voting, registration, redemption, repurchase or disposition of, or that restrict the transfer of, any capital stock or other voting securities or equity interests of the Company.

 

(b)            Section 4.2(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of all holders, as of the date hereof, of outstanding Company Options and other similar rights to purchase or receive shares of Company Common Stock or similar rights granted under the Company Equity Plan or otherwise (collectively, “Company Stock Awards”), indicating as applicable, with respect to each Company Stock Award then outstanding, the type of award granted, the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Stock Award, the name of the plan under which such Company Stock Award was granted, the date of grant, exercise or purchase price, vesting schedule, payment schedule (if different from the vesting schedule) and expiration thereof, and whether (and to what extent) the vesting of such Company Stock Award will be accelerated or otherwise adjusted in any way or any other terms will be triggered or otherwise adjusted in any way by the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or by the termination of employment or engagement or change in position of any holder thereof following or in connection with the Merger. Each Company Option intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies (without reference to the applicable $100,000 limitation) and the exercise price of each Company Option is no less than the fair market value of a share of Company Common Stock as determined on the date of grant of such Company Option. The Company has made available to Parent a true and complete copy of the Company Equity Plan and the forms of all award agreements evidencing outstanding Company Stock Awards. The Company does not sponsor, maintain or administer any employee or director stock option, stock purchase or equity compensation plan or arrangement other than the Company Equity Plan. The Company is under no obligation to issue shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to any employee or director stock option, stock purchase or equity compensation plan or arrangement other than the Company Equity Plan.

 

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Section 4.3              No Subsidiaries. The Company does not have any Subsidiaries. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any equity, membership interest, partnership interest, joint venture interest, or other equity or voting interest in, or any interest convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for any of the foregoing, nor is it under any current or prospective obligation to form or participate in, provide funds to, make any loan, capital contribution, guarantee, credit enhancement or other investment in, or assume any liability or obligation of, any Person.

 

Section 4.4                 Authority.

 

(a)              The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, subject, in the case of the consummation of the Merger, to the Company Stockholder Approval. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and Merger Subs, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity).

 

(b)             The Company Board, at a meeting duly called and held at which all directors of the Company were present, duly and unanimously adopted resolutions (i) determining that the terms of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best interests of the Company’s stockholders, (ii) approving and declaring advisable this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, (iii) directing that this Agreement be submitted to the stockholders of the Company for adoption, and (iv) resolving to recommend that the Company’s stockholders vote in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, which resolutions have not been subsequently rescinded, modified or withdrawn in any way.

 

(c)               The affirmative vote (or written consent) of (i) the holders of a majority of the shares of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock each outstanding on the record date and entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class on an as-converted basis, and (ii) the holders of a majority of the shares of Company Preferred Stock outstanding on the record date and entitled to vote thereon, voting as a separate class on an as-converted basis (collectively, the “Company Stockholder Approval”), is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the Company’s capital stock or other securities required in connection with the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby. Other than the Company Stockholder Approval, no vote of the holders of any class or series of the Company’s capital stock or other securities is required in connection with the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby to be consummated by the Company.

 

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Section 4.5                 No Conflict; Consents and Approvals.

 

(a)               The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company does not, and the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and compliance by the Company with the provisions hereof will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of, or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation, modification or acceleration of any obligation or to the loss of a benefit under, or result in the creation of any pledge, claim, lien, charge, option, right of first refusal, encumbrance or security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any limitation on voting, sale, transfer or other disposition or exercise of any other attribute of ownership) (collectively, “Liens”) in or upon any of the properties, assets or rights of the Company under, or give rise to any increased, additional, accelerated or guaranteed rights or entitlements under, or require any consent, waiver or approval of any Person pursuant to, any provision of (i) the Company Charter or Company Bylaws, (ii) any material bond, debenture, note, mortgage, indenture, guarantee, license, lease, purchase or sale order or other contract, commitment, agreement, instrument, obligation, arrangement, understanding, undertaking, permit, concession or franchise, whether oral or written (each, including all amendments thereto, a “Contract”) to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of its properties or assets may be bound or (iii) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in Section 4.5(b), any federal, state, local or foreign law (including common law), statute, ordinance, rule, code, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other legally enforceable requirement (“Law”) applicable to the Company or by which the Company or any of its properties or assets may be bound, except as, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), as individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)             No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration, filing with or notice to, any federal, state, local or foreign government or subdivision thereof or any other governmental, administrative, judicial, arbitral, legislative, executive, regulatory or self-regulatory authority, instrumentality, agency, commission or body (each, a “Governmental Entity”) is required by or with respect to the Company in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company or the consummation by the Company of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby or compliance with the provisions hereof, except for (i) the filing with the SEC of such reports under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as may be required in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) such other filings and reports as may be required pursuant to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the Exchange Act and any other applicable state or federal securities, takeover and “blue sky” laws, (iii) the filing of the First Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State as required by the DGCL, (iv) the filing of the Second Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State as required by the DGCL and the DLLCA, and (v) such other consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations, filings or notices the failure of which to be obtained or made, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 4.6                 Financial Statements.

 

(a)               True and complete copies of the (I) audited balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, and the related audited statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company, together with all related notes and schedules thereto, accompanied by the reports thereon of the Company’s independent auditors (collectively referred to as the “Company Audited Financial Statements”), (II) the unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2018, and the related statements of operations and cash flows of the Company (collectively referred to as the “Company Unaudited Financial Statements”) and (III) the unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2020, and the related statements of operations and cash flows of the Company (collectively referred to as the “Company Interim Financial Statements”), are attached hereto as Section 4.6(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter. The Company Audited Financial Statements, the Company Unaudited Financial Statement and the Company Interim Financial Statements (i) are correct and complete in all material respects and have been prepared in accordance with the books and records of the Company; (ii) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto); and (iii) fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein and subject to, in the case of the Company Unaudited Financial Statements and the Company Interim Financial Statements, the lack of related notes and, solely in the case of the Company Interim Financial Statements, normal and recurring year-end adjustments that will not, individually or in the aggregate, be material.

 

(b)             The books of account and financial records of the Company are true and correct and have been prepared and are maintained in accordance with sound accounting practice.

 

(c)           The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls consistent with the practices of similarly situated private companies designed to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the financial statements of the Company in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability of the Company’s assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for the Company’s assets is compared with the existing assets at regular intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company maintains internal control over financial reporting that provides reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP.

 

(d)               Since January 1, 2020, neither the Company nor its independent auditors have identified (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the design or operation of the system of internal accounting controls utilized by the Company, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves the Company, the Company’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by the Company or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.

 

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Section 4.7              No Undisclosed Liabilities. The Company does not have any liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, known or unknown, whether due or to become due and whether or not required to be recorded or reflected on a balance sheet under GAAP, except (a) to the extent accrued or reserved against in the unaudited balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2020 (such balance sheet, the “Company Balance Sheet”) and (b) for liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since the date of the Company Balance Sheet that are not material to the Company. The Company has not applied for or received any funds or incurred any indebtedness pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (P.L. 116-136), enacted March 27, 2020 (the “CARES Act”) or any other economic relief or stimulus legislation or program, or otherwise received any funds or incurred any indebtedness from any Governmental Entity.

 

Section 4.8                Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of the Company Balance Sheet: (x) except in connection with execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company has conducted its business only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (y) there has not been any change, event or development or prospective change, event or development that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; and (z) the Company has not:

 

(a)               (i) declared, set aside or paid any dividends on, or made any other distributions (whether in cash, stock or property) in respect of, any of its capital stock or other equity interests, (ii) purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired shares of capital stock or other equity interests of the Company or any options, warrants, or rights to acquire any such shares or other equity interests, or (iii) split, combined, reclassified or otherwise amended the terms of any of its capital stock or other equity interests or issued or authorized the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its capital stock or other equity interests (other than the issuance of shares of the Company Common Stock upon the exercise of Company Options or Company Warrants, in accordance with their terms, except for acquisitions of Company Common Stock in satisfaction by holders of Company Options of the applicable exercise price and/or withholding Taxes);

 

(b)             amended or otherwise changed, or authorized or proposed to amend or otherwise change, its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational documents);

 

(c)               adopted or entered into a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or reorganization; or

 

(d)               changed its financial or Tax accounting methods, principles or practices, except insofar as may have been required by a change in GAAP or applicable Law, or revalued any of its material assets.

 

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Section 4.9            Litigation. There is no action, suit, claim, arbitration, investigation, inquiry, grievance or other proceeding (each, an “Action) (or basis therefor) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, its properties or assets, or any present or former officer, director or employee of the Company in such individual’s capacity as such, other than any Action that (a) does not involve an amount in controversy in excess of $100,000 and (b) does not seek material injunctive or other nonmonetary relief. Neither the Company nor any of its properties or assets is subject to any outstanding judgment, order, injunction, rule or decree of any Governmental Entity. There is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened seeking to prevent, hinder, modify, delay or challenge the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 4.10         Compliance with Laws. The Company is and has been in compliance in all material respects with all Laws applicable to its businesses, operations, properties or assets. The Company has not received, since January 1, 2018, a notice or other written communication alleging or relating to a possible material violation of any Law applicable to its businesses, operations, properties, assets or Company Products (as defined below). The Company has in effect all material permits, licenses, variances, exemptions, applications, approvals, clearances, authorizations, registrations, formulary listings, consents, operating certificates, franchises, orders and approvals (collectively, “Permits) of all Governmental Entities necessary or advisable for it to own, lease or operate its properties and assets and to carry on its businesses and operations as now conducted, and there has occurred no violation of, default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under or event giving to others any right of revocation, non-renewal, adverse modification or cancellation of, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, any such Permit, nor would any such revocation, nonrenewal, adverse modification or cancellation result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 4.11              Health Care Regulatory Matters.

 

(a)               The Company, and to the knowledge of the Company, each of its directors, officers, management employees, agents (while acting in such capacity), contract manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors are, and at all times prior hereto were, in material compliance with all health care laws to the extent applicable to the Company or any of its products or activities, including, but not limited to the following: the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (“FDCA”); the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.), including the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (42 U.S.C. § 263a); the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq.); the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801 et seq.); the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)); the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a); the civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq.); the administrative False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)); the Stark law (42 U.S.C. § 1395nn); the Criminal Health Care Fraud Statute (18 U.S.C. § 1347); the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. § 17921 et seq.); the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7); Medicare (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act); Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act); and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. § 18001 et seq.); any regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and any other state, federal or ex-U.S. laws, accreditation standards, or regulations governing the manufacturing, development, testing, labeling, advertising, marketing or distribution of biological products, kickbacks, patient or program charges, record-keeping, claims process, documentation requirements, medical necessity, referrals, the hiring of employees or acquisition of services or supplies from those who have been excluded from government health care programs, quality, safety, privacy, security, licensure, accreditation or any other aspect of providing health care, clinical laboratory or diagnostic products or services (“Health Care Laws”). To the knowledge of the Company, there are no facts or circumstances that reasonably would be expected to give rise to any material liability under any Health Care Laws.

 

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(b)               The Company is not party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any Governmental Entity.

 

(c)               All applications, notifications, submissions, information, claims, reports and statistical analyses, and other data and conclusions derived therefrom, utilized as the basis for or submitted in connection with any and all requests for a Permit from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) or other Governmental Entity relating to products that are regulated as drugs, medical devices, or other healthcare products under Health Care Laws, including biological and drug candidates, compounds or products being researched, tested, stored, developed, labeled, manufactured, packed and/or distributed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (“Company Products”), including, without limitation, investigational new drug applications, when submitted to the FDA or other Governmental Entity were true, complete and correct in all material respects as of the date of submission and any necessary or required updates, changes, corrections or modification to such applications, submissions, information and data have been submitted to the FDA or other Governmental Entity. The Company does not have knowledge of any facts or circumstances that would be reasonably likely to lead to the revocation, suspension, limitation, or cancellation of a Permit required under Health Care Laws.

 

(d)              All preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the knowledge of the Company, on behalf of the Company have been, and if still pending are being, conducted in material compliance with research protocols and all applicable Health Care Laws, including, but not limited to, the FDCA and its applicable implementing regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, 312 and 314. No clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of the Company has been conducted using any clinical investigators who have been disqualified, debarred or excluded from healthcare programs. No clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of the Company has been terminated or suspended prior to completion, and no clinical investigator who has participated or is participating in, or institutional review board that has or has had jurisdiction over, a clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of the Company has placed a partial or full clinical hold order on, or otherwise terminated, delayed or suspended, such a clinical trial at a clinical research site based on an actual or alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any Company Product or a failure to conduct such clinical trial in compliance with applicable Health Care Laws, their implementing regulations and good clinical practices.

 

(e)               All manufacturing operations conducted by or, to the knowledge of the Company, for the benefit of the Company have been and are being conducted in material compliance with all Permits under applicable Health Care Laws, all applicable provisions of the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) regulations for biological products at 21 C.F.R. Parts 600 and 610 and all comparable foreign regulatory requirements of any Governmental Entity.

 

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(f)                The Company has not received any written communication that relates to an alleged violation or noncompliance with any Health Care Laws, including any notification of any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration, import detention or refusal, FDA Warning Letter or Untitled Letter, or any action by a Governmental Entity relating to any Health Care Laws. All Warning Letters, Form-483 observations, or comparable findings from other Governmental Entities listed in Section 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Letter have been resolved and closed out to the satisfaction of the applicable Governmental Entity.

 

(g)               There have been no seizures, withdrawals, recalls, detentions, or suspensions of manufacturing, testing, or distribution relating to the Company Products required or requested by a Governmental Entity, or other notice of action relating to an alleged lack of safety, efficacy, or regulatory compliance of the Company Products, or any adverse experiences relating to the Company Products that have been reported to FDA or other Governmental Entity (“Company Safety Notices”), and, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no facts or circumstances that reasonably would be expected to give rise to a Company Safety Notice. All Company Safety Notices listed in Section 4.11(g) of the Company Disclosure Letter have been resolved to the satisfaction of the applicable Governmental Entity.

 

(h)              There are no unresolved Company Safety Notices, and to the knowledge the Company, there are no facts that would be reasonably likely to result in a material Company Safety Notice or a termination or suspension of developing and testing of any of the Company Products.

 

(i)               Neither the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of the Company has made an untrue statement of a material fact or fraudulent or misleading statement to a Governmental Entity, failed to disclose a material fact required to be disclosed to a Governmental Entity, or committed an act, made a statement, or failed to make a statement that would reasonably be expected to provide a basis for the FDA to invoke its policy respecting the “Fraud, Untrue Statements of Material Facts, Bribery, and Illegal Gratuities” Final Policy set forth in 56 Fed. Reg. 46191 (September 10, 1991) and any amendments thereto (the “FDA Ethics Policy”). To the knowledge of the Company, none of the aforementioned is or has been under investigation resulting from any allegedly untrue, fraudulent, misleading, or false statement or omission, including data fraud, or had any action pending or threatened relating to the FDA Ethics Policy.

 

(j)              All reports, documents, claims, Permits and notices required to be filed, maintained or furnished to the FDA or any Governmental Entity by the Company have been so filed, maintained or furnished, except where failure to file, maintain or furnish such reports, documents, claims, Permits or notices have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect. All such reports, documents, claims, Permits and notices were true and complete in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected in or supplemented by a subsequent filing).

 

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(k)               Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of the Company has committed any act, made any statement or failed to make any statement that violates the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b, the Federal False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, other Drug or Health Care Laws, or any other similar federal, state, or ex-U.S. law applicable in the jurisdictions in which the Company Products are sold or intended to be sold.

 

(l)                 Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of the Company has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct that has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in debarment under applicable Law, including, without limitation, 21 U.S.C. § 335a, or exclusion under 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7, or any other statutory provision or similar law applicable in other jurisdictions in which the Company Products are sold or intended to be sold. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, agent or distributor of the Company, has been excluded from participation in any federal health care program or convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which such Person could be excluded from participating in any federal health care program under Section 1128 of the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, or any similar Health Care Law or program.

 

Section 4.12                  Benefit Plans.

 

(a)               Section 4.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter contains a true and complete list of each material “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), whether or not subject to ERISA), “multiemployer plans” (within the meaning of ERISA section 3(37)), and all stock purchase, stock option, phantom stock or other equity-based plan, severance, employment, collective bargaining, change-in-control, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, supplemental retirement, health, life, or disability insurance, dependent care and all other employee benefit and compensation plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA (including any funding mechanism therefor now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise), whether formal or informal, written or oral, legally binding or not, under which any current or former employee, director or consultant of the Company (or any of their dependents) has any present or future right to compensation or benefits or the Company sponsors or maintains, is making contributions to or has any present or future liability or obligation (contingent or otherwise) or with respect to which it is otherwise bound. All such plans, agreements, programs, policies and arrangements shall be collectively referred to as the “Company Plans.” The Company has provided or made available to Parent a current, accurate and complete copy of each material Company Plan, or if such Company Plan is not in written form, a written summary of all of the material terms of such Company Plan. With respect to each Company Plan, the Company has furnished or made available to Parent a current, accurate and complete copy of, to the extent applicable: (i) any related trust agreement or other funding instrument, (ii) the most recent determination letter of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), (iii) any summary plan description, summary of material modifications, and other similar material written communications (or a written description of any material oral communications) to the employees of the Company concerning the extent of the benefits provided under a Company Plan, and (iv) for the three most recent years and as applicable (A) the Form 5500 and attached schedules, (B) audited financial statements and (C) actuarial valuation reports.

 

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(b)         Neither the Company nor any member of its Controlled Group (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled, affiliated or otherwise related group of entities within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o)) has ever sponsored, maintained, contributed to or been required to contribute to or incurred any liability (contingent or otherwise) with respect to: (i) a “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of ERISA section 3(37)), (ii) an “employee pension benefit plan,” within the meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA (“Pension Plan”) that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, (iii) a Pension Plan which is a “multiple employer plan” as defined in Section 413 of the Code, or (iv) a “funded welfare plan” within the meaning of Section 419 of the Code.

 

(c)           With respect to the Company Plans:

 

(i)              each Company Plan complies in all material respects with its terms and materially complies in form and in operation with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code and all other applicable legal requirements;

 

(ii)            each Company Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination, advisory and/or opinion letter, as applicable, from the IRS that it is so qualified and nothing has occurred to the knowledge of the Company since the date of such letter that would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of the sponsor’s ability to rely upon such letter, and nothing has occurred to the knowledge of the Company that would reasonably be expected to result in the loss of the qualified status of such Company Plan;

 

(iii)           there is no material Action (including any investigation, audit or other administrative proceeding) by the Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (the “PBGC”), the IRS or any other Governmental Entity or by any plan participant or beneficiary pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, relating to the Company Plans, any fiduciaries thereof with respect to their duties to the Company Plans or the assets of any of the trusts under any of the Company Plans (other than routine claims for benefits);

 

(iv)           none of the Company Plans currently provides, or reflects or represents any liability to provide post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any person for any reason, except as may be required by Section 601 et seq. of ERISA and Section 4980B(b) of the Code or other applicable similar law regarding health care coverage continuation (collectively, “COBRA”), and none of the Company or any members of its Controlled Group has any liability to provide post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any person or ever represented, promised or contracted to any employee or former employee of the Company (either individually or to Company employees as a group) or any other person that such employee(s) or other person would be provided with post-termination or retiree welfare benefits, except to the extent required by statute or except with respect to a contractual obligation to reimburse any premiums such person may pay in order to obtain health coverage under COBRA;

 

(v)             each Company Plan is subject exclusively to United States Law; and

 

(vi)          the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger will not, either alone or in combination with any other event, (A) entitle any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other similar termination payment, or (B) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of or otherwise enhance any benefit due to any such employee, officer, director or consultant.

 

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(d)               The Company is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or plan (including any Company Plan) that may reasonably be expected to result, separately or in the aggregate, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone or in combination with any other events), in the payment of any “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code. There is no agreement, plan or other arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is otherwise bound to compensate any person in respect of Taxes or other liabilities incurred with respect to Section 409A or 4999 of the Code.

 

(e)               Each Company Plan that is a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (or any comparable or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Law) complies in both form and operation in all material respects with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (or any comparable or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Law) and all applicable IRS guidance issued with respect thereto (and has so complied for the entire period during which Section 409A of the Code has applied to such Company Plan) so that no amount paid or payable pursuant to any such Company Plan is subject to any additional Tax or interest under Section 409A of the Code (or any comparable or similar provision of state, local, or foreign Law).

 

Section 4.13               Labor and Employment Matters.

 

(a)              The Company is and since January 1, 2018 has been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to labor and employment, including those relating to employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, collective bargaining, disability, immigration, health and safety, wages, hours and benefits, nondiscrimination in employment, workers’ compensation, the collection and payment of withholding and/or payroll Taxes and similar Taxes, unemployment compensation, equal employment opportunity, discrimination, harassment, employee and contractor classification, information privacy and security, and continuation coverage with respect to group health plans. During the preceding three years, there has not been, and as of the date of this Agreement there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, any labor dispute, work stoppage, labor strike or lockout against the Company by employees.

 

(b)               No employee of the Company is covered by an effective or pending collective bargaining agreement or similar labor agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, there has not been any activity on behalf of any labor union, labor organization or similar employee group to organize any employees of the Company. There are no (i) unfair labor practice charges or complaints against the Company pending before the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority and to the knowledge of the Company no such representations, claims or petitions are threatened, (ii) representation claims or petitions pending before the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority or (iii) grievances or pending arbitration proceedings against the Company that arose out of or under any collective bargaining agreement.

 

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(c)               To the knowledge of the Company, no current employee or officer of the Company intends, or is expected, to terminate his or her employment relationship with such entity in connection with or as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(d)             During the preceding three years, (i) the Company has not effectuated a “plant closing” (as defined in the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act of 1988, as amended (the “WARN Act”)) affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility, (ii) there has not occurred a “mass layoff” (as defined in the WARN Act) in connection with the Company affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility and (iii) the Company has not engaged in layoffs or employment terminations sufficient in number to trigger application of any similar state, local or foreign law. The Company currently properly classifies and for the past three (3) years has properly classified its employees as exempt or nonexempt in accordance with applicable overtime laws, and no person treated as an independent contractor or consultant by the Company within the past three (3) years should have been properly classified as an employee under applicable Law.

 

(e)               With respect to any current or former employee, officer, consultant or other service provider of the Company, there are no Actions against the Company pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to be brought or filed, in connection with the employment or engagement of any current or former employee, officer, consultant or other service provider of the Company, including, without limitation, any claim relating to employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, equal pay, employment classification or any other employment-related matter arising under applicable Laws, except where such action would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in the Company incurring a material liability.

 

(f)               Except with respect to any Company Plan (which subject is addressed in Section 4.12 above), the execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions set forth in or contemplated by this Agreement will not result in any breach or violation of, or cause any payment to be made under, any applicable Laws respecting labor and employment or any collective bargaining agreement to which the Company is a party.

 

(g)             Since January 1, 2018, (i) no allegations of workplace sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct have been made, initiated, filed or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of its respective current or former directors, officers or senior-level management employees, (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, no incidents of any such workplace sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct have occurred, and (iii) the Company has not entered into any settlement agreement related to allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct by any of its directors, officers or employees described in clause (i) hereof or any independent contractor.

 

(h)               The Company is and has at all relevant times been in compliance with (i) COVID-19-related Laws, standards, regulations, orders and guidance (including without limitation relating to business reopening), including those issued and enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and any other Governmental Entity; and (ii) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and any other applicable COVID-19-related leave Law, whether state, local or otherwise.

 

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Section 4.14                  Environmental Matters.

 

(a)              Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company has conducted its businesses in compliance with all, and has not violated any, applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) the Company has obtained all Permits of all Governmental Entities and any other Person that are required under any Environmental Law; (iii) there has been no release of any Hazardous Substance by the Company or any other Person in any manner that has given or would reasonably be expected to give rise to any remedial or investigative obligation, corrective action requirement or liability of the Company under applicable Environmental Laws; (iv) the Company has not received any claims, notices, demand letters or requests for information (except for such claims, notices, demand letters or requests for information the subject matter of which has been resolved prior to the date of this Agreement) from any federal, state, local, foreign or provincial Governmental Entity or any other Person asserting that the Company is in violation of, or liable under, any Environmental Law; (v) no Hazardous Substance has been disposed of, arranged to be disposed of, released or transported in violation of any applicable Environmental Law, or in a manner that has given rise to, or that would reasonably be expected to give rise to, any liability under any Environmental Law, in each case, on, at, under or from any current or former properties or facilities owned or operated by the Company or as a result of any operations or activities of the Company at any location and, to the knowledge of the Company, Hazardous Substances are not otherwise present at or about any such properties or facilities in amount or condition that has resulted in or would reasonably be expected to result in liability to the Company under any Environmental Law; and (vi) neither the Company nor any of its respective properties or facilities are subject to, or are threatened to become subject to, any liabilities relating to any suit, settlement, court order, administrative order, regulatory requirement, judgment or claim asserted or arising under any Environmental Law or any agreement relating to environmental liabilities.

 

(b)             As used herein, “Environmental Law” means any Law relating to (i) the protection, preservation or restoration of the environment (including air, surface water, groundwater, drinking water supply, surface and subsurface soils and strata, wetlands, plant and animal life or any other natural resource) or (ii) the exposure to, or the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling, labeling, production, release or disposal of Hazardous Substances.

 

(c)              As used herein, “Hazardous Substance” means any substance listed, defined, designated, classified or regulated as a waste, pollutant or contaminant or as hazardous, toxic, radioactive or dangerous or any other term of similar import under any Environmental Law, including but not limited to petroleum.

 

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Section 4.15               Taxes.

 

(a)              The Company has (i) filed all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of it (taking into account any applicable extensions thereof) and all such Tax Returns are true, accurate and complete in all material respects; and (ii) paid in full (or caused to be timely paid in full) all material Taxes that are required to be paid by or with respect to it, whether or not such Taxes were shown as due on such Tax Returns.

 

(b)               All material Taxes not yet due and payable by the Company as of December 31, 2019 have been, in all respects, properly accrued in accordance with GAAP on the Company Audited Financial Statements, and such Company Audited Financial Statements reflect an adequate reserve (in accordance with GAAP) for all material Taxes accrued but unpaid by the Company through the date of such financial statements. Since December 31, 2019, the Company has not incurred, individually or in the aggregate, any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business.

 

(c)               The Company has not executed any waiver of any statute of limitations on, or extended the period for the assessment or collection of, any material amount of Tax, in each case that has not since expired.

 

(d)               No material audits or other investigations, proceedings, claims, assessments or examinations by any Governmental Entity (each, a “Tax Action”) with respect to Taxes or any Tax Return of the Company are presently in progress or have been asserted, threatened or proposed in writing. No deficiencies or claims for a material amount of Taxes have been claimed, proposed, assessed or asserted in writing against the Company by a Governmental Entity, other than any such claim, proposal, assessment or assertion that has been satisfied by payment in full, settled or withdrawn.

 

(e)              Subject to exceptions as would not be material, the Company has timely withheld all Taxes required to have been withheld from payments made (or deemed made) to its employees, independent contractors, creditors, shareholders and other third parties and, to the extent required, such Taxes have been timely paid to the relevant Governmental Entity.

 

(f)                The Company has not engaged in a “reportable transaction” as set forth in Treasury Regulations § 1.6011-4(b).

 

(g)            The Company (i) is not a party to or bound by, or has any liability pursuant to, any Tax sharing, allocation, indemnification or similar agreement or obligation, other than any such agreement or obligation which is a customary commercial agreement or obligation entered into in the ordinary course of business with vendors, lessors, lenders or the like the primary purpose of which is unrelated to Taxes (each, an “Ordinary Course Agreement”); (ii) is not and has not been a member of a group (other than a group the common parent of which is the Company) filing a consolidated, combined, affiliated, unitary or similar income Tax Return; (iii) has no liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than the Company) pursuant to Treasury Regulations § 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or non-United States Law) as a transferee or successor, by Contract (other than Ordinary Course Agreements) or otherwise by operation of Law; and (iv) is not and has not been treated as a resident for any income Tax purpose, or as subject to Tax by virtue of having a permanent establishment, an office or fixed place of business, in any country other than the country in which it was or is organized.

 

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(h)               No private-letter rulings, technical advice memoranda, or similar material agreements or rulings have been requested in writing, entered into or issued by any taxing authority with respect to the Company which rulings remain in effect.

 

(i)                The Company will not be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of (i) a change in, or use of improper, method of accounting requested or initiated on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) a “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any similar provision of Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) an installment sale or open-transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date, (iv) any deferred intercompany gain or excess-loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law), (v) an election under Section 965 of the Code, or (vi) the application of Section 951 or 951A of the Code with respect to income earned or recognized or payments received prior to the Closing.

 

(j)               There are no liens for Taxes upon any of the assets of the Company other than Liens described in clause (i) of the definition of Permitted Liens.

 

(k)               The Company has not distributed stock of another Person or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction (or series of transactions) that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or 361 of the Code.

 

(l)                 The Company has not been a United States real property holding corporation, as defined in Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.

 

(m)               No material claim has been made in writing by any Governmental Entity in a jurisdiction where the Company does not currently file or has not filed a Tax Return that the Company is or may be subject to taxation by such jurisdiction.

 

(n)               Section 4.15(n) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth the entity classification of the Company for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company has not made an election or taken any other action to change its federal and state income tax classification from such classification.

 

(o)               To the Company’s knowledge, the Company has not been, is not, and immediately prior to the First Effective Time will not be, treated as an “investment company” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(2)(F) of the Code.

 

(p)             The Company has not taken any action (or agreed to take any action) nor does it know of any fact or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a transaction qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.15, where the context permits, each reference to the Company shall include a reference to any person for whose Taxes the Company is liable under applicable Law.

 

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Section 4.16               Contracts.

 

(a)              As of the date of this Agreement, there are no Contracts that would constitute a “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act), with respect to the Company (assuming the Company was subject to the requirements of the Exchange Act), other than those Contracts identified in Section 4.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter, which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall exclude any Company Plans (all such contracts, “Material Contracts”).

 

(b)               (i) Each Material Contract is valid and binding on the Company and to the knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms; (ii) the Company, and, to the knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, has performed all material obligations required to be performed by it under each Material Contract; and (iii) there is no material default under any Material Contract by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto, and no event or condition has occurred that constitutes, or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute, a material default on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto under any such Material Contract, nor has the Company received any notice of any such material default, event or condition. The Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of all Material Contracts, including all amendments thereto.

 

Section 4.17             Insurance. The Company is covered by valid and currently effective insurance policies issued in favor of the Company that are customary and adequate for companies of similar size in the industries and locations in which the Company operates. Section 4.17 of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of all material insurance policies issued in favor of the Company, or pursuant to which the Company is a named insured or otherwise a beneficiary, as well as any historic incurrence-based policies still in force. With respect to each such insurance policy, (a) such policy is in full force and effect and all premiums due thereon have been paid, (b) the Company is not in breach or default, and has not taken any action or failed to take any action which (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) would constitute such a breach or default, or would permit termination or modification of, any such policy and (c) to the knowledge of the Company, no insurer issuing any such policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship or liquidation. No notice of cancellation or termination has been received with respect to any such policy, nor will any such cancellation or termination result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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Section 4.18              Properties.

 

(a)               The Company has good and valid title to, or in the case of leased property and leased tangible assets, a valid leasehold interest in, all of its real properties and tangible assets that are necessary for the Company to conduct its business as currently conducted, free and clear of all Liens other than (i) Liens for current Taxes and assessments not yet past due or the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (ii) mechanics’, workmen’s, repairmen’s, warehousemen’s and carriers’ Liens arising in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (iii) any such matters of record, Liens and other imperfections of title that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the continued ownership, use and operation of the assets to which they relate in the business of the Company as currently conducted (“Permitted Liens”). Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect on the Company, the tangible personal property currently used in the operation of the business of the Company is in good working order (reasonable wear and tear excepted).

 

(b)              The Company has complied with the terms of all leases to which it is a party, and all such leases are in full force and effect, except for any such noncompliance or failure to be in full force and effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company enjoys peaceful and undisturbed possession under all such leases, except for any such failure to do so that, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)              Section 4.18(c) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of (i) all real property owned by the Company and (ii) all real property leased for the benefit of the Company.

 

(d)               This Section 4.18 does not relate to intellectual property, which is the subject of Section 4.19.

 

Section 4.19              Intellectual Property.

 

(a)         Section 4.19(a) of the Company Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of all (i) material patents and patent applications; (ii) material trademark registrations and applications; and (iii) material copyright registrations and applications, in each case owned by the Company (collectively, “Company Registered IP”) and a true and complete list of all domain names owned or exclusively licensed by the Company. Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect (A) all of the Company Registered IP is subsisting and, in the case of any Company Registered IP that is registered or issued and to the knowledge of the Company, valid and enforceable, (B) no Company Registered IP is involved in any interference, reissue, derivation, reexamination, opposition, cancellation or similar proceeding and, to the knowledge of the Company, no such action is threatened with respect to any of the Company Registered IP and (C) the Company owns exclusively, free and clear of any and all Liens (other than Permitted Liens), all Company Owned IP, including all Intellectual Property created on behalf of the Company by employees or independent contractors.

 

(b)             Section 4.19(b) of the Company Disclosure Letter accurately identifies (i) all contracts pursuant to which any Company Registered IP are licensed to the Company (other than (A) any non-customized software that (1) is so licensed solely in executable or object code form pursuant to a nonexclusive, internal-use software license and other Intellectual Property associated with such software and (2) is not incorporated into, or material to the development, manufacturing, or distribution of, any of the Company’s products or services, (B) any Intellectual Property licensed on a nonexclusive basis ancillary to the purchase or use of equipment, reagents or other materials, (C) any confidential information provided under confidentiality agreements and (D) agreements between Company and its employees in Company’s standard form thereof), (ii) the corresponding Company contract pursuant to which such Company Registered IP is licensed to the Company and (iii) whether the license or licenses granted to the Company are exclusive or nonexclusive.

 

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(c)               Section 4.19(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule accurately identifies each Company contract pursuant to which any Person has been granted any license or covenant not to sue under, or otherwise has received or acquired any right (whether or not currently exercisable) or interest in, any Company Registered IP (other than (i) any confidential information provided under confidentiality agreements and (ii) any Company Registered IP nonexclusively licensed to academic collaborators, suppliers or service providers for the sole purpose of enabling such academic collaborator, supplier or service providers to provide services for Company’s benefit).

 

(d)               To the knowledge of Company, the Company Registered IP constitutes all Intellectual Property necessary for Company to conduct its business as currently conducted; provided, however, that the foregoing representation is not a representation with respect to non-infringement of Intellectual Property.

 

(e)              The Company has taken commercially reasonable measures to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes or constituted a material Trade Secret of the Company, including requiring all Persons having access thereto to execute written nondisclosure agreements or other binding obligations to maintain confidentiality of such information.

 

(f)            Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of the businesses of the Company, including the manufacture, marketing, offering for sale, sale, importation, use or intended use or other disposal of any product as currently sold or under development by Company, has not infringed, misappropriated or diluted, and does not infringe, misappropriate or dilute, any Intellectual Property of any Person, (ii) the Company has not received any written notice or claim asserting or suggesting that any such infringement, misappropriation, or dilution is or may be occurring or has or may have occurred and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no Person is infringing, misappropriating, or diluting in any material respect any Company Registered IP.

 

(g)           Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) the Company has taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and security of the computer and information technology systems used by the Company (the “IT Systems”) and the information and transactions stored or contained therein or transmitted thereby, (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, during the past two (2) years, there has been no unauthorized or improper use, loss, access, transmittal, modification or corruption of any such information or data and (iii) during the past two (2) years, there have been no material failures, crashes, viruses, security breaches (including any unauthorized access to any personally identifiable information), affecting the IT Systems.

 

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(h)              Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the knowledge of the Company, the Company has at all times complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to privacy, data protection, and the collection, retention, protection, and use of Personal Information (collectively, “Privacy Laws”) collected, used, or held for use by the Company, (ii) during the past two (2) years, no claims have been asserted or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against the Company alleging a violation of any Person’s privacy or Personal Information, (iii) neither this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will breach or otherwise violate any applicable Privacy Laws and (iv) the Company has taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the Personal Information collected, used or held for use by the Company against loss and unauthorized access, use, modification, disclosure or other misuse.

 

(i)               To the knowledge of the Company, no government funding, facilities or resources of a university, college, other educational institution or research center or funding from third parties was used in the development of the Company Owned IP, to the knowledge of the Company, exclusively licensed to the Company, and no Governmental Entity, university, college, other educational institution or research center has, to the knowledge of the Company, any claim or right in or to such Intellectual Property.

 

(j)            The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will not result in the loss of, or give rise to any right of any third party to terminate or modify any of the Company’s rights or obligations under any agreement under which the Company grants to any Person, or any Person grants to the Company, a license or right under or with respect to any Intellectual Property that is material to any of the businesses of the Company.

 

Section 4.20               State Takeover Statutes. As of the date hereof and at all times on or prior to the First Effective Time, the Company Board has taken all actions so that the restrictions applicable to business combinations contained in Section 203 of the DGCL are, and will be, inapplicable to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the timely consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and will not restrict, impair or delay the ability of Parent or Merger Subs, after the First Effective Time, to vote or otherwise exercise all rights as a stockholder of the Company. No other “moratorium,” “fair price,” “business combination,” “control share acquisition” or similar provision of any state anti-takeover Law (collectively, “Takeover Laws”) or any similar anti-takeover provision in the Company Charter or Company Bylaws is, or at the First Effective Time will be, applicable to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 4.21                No Rights Plan. There is no stockholder rights plan, “poison pill” anti-takeover plan or other similar device in effect to which the Company is a party or is otherwise bound.

 

Section 4.22             Related Party Transactions. Since January 1, 2018 through the date of this Agreement, there have been no transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings between the Company, on the one hand, and the Affiliates of the Company, on the other hand, that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act (assuming the Company was subject to the requirements of the Exchange Act).

 

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Section 4.23           Certain Payments. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its respective directors, executives, representatives, agents or employees (a) has used or is using any corporate funds for any illegal contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity, (b) has used or is using any corporate funds for any direct or indirect unlawful payments to any foreign or domestic governmental officials or employees, (c) has violated or is violating any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, (d) has established or maintained, or is maintaining, any unlawful fund of corporate monies or other properties, or (e) has made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment of any nature.

 

Section 4.24               Brokers. No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person, other than as set forth on Section 4.24 of the Company Disclosure Letter, the fees and expenses of which will be paid by the Company, or following the First Effective Time, is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Affiliates. The Company has furnished to Parent a true and complete copy of any Contract between the Company and any Person identified on Section 4.24 of the Company Disclosure Letter pursuant to which such Person could be entitled to any payment from the Company relating to the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 4.25            Stock Purchase Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, none of its stockholders has entered into any agreement, side letter or other arrangement relating to the Concurrent Investment other than as set forth in the Stock Purchase Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, (i) the Stock Purchase Agreement will be in full force and effect and will represent a valid, binding and enforceable obligation of each stockholder of the Company and such stockholder’s Affiliates to the extent party thereto (except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity) and (ii) no event has occurred which, with or without notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a breach or default on the part of any stockholder of the Company or such stockholder’s Affiliates to the extent party thereto. To the knowledge of the Company, no stockholder of the Company or Affiliate of any stockholder of the Company to the extent party thereto will be unable to satisfy on a timely basis any term of the Stock Purchase Agreement. To the knowledge of the Company, the proceeds of the Concurrent Investment payable by any stockholder of the Company or affiliate of any stockholder of the Company will be made available to Parent immediately prior to or concurrently with the consummation of the Concurrent Investment.

 

Section 4.26               Accredited Investor Status. Prior to the date of this Agreement each holder of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock in the Company has previously represented to the Company that he, she or it is an “accredited investor” within the meaning of Regulation D, Rule 501(a), promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act or is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of Regulation S, Rule 902, promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.

 

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Section 4.27        No Other Representations and Warranties. Except for the representations and warranties contained in Article V, the Company acknowledges and agrees that none of Parent, Merger Subs or any other Person on behalf of Parent or Merger Subs makes any other express or implied representation or warranty whatsoever, and specifically (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing) that none of Parent, its Subsidiaries or any other Person on behalf of Parent or Merger Subs makes any representation or warranty with respect to any projections or forecasts delivered or made available to the Company or any of its Representatives of future revenues, results of operations (or any component thereof), cash flows or financial condition (or any component thereof) of Parent (including any such projections or forecasts made available to the Company and Representatives in certain “data rooms” or management presentations in expectation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), and the Company has not relied on any such information or any representation or warranty not set forth in Article V.

 

Article V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUBS

 

Except (a) as disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents at least three Business Days prior to the date of this Agreement and that is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure to be applicable to the representation and warranty set forth herein (other than any disclosures contained or referenced therein under the captions “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements,” “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” and any other disclosures contained or referenced therein of information, factors, or risks that are predictive, cautionary, or forward-looking in nature); or (b) as set forth in the corresponding section or subsection of the disclosure letter delivered by Parent to the Company immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement (the “Parent Disclosure Letter) (it being agreed that the disclosure of any information in a particular section or subsection of the Parent Disclosure Letter shall be deemed disclosure of such information with respect to any other section or subsection of this Agreement to which the relevance of such information is readily apparent on its face), each of Parent and the Merger Subs represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

 

Section 5.1            Organization, Standing and Power.

 

(a)               Each of Parent and First Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and Second Merger Sub is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its formation. Each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub (i) has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted and (ii) is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except in the case of clause (ii), where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, “Parent Material Adverse Effect” means any event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts that (A) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, assets, liabilities, financial condition, or results of operations of Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (B) materially impairs the ability of Parent or Merger Subs to consummate the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of clause (A) only, Parent Material Adverse Effect shall not include any event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts to the extent resulting from (1) changes or conditions generally affecting the industries in which the Parent and its Subsidiaries operate, or the economy or the financial, debt, banking, capital, credit or securities markets, in the United States, including effects on such industries, economy or markets resulting from any regulatory and political conditions or developments in general, (2) the outbreak or escalation of war or acts of terrorism or any natural disasters, acts of God or comparable events, epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including the COVID-19 virus) or any worsening of the foregoing, or any declaration of martial law, quarantine or similar directive, policy or guidance or Law or other action by any Governmental Entity in response thereto, (3) changes in Law or GAAP, or the interpretation or enforcement thereof, (4) the public announcement of this Agreement, or (5) any specific action taken (or omitted to be taken) by the Parent at or with the express written consent of the Company; provided, that, with respect to clauses (1), (2) and (3), the impact of such event, change, circumstance, occurrence, effect or state of facts is not disproportionately adverse to Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, as compared to other participants in the industries in which Parent and its Subsidiaries operate.

 

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(b)               Parent has previously made available to the Company true and complete copies of the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws (or comparable organizational documents) of each of Parent and Merger Subs, and the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws (or comparable organizational documents) of each other Subsidiary of Parent, in each case, as amended to the date of this Agreement, and each as so delivered is in full force and effect. None of Parent, First Merger Sub or Second Merger Sub is in violation of any provision of its respective Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. Except with respect to the extent relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or in draft form and except as may be redacted to preserve a privilege (including attorney-client privilege), Parent has made available to the Company true and complete copies of the minutes of all meetings of Parent’s stockholders, the Board of Directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) and each committee of the Parent Board held since January 1, 2018.

 

Section 5.2            Capital Stock.

 

(a)               The authorized capital stock of Parent consists of 150,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock and 5,000,000 shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock. As of the close of business on January 26, 2021 (the “Measurement Date”), (i) 20,084,337 shares of Parent Common Stock (excluding treasury shares) were issued and outstanding, (ii) no shares of Parent Common Stock were held by Parent in its treasury, (iii) no shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock were issued and outstanding, (iv) no shares of Parent Convertible Preferred Stock were held by Parent in its treasury, and (v) 3,452,776 shares of Parent Common Stock were reserved for issuance pursuant to Parent’s Amended and Restated 2008 Equity Incentive Plan (of which 59,647 shares were subject to outstanding options to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock (the “Parent Options”)), pursuant to Parent’s Amended and Restated 2015 Stock Incentive Plan (of which 1,273,079 shares were subject to outstanding options to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock) and pursuant to Parent’s 2015 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (of which no shares were subject to Parent Options). Except as set forth above in this Section 5.2(a), neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has outstanding any bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations having the right to vote (or convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, securities having the right to vote) with the stockholders of Parent or such Subsidiary on any matter. Except as set forth above in this Section 5.2(a) and except for changes since the close of business on the Measurement Date resulting from the exercise of any options as described above, as of the Measurement Date, there are no outstanding (A) shares of capital stock or other voting securities or equity interests of Parent, (B) securities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares of capital stock of Parent or other voting securities or equity interests of Parent or its Subsidiaries, (C) stock appreciation rights, “phantom” stock rights, performance units, interests in or rights to the ownership or earnings of Parent or its Subsidiaries or other equity-equivalent or equity-based awards or rights, (D) subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, Contracts or other rights to acquire from Parent or its Subsidiaries, or obligations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any shares of capital stock of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, voting securities, equity interests or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for capital stock or other voting securities or equity interests of Parent or its Subsidiaries or rights or interests described in the preceding clause (C), or (E) obligations of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any such securities or to issue, grant, deliver or sell, or cause to be issued, granted, delivered or sold, any such securities.

 

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(b)               The authorized capital stock of First Merger Sub consists of 100 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of which 100 shares are issued and outstanding, all of which shares are beneficially owned by Parent.

 

(c)               Parent is the sole member of Second Merger Sub and all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Second Merger Sub are beneficially owned by Parent.

 

(d)              The shares of Parent Capital Stock to be issued pursuant to the Merger will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive rights.

 

(e)               To the knowledge of Parent as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing, no “bad actor” disqualifying event described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i)-(viii) of the Securities Act (a “Disqualifying Event”) is applicable to Parent or, to Parent’s knowledge, any Covered Person, except for a Disqualifying Event as to which Rule 506(d)(2)(ii-iv) or (d)(3) of the Securities Act is applicable. “Covered Person” means, with respect to Parent as an “issuer” for purposes of Rule 506 promulgated under the Securities Act, any person listed in the first paragraph of Rule 506(d)(1).

 

Section 5.3            Subsidiaries. Section 5.3 of the Parent Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of each Subsidiary of Parent, including its jurisdiction of incorporation or formation. Each of Parent’s Subsidiaries (i) is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (ii) has all requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted and (iii) is duly qualified or licensed to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except in the case of clause (iii), where the failure to be so qualified or licensed or in good standing, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. All outstanding shares of capital stock and other voting securities or equity interests of each such Subsidiary are owned, directly or indirectly, by Parent, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens of Parent and its Subsidiaries. Except for the capital stock of, or other equity or voting interests in, its Subsidiaries, Parent does not own, directly or indirectly, any equity, membership interest, partnership interest, joint venture interest, or other equity or voting interest in, or any interest convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for any of the foregoing, nor is it under any current or prospective obligation to form or participate in, provide funds to, make any loan, capital contribution, guarantee, credit enhancement or other investment in, or assume any liability or obligation of, any Person.

 

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Section 5.4            Authority.

 

(a)               Each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance of the shares of Parent Capital Stock to the holders of Company Common Stock as First Merger Consideration (the “Parent Capital Stock Issuance”). The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Subs and the consummation by Parent and Merger Subs of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and Merger Subs and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or Merger Subs are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, subject, in the case of the Conversion Proposal and the Charter Amendment Proposal, to (i) the approval by the holders of Parent Common Stock (the “Parent Stockholder Approval”), (ii) the approval of this Agreement by Parent as the sole stockholder of First Merger Sub and (iii) the approval of this Agreement by Parent as the sole member of Second Merger Sub. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub, enforceable against each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub in accordance with its terms (except to the extent that enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by general principles of equity).

 

(b)               The Parent Board, at a meeting duly called and held at which all directors of Parent were present, duly adopted resolutions (i) determining that the terms of this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby are fair to and in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders, and (ii) approving and declaring advisable this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, which resolutions have not been subsequently rescinded, modified or withdrawn in any way.

 

(c)               The Parent Stockholder Approval is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the Parent capital stock or other securities required in connection with the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby, including the Parent Capital Stock Issuance. Other than the Parent Stockholder Approval, no vote of the holders of any class or series of the Parent’s capital stock or other securities is required in connection with the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby to be consummated by Parent.

 

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Section 5.5            No Conflict; Consents and Approvals.

 

(a)               The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub do not, and the consummation of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and compliance by each of Parent and Merger Subs with the provisions hereof will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or breach of, or default (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) under, or give rise to a right of, or result in, termination, cancellation, modification or acceleration of any obligation or to the loss of a benefit under, or result in the creation of any Lien in or upon any of the properties, assets or rights of Parent or Merger Subs under, or give rise to any increased, additional, accelerated or guaranteed rights or entitlements under, or require any consent, waiver or approval of any Person pursuant to, any provision of (i) the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of Parent or First Merger Sub, (ii) the Certificate of Formation or limited liability company agreement of Second Merger Sub, (iii) any material Contract to which Parent, First Merger Sub or Second Merger Sub is a party by which Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound, or (iv) subject to the governmental filings and other matters referred to in Section 4.5, any material Law or any rule or regulation of Nasdaq applicable to Parent or Merger Subs or by which Parent, Merger Subs or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound, except as, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), as individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)               No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration, filing with or notice to, any Governmental Entity is required by or with respect to Parent or Merger Subs in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Parent or Merger Subs or the consummation by Parent or Merger Subs of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby or compliance with the provisions hereof, except for (i) the filing with the SEC of such reports under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as may be required in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) such other filings and reports as may be required pursuant to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and any other applicable state or federal securities, takeover and “blue sky” laws, (iii) the filing of the First Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State as required by the DGCL, (iv) the filing of the Second Certificate of Merger with the Delaware Secretary of State as required by the DGCL and the DLLCA and (v) such other consents, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations, filings or notices, the failure of which to be obtained or made, individually or in the aggregate, have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)               The Parent Board, the First Merger Sub board and the Second Merger Sub board have taken and will take all actions necessary to ensure that the restrictions applicable to business combinations contained in Section 203 of the DGCL are, and will be, inapplicable to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No other state takeover statute or similar Law applies or purports to apply to the Merger, this Agreement or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

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Section 5.6            SEC Reports; Financial Statements.

 

(a)               Parent has filed with or furnished to the SEC on a timely basis true and complete copies of all forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents required to be filed with or furnished to the SEC by Parent since January 1, 2020 (all such documents, together with all exhibits and schedules to the foregoing materials and all information incorporated therein by reference, the “Parent SEC Documents”). As of their respective filing dates (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the date of this Agreement, then on the date of such filing), the Parent SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), as the case may be, including, in each case, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and none of the Parent SEC Documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(b)               The financial statements (including the related notes and schedules thereto) included (or incorporated by reference) in the Parent SEC Documents (i) have been prepared in a manner consistent with the books and records of Parent and its Subsidiary, (ii) have been prepared in accordance with GAAP (except, in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto), (iii) comply as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto and (iv) fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of Parent and its Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof and their respective consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end audit adjustments that were not, or are not expected to be, material in amount), all in accordance with GAAP and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC. Since January 1, 2020, Parent has not made any change in the accounting practices or policies applied in the preparation of its financial statements, except as required by GAAP, SEC rule or policy or applicable Law. The books and records of Parent and its Subsidiaries have been, and are being, maintained in all material respects in accordance with GAAP (to the extent applicable) and any other applicable legal and accounting requirements and reflect only actual transactions.

 

(c)               Parent has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information relating to Parent, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, required to be disclosed in Parent’s periodic and current reports under the Exchange Act, is made known to Parent’s chief executive officer and its chief financial officer by others within those entities to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures as required under the Exchange Act. The chief executive officer and chief financial officer of Parent have evaluated the effectiveness of Parent’s disclosure controls and procedures and, to the extent required by applicable Law, presented in any applicable Parent SEC Document that is a report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q, or any amendment thereto, its conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by such report or amendment based on such evaluation.

 

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(d)               Parent and its Subsidiaries have established and maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) which is effective in providing reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of Parent’s financial reporting and the preparation of Parent’s financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Parent has disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of Parent’s internal control over financial reporting prior to the date hereof, to Parent’s auditors and audit committee (i) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of Parent’s internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect Parent’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in Parent’s internal control over financial reporting. A true, correct and complete summary of any such disclosures made by management to Parent’s auditors and audit committee is set forth as Section 5.6(d) of Parent Disclosure Letter.

 

(e)               Since January 1, 2020, (i) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or representative of the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim, whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective internal accounting controls, including any material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices and (ii) no attorney representing Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not employed by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, has reported evidence of a material violation of securities Laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents to the Parent Board or any committee thereof or to any director or officer of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(f)                As of the date of this Agreement, there are no outstanding or unresolved comments in the comment letters received from the SEC staff with respect to the Parent SEC Documents. To the knowledge of Parent, none of the Parent SEC Documents is subject to ongoing review or outstanding SEC comment or investigation.

 

(g)               Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to, or has any commitment to become a party to, any joint venture, off-balance sheet partnership or any similar Contract (including any Contract or arrangement relating to any transaction or relationship between or among Parent and any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any unconsolidated Affiliate, including any structured finance, special-purpose or limited-purpose entity or Person, on the other hand, or any “off balance sheet arrangements” (as defined in Item 303(a) of Regulation S K under the Exchange Act)), where the result, purpose or intended effect of such Contract is to avoid disclosure of any material transaction involving, or material liabilities of, Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in Parent’s or such Subsidiary’s published financial statements or other Parent SEC Documents.

 

(h)               Parent is in compliance in all material respects with (i) the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and (ii) the rules and regulations of Nasdaq, in each case, that are applicable to Parent.

 

(i)                 No Subsidiary of Parent is required to file any form, report, schedule, statement or other document with the SEC.

 

(j)                 Parent has not been and is not currently a “shell company” as defined under Section 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

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(k)               Parent is, and since its first date of listing on Nasdaq has been, in compliance in all material respects with the applicable current listing and governance rules and regulations of Nasdaq.

 

Section 5.7            No Undisclosed Liabilities. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has any liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise, known or unknown, whether due or to become due and whether or not required to be recorded or reflected on a balance sheet under GAAP, except (a) to the extent accrued or reserved against in the audited consolidated balance sheet of Parent and its Subsidiaries as at December 31, 2019 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by Parent with the SEC on March 10, 2020 (without giving effect to any amendment thereto filed on or after the date hereof) and (b) for liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice since December 31, 2019 that are not material to Parent and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Parent has not applied for or received any funds or incurred any indebtedness pursuant to the CARES Act or any other economic relief or stimulus legislation or program, or otherwise received any funds or incurred any indebtedness from any Governmental Entity.

 

Section 5.8            Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2019, except in connection with the execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (x) Parent and its Subsidiaries have conducted their business only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (y) there has not been any change, event or development or prospective change, event or development that, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect; and (z) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries have:

 

(a)               (i) declared, set aside or paid any dividends on, or made any other distributions (whether in cash, stock or property) in respect of, any of its capital stock or other equity interests, except for dividends by a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent to its parent, (ii) purchased, redeemed or otherwise acquired shares of capital stock or other equity interests of Parent or its Subsidiary or any options, warrants, or rights to acquire any such shares or other equity interests, or (iii) split, combined, reclassified or otherwise amended the terms of any of its capital stock or other equity interests or issued or authorized the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its capital stock or other equity interests;

 

(b)               amended or otherwise changed, or authorized or proposed to amend or otherwise changed, its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational documents);

 

(c)               adopted or entered into a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or reorganization; or

 

(d)               changed its financial or Tax accounting methods, principles or practices, except insofar as may have been required by a change in GAAP or applicable Law, or revalued any of its material assets.

 

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Section 5.9            Litigation. There is no Action (or basis therefor) pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened against or affecting Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, any of their respective properties or assets, or any present or former officer, director or employee of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in such individual’s capacity as such, other than any Action that (a) does not involve an amount in controversy in excess of $100,000 and (b) does not seek material injunctive or other nonmonetary relief. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties or assets is subject to any outstanding judgment, order, injunction, rule or decree of any Governmental Entity. There is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened seeking to prevent, hinder, modify, delay or challenge the Merger or any of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 5.10        Compliance with Laws. Parent and each of its Subsidiaries are and have been in compliance in all material respects with all Laws applicable to their businesses, operations, properties or assets. None of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has received, since January 1, 2018, a notice or other written communication alleging or relating to a possible material violation of any Law applicable to their businesses, operations, properties, assets or Parent Products (as defined below). Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have in effect all material Permits of all Governmental Entities necessary or advisable for them to own, lease or operate their properties and assets and to carry on their businesses and operations as now conducted, and there has occurred no violation of, default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) under or event giving to others any right of revocation, nonrenewal, adverse modification or cancellation of, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, any such Permit, nor would any such revocation, nonrenewal, adverse modification or cancellation result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 5.11        Health Care Regulatory Matters.

 

(a)               Parent and, to the knowledge of Parent, each of its directors, officers, management employees, agents (while acting in such capacity), contract manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors are, and at all times prior hereto were, in material compliance with all Health Care Laws to the extent applicable to Parent or any of its products or activities. To the knowledge of Parent, there are no facts or circumstances that reasonably would be expected to give rise to any material liability under any Health Care Laws.

 

(b)               Parent is not party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any Governmental Entity.

 

(c)               All applications, notifications, submissions, information, claims, reports and statistical analyses, and other data and conclusions derived therefrom, utilized as the basis for or submitted in connection with any and all requests for a Permit from the FDA or other Governmental Entity relating to products that are regulated as drugs, medical devices, or other healthcare products under Health Care Laws, including biological and drug candidates, compounds or products being researched, tested, stored, developed, labeled, manufactured, packed and/or distributed by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (“Parent Products”), including, without limitation, investigational new drug applications, when submitted to the FDA or other Governmental Entity were true, complete and correct in all material respects as of the date of submission and any necessary or required updates, changes, corrections or modification to such applications, submissions, information and data have been submitted to the FDA or other Governmental Entity. Parent does not have knowledge of any facts or circumstances that would be reasonably likely to lead to the revocation, suspension, limitation, or cancellation of a Permit required under Health Care Laws.

 

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(d)               All preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or, to the knowledge of Parent, on behalf of Parent have been, and if still pending are being, conducted in material compliance with research protocols and all applicable Health Care Laws, including, but not limited to, the FDCA and its applicable implementing regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, 312 and 314. No clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of Parent has been conducted using any clinical investigators who have been disqualified, debarred or excluded from healthcare programs. No clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of the Company has been terminated or suspended prior to completion, and no clinical investigator who has participated or is participating in, or institutional review board that has or has had jurisdiction over, a clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of Parent has placed a partial or full clinical hold order on, or otherwise terminated, delayed or suspended, such a clinical trial at a clinical research site based on an actual or alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any Parent Product or a failure to conduct such clinical trial in compliance with applicable Health Care Laws, their implementing regulations and good clinical practices.

 

(e)               All manufacturing operations conducted by or, to the knowledge of Parent, for the benefit of Parent have been and are being conducted in material compliance with all Permits under applicable Health Care Laws, all applicable provisions of the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) regulations at 21 C.F.R. Parts 210-211 and Parts 600 and 610 and FDA’s Quality System (QS) regulations at 21 C.F.R. Part 820, and all comparable foreign regulatory requirements of any Governmental Entity.

 

(f)                Parent has not received any written communication that relates to an alleged violation or noncompliance with any Health Care Laws, including any notification of any pending or threatened claim, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration, import detention or refusal, FDA Warning Letter or Untitled Letter, or any action by a Governmental Entity relating to any Health Care Laws. All Warning Letters, Form-483 observations, or comparable findings from other Governmental Entities listed in Section 5.11 of the Parent Disclosure Letter have been resolved and closed out to the satisfaction of the applicable Governmental Entity.

 

(g)               There have been no seizures, withdrawals, recalls, detentions, or suspensions of manufacturing, testing, or distribution relating to the Parent Products required or requested by a Governmental Entity, or other notice of action relating to an alleged lack of safety, efficacy, or regulatory compliance of the Parent Products, or any adverse experiences relating to the Parent Products that have been reported to FDA or other Governmental Entity (“Parent Safety Notices”), and, to the knowledge of Parent, there are no facts or circumstances that reasonably would be expected to give rise to a Parent Safety Notice. All Parent Safety Notices listed in Section 5.11(g) of the Parent Disclosure Letter have been resolved to the satisfaction of the applicable Governmental Entity.

(h)               There are no unresolved Parent Safety Notices, and to the knowledge Parent, there are no facts that would be reasonably likely to result in a material Parent Safety Notice or a termination or suspension of developing and testing of any of the Parent Products.

 

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(i)                Neither Parent, nor, to the knowledge of Parent, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of Parent has made an untrue statement of a material fact or fraudulent or misleading statement to a Governmental Entity, failed to disclose a material fact required to be disclosed to a Governmental Entity, or committed an act, made a statement, or failed to make a statement that would reasonably be expected to provide a basis for the FDA to invoke its FDA Ethics Policy. To the knowledge of Parent, none of the aforementioned is or has been under investigation resulting from any allegedly untrue, fraudulent, misleading, or false statement or omission, including data fraud, or had any action pending or threatened relating to the FDA Ethics Policy.

 

(j)                All reports, documents, claims, Permits and notices required to be filed, maintained or furnished to the FDA or any Governmental Entity by Parent have been so filed, maintained or furnished, except where failure to file, maintain or furnish such reports, documents, claims, Permits or notices has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect. All such reports, documents, claims, Permits and notices were true and complete in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected in or supplemented by a subsequent filing).

 

(k)               Neither Parent nor, to the knowledge of Parent, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of Parent has committed any act, made any statement or failed to make any statement that violates the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b, the Federal False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, other Drug or Health Care Laws, or any other similar federal, state, or ex-U.S. law applicable in the jurisdictions in which the Parent Products are sold or intended to be sold.

 

(l)                 Neither Parent nor, to the knowledge of Parent, any officer, employee, agent, or distributor of Parent has been convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct that has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in debarment under applicable Law, including, without limitation, 21 U.S.C. § 335a, or exclusion under 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7, or any other statutory provision or similar law applicable in other jurisdictions in which the Parent Products are sold or intended to be sold. Neither Parent nor, to the knowledge of Parent, any officer, employee, agent or distributor of Parent, has been excluded from participation in any federal health care program or convicted of any crime or engaged in any conduct for which such Person could be excluded from participating in any federal health care program under Section 1128 of the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, or any similar Health Care Law or program.

 

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Section 5.12          Benefit Plans.

 

(a)               Section 5.12(a) of the Parent Disclosure Letter contains a true and complete list of each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA), “multiemployer plans” (within the meaning of ERISA section 3(37)), and all stock purchase, stock option, phantom stock or other equity-based plan, severance, employment, collective bargaining, change-in-control, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, supplemental retirement, health, life, or disability insurance, dependent care and all other employee benefit and compensation plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA (including any funding mechanism therefor now in effect or required in the future as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or otherwise), whether formal or informal, written or oral, legally binding or not, under which any current or former employee, director or consultant of Parent or its Subsidiaries (or any of their dependents) has any present or future right to compensation or benefits or Parent or any of its Subsidiaries sponsors or maintains, is making contributions to or has any present or future liability or obligation (contingent or otherwise) or with respect to which it is otherwise bound. All such plans, agreements, programs, policies and arrangements shall be collectively referred to as the “Parent Plans.” Parent has provided or made available to the Company a current, accurate and complete copy of each Parent Plan, or if such Parent Plan is not in written form, a written summary of all of the material terms of such Parent Plan. With respect to each Parent Plan, Parent has furnished or made available to the Company a current, accurate and complete copy of, to the extent applicable: (i) any related trust agreement or other funding instrument, (ii) the most recent determination letter of the IRS, (iii) any summary plan description, summary of material modifications, and other similar material written communications (or a written description of any material oral communications) to the employees of Parent or its Subsidiaries concerning the extent of the benefits provided under a Parent Plan, and (iv) for the three most recent years and as applicable (A) the Form 5500 and attached schedules, (B) audited financial statements and (C) actuarial valuation reports.

 

(b)               Neither Parent, its Subsidiaries or any member of their Controlled Group (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled, affiliated or otherwise related group of entities within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o)) has ever sponsored, maintained, contributed to or been required to contribute to or incurred any liability (contingent or otherwise) with respect to: (i) a “multiemployer plan” (within the meaning of ERISA section 3(37)), (ii) a Pension Plan that is subject to Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, (iii) a Pension Plan which is a “multiple employer plan” as defined in Section 413 of the Code, or (iv) a “funded welfare plan” within the meaning of Section 419 of the Code.

 

(c)               With respect to the Parent Plans:

 

(i)              each Parent Plan complies in all material respects with its terms and materially complies in form and in operation with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code and all other applicable legal requirements;

 

(ii)             each Parent Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination, advisory and/or opinion letter, as applicable, from the IRS that it is so qualified and nothing has occurred to the knowledge of the Parent since the date of such letter that would reasonably be expected to cause the loss of the sponsor’s ability to rely upon such letter, and nothing has occurred to the knowledge of the Parent that would reasonably be expected to result in the loss of the qualified status of such Parent Plan;

 

(iii)            there is no material Action (including any investigation, audit or other administrative proceeding) by the Department of Labor, the PBGC, the IRS or any other Governmental Entity or by any plan participant or beneficiary pending, or to the knowledge of Parent, threatened, relating to the Parent Plans, any fiduciaries thereof with respect to their duties to Parent Plans or the assets of any of the trusts under any of Parent Plans (other than routine claims for benefits);

 

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(iv)            none of the Parent Plans currently provides, or reflects or represents any liability to provide post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any person for any reason, except as may be required by COBRA, and none of Parent, its Subsidiaries or any members of their Controlled Group has any liability to provide post-termination or retiree welfare benefits to any person, except to the extent required by statute or except with respect to a contractual obligation to reimburse any premiums such person may pay in order to obtain health coverage under COBRA;

 

(v)             each Parent Plan is subject exclusively to United States Law; and

 

(vi)            the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Merger will not, either alone or in combination with any other event, (A) entitle any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of Parent or any Subsidiary to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other similar termination payment, or (B) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount of or otherwise enhance any benefit due to any such employee, officer, director or consultant.

 

(d)               Neither Parent nor any Subsidiary is a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or plan (including any Parent Plan) that may reasonably be expected to result, separately or in the aggregate, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone or in combination with any other events), in the payment of any “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code. There is no agreement, plan or other arrangement to which any of Parent or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any of them is otherwise bound to compensate any person in respect of Taxes or other liabilities incurred with respect to Section 409A or 4999 of the Code.

 

Section 5.13          Labor and Employment Matters.

 

(a)               Parent and its Subsidiaries are and since January 1, 2018 have been in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to labor and employment, including those relating to employment practices, terms and conditions of employment, collective bargaining, disability, immigration, health and safety, wages, hours and benefits, non-discrimination in employment, workers’ compensation, the collection and payment of withholding and/or payroll Taxes and similar Taxes, unemployment compensation, equal employment opportunity, discrimination, harassment, employee and contractor classification, information privacy and security, and continuation coverage with respect to group health plans. During the preceding three years, there has not been, and as of the date of this Agreement there is not pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened, any labor dispute, work stoppage, labor strike or lockout against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries by employees.

 

(b)               No employee of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is covered by an effective or pending collective bargaining agreement or similar labor agreement. To the knowledge of Parent, there has not been any activity on behalf of any labor union, labor organization or similar employee group to organize any employees of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries. There are no (i) unfair labor practice charges or complaints against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries pending before the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority and to the knowledge of Parent no such representations, claims or petitions are threatened, (ii) representation claims or petitions pending before the National Labor Relations Board or any other labor relations tribunal or authority or (iii) grievances or pending arbitration proceedings against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries that arose out of or under any collective bargaining agreement.

 

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(c)               To the knowledge of Parent, no current key employee or officer of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries intends, or is expected, to terminate his or her employment relationship with such entity in connection with or as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(d)               During the preceding three years, (i) neither Parent nor any Subsidiary has effectuated a “plant closing” (as defined in the WARN Act) affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility, (ii) there has not occurred a “mass layoff” (as defined in the WARN Act) in connection with Parent or any Subsidiary affecting any site of employment or one or more facilities or operating units within any site of employment or facility and (iii) neither Parent nor any Subsidiary has engaged in layoffs or employment terminations sufficient in number to trigger application of any similar state, local or foreign law. The Parent and its Subsidiaries currently properly classify and for the past three (3) years have properly classified its and their employees as exempt or nonexempt in accordance with applicable overtime laws, and no person treated as an independent contractor or consultant by Parent or any Subsidiary within the past three (3) years should have been properly classified as an employee under applicable Law.

 

(e)               With respect to any current or former employee, officer, consultant or other service provider of Parent, there are no Actions against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries pending, or to Parent’s knowledge, threatened to be brought or filed, in connection with the employment or engagement of any current or former employee, officer, consultant or other service provider of Parent, including, without limitation, any claim relating to employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, equal pay, employment classification or any other employment related matter arising under applicable Laws, except where such action would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in Parent incurring a material liability.

 

(f)                Except with respect to any Parent Plan (which subject is addressed in Section 5.12 above), the execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions set forth in or contemplated by this Agreement will not result in any breach or violation of, or cause any payment to be made under, any applicable Laws respecting labor and employment or any collective bargaining agreement to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a party.

 

(g)               Since January 1, 2018, (i) no allegations of workplace sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct have been made, initiated, filed or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened against Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective current or former directors, officers or senior-level management employees, (ii) to the knowledge of Parent, no incidents of any such workplace sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct have occurred, and (iii) Parent has not entered into any settlement agreement related to allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination or other misconduct by any of its directors, officers or employees described in clause (i) hereof or any independent contractor.

 

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(h)               Parent and its Subsidiaries are and have at all relevant times been in compliance with (i) COVID-19 related Laws, standards, regulations, orders and guidance (including without limitation relating to business reopening), including those issued and enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and any other Governmental Entity; and (ii) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and any other applicable COVID-19-related leave Law, whether state, local or otherwise.

 

Section 5.14          Environmental Matters.

 

(a)               Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (i) Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with all, and have not violated any, applicable Environmental Laws; (ii) Parent and its Subsidiaries have obtained all Permits of all Governmental Entities and any other Person that are required under any Environmental Law; (iii) there has been no release of any Hazardous Substance by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or any other Person in any manner that has given or would reasonably be expected to give rise to any remedial or investigative obligation, corrective action requirement or liability of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries under applicable Environmental Laws; (iv) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any claims, notices, demand letters or requests for information (except for such claims, notices, demand letters or requests for information the subject matter of which has been resolved prior to the date of this Agreement) from any federal, state, local, foreign or provincial Governmental Entity or any other Person asserting that Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of, or liable under, any Environmental Law; (v) no Hazardous Substance has been disposed of, arranged to be disposed of, released or transported in violation of any applicable Environmental Law, or in a manner that has given rise to, or that would reasonably be expected to give rise to, any liability under any Environmental Law, in each case, on, at, under or from any current or former properties or facilities owned or operated by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or as a result of any operations or activities of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries at any location and, to the knowledge of Parent, Hazardous Substances are not otherwise present at or about any such properties or facilities in amount or condition that has resulted in or would reasonably be expected to result in liability to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries under any Environmental Law; and (vi) neither Parent, its Subsidiaries nor any of their respective properties or facilities are subject to, or are threatened to become subject to, any liabilities relating to any suit, settlement, court order, administrative order, regulatory requirement, judgment or claim asserted or arising under any Environmental Law or any agreement relating to environmental liabilities.

 

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Section 5.15          Taxes.

 

(a)               Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have (i) filed all material Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of themselves (taking into account any applicable extensions thereof) and all such Tax Returns are true, accurate and complete in all material respects; and (ii) paid in full (or caused to be timely paid in full) all material Taxes that are required to be paid by or with respect to it, whether or not such Taxes were shown as due on such Tax Returns.

 

(b)               All material Taxes not yet due and payable by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries as of the date of the Parent Balance Sheet have been, in all respects, properly accrued in accordance with GAAP on the financial statements (including the related notes and schedules thereto) included (or incorporated by reference) in the Parent SEC Documents, and such financial statements (including the related notes and schedules thereto) included (or incorporated by reference) in the Parent SEC Documents reflect an adequate reserve (in accordance with GAAP) for all material Taxes accrued but unpaid by Parent and each of its Subsidiaries through the date of such financial statements. Since the date of the Parent Balance Sheet, neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has incurred, individually or in the aggregate, any liability for Taxes outside the ordinary course of business consistent.

 

(c)               Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has executed any waiver of any statute of limitations on, or extended the period for the assessment or collection of, any material amount of Tax, in each case that has not since expired.

 

(d)               No material Tax Actions with respect to Taxes or any Tax Return of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries are presently in progress or have been asserted, threatened or proposed in writing. No deficiencies or claims for a material amount of Taxes have been claimed, proposed, assessed or asserted in writing against Parent or any of its Subsidiaries by a Governmental Entity, other than any such claim, proposal, assessment or assertion that has been satisfied by payment in full, settled or withdrawn.

 

(e)               Subject to exceptions as would not be material, Parent and each of its Subsidiaries have timely withheld all Taxes required to have been withheld from payments made (or deemed made) to their employees, independent contractors, creditors, shareholders and other third parties and, to the extent required, such Taxes have been timely paid to the relevant Governmental Entity.

 

(f)                Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a “reportable transaction” as set forth in Treasury Regulations § 1.6011-4(b).

 

(g)               Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) is a party to or bound by, or has any liability pursuant to, any Tax sharing, allocation, indemnification or similar agreement or obligation other than any Ordinary Course Agreement; (ii) is or has ever been a member of a group (other than a group the common parent of which is Parent) filing a consolidated, combined, affiliated, unitary or similar income Tax Return; (iii) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other than Parent) pursuant to Treasury Regulations § 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or non-United States Law) as a transferee or successor, by Contract (other than Ordinary Course Agreements), or otherwise by operation of Law; and (iv) is or has ever been treated as a resident for any income Tax purpose, or as subject to Tax by virtue of having a permanent establishment, an office or fixed place of business, in any country other than the country in which it was or is organized.

 

(h)               No private-letter rulings, technical advice memoranda, or similar material agreements or rulings have been requested in writing, entered into or issued by any taxing authority with respect to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries which rulings remain in effect.

 

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(i)                 Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries will be required to include any item of income in, or exclude any item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of (i) a change in, or use of improper, method of accounting requested or initiated on or prior to the Closing Date, (ii) a “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any similar provision of Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) an installment sale or open-transaction disposition made on or prior to the Closing Date, (iv) any deferred intercompany gain or excess-loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law), (v) an election under Section 965 of the Code, or (vi) the application of Section 951 or 951A of the Code with respect to income earned or recognized or payments received prior to the Closing.

 

(j)                 There are no liens for Taxes upon any of the assets of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries other than Liens described in clause (i) of the definition of Permitted Liens.

 

(k)               Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person or has had its stock distributed by another Person, in a transaction (or series of transactions) that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or 361 of the Code.

(l)                 Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has been a United States real property holding corporation, as defined in Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.

 

(m)             No material claim has been made in writing by any Governmental Entity in a jurisdiction where Parent or any of its Subsidiaries does not currently file or has not filed a Tax Return that Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is or may be subject to taxation by such jurisdiction.

 

(n)               Section 5.15(n) of the Parent Disclosure Letter sets forth the entity classification of Parent and each of its Subsidiaries for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has not made an election or taken any other action to change its federal and state income tax classification from such classification.

 

(o)               Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has taken any action (or agreed to take any action) nor does it know of any fact or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a transaction qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.

For purposes of this Section 5.15, where the context permits, each reference to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries shall include a reference to any person for whose Taxes Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is liable under applicable Law.

 

For purposes of this Section 5.15, where the context permits, each reference to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries shall include a reference to any person for whose Taxes Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is liable under applicable Law.

 

Section 5.16          Contracts.

 

(a)               Except as set forth in the Parent SEC Documents publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement, neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by any “material contract” (as such term is defined in Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, excluding, however, any Company Plans) (all such Contracts “Parent Material Contracts”).

 

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(b)               (i) Each Parent Material Contract is valid and binding on Parent and any of its Subsidiaries to the extent such Subsidiary is a party thereto, as applicable, and to the knowledge of Parent, each other party thereto, and is in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms; (ii) Parent and each of its Subsidiaries, and, to the knowledge of Parent, each other party thereto, have performed all material obligations required to be performed by themselves under each Parent Material Contract; and (iii) there is no material default under any Parent Material Contract by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto, and no event or condition has occurred that constitutes, or, after notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute, a material default on the part of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of Parent, any other party thereto under any such Parent Material Contract, nor has Parent or any of its Subsidiaries received any notice of any such material default, event or condition. Parent has made available to the Company true and complete copies of all Parent Material Contracts, including all amendments thereto.

 

Section 5.17          Insurance. Each of Parent and its Subsidiaries is covered by valid and currently effective insurance policies issued in favor of Parent or one or more of its Subsidiaries that are customary and adequate for companies of similar size in the industries and locations in which Parent operates. Section 5.17 of the Parent Disclosure Letter sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of all material insurance policies issued in favor of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or pursuant to which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries is a named insured or otherwise a beneficiary, as well as any historic incurrence-based policies still in force. With respect to each such insurance policy, (a) such policy is in full force and effect and all premiums due thereon have been paid, (b) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is in breach or default, and has not taken any action or failed to take any action which (with or without notice or lapse of time, or both) would constitute such a breach or default, or would permit termination or modification of, any such policy and (c) to the knowledge of Parent, no insurer issuing any such policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship or liquidation. No notice of cancellation or termination has been received with respect to any such policy, nor will any such cancellation or termination result from the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. The transactions contemplated in this Agreement are not deemed to be a change of control under the Parent’s existing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy.

 

Section 5.18          Properties.

 

(a)               Parent or one of its Subsidiaries has good and valid title to, or in the case of leased property and leased tangible assets, a valid leasehold interest in, all of its real properties and tangible assets that are necessary for Parent and its Subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Parent Material Adverse Effect, the tangible personal property currently used in the operation of the business of Parent and its Subsidiaries is in good working order (reasonable wear and tear excepted).

 

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(b)               Each of Parent and its Subsidiaries has complied with the terms of all leases to which it is a party, and all such leases are in full force and effect, except for any such noncompliance or failure to be in full force and effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Each of Parent and its Subsidiaries enjoys peaceful and undisturbed possession under all such leases, except for any such failure to do so that, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)               Section 5.18(c) of the Parent Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of (i) all real property owned by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and (ii) all real property leased for the benefit of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

(d)               This Section 5.18 does not relate to intellectual property, which is the subject of Section 5.19.

 

Section 5.19          Intellectual Property.

 

(a)               Section 5.19(a) of the Parent Disclosure Letter sets forth a true and complete list of all (i) material patents and patent applications; (ii) material trademark registrations and applications; and (iii) material copyright registrations and applications, in each case owned by the Parent and its Subsidiaries (collectively, “Parent Registered IP”) and a true and complete list of all domain names owned or exclusively licensed by Parent and its Subsidiaries. Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect (A) all of the Parent Registered IP is subsisting and, in the case of any Parent Registered IP that is registered or issued and to the knowledge of Parent, valid and enforceable, (B) no Parent Registered IP is involved in any interference, reissue, derivation, reexamination, opposition, cancellation or similar proceeding and, to the knowledge of Parent, no such action is threatened with respect to any of the Parent Registered IP and (C) Parent or its Subsidiaries own exclusively, free and clear of any and all Liens (other than Permitted Liens), all Parent Owned IP, including all Intellectual Property created on behalf of Parent or its Subsidiaries by employees or independent contractors.

 

(b)               Section 5.19(b) of the Parent Disclosure Letter accurately identifies (i) all contracts pursuant to which any Parent Registered IP is licensed to Parent or its Subsidiaries (other than (A) any non-customized software that (1) is so licensed solely in executable or object code form pursuant to a nonexclusive, internal-use software license and other Intellectual Property associated with such software and (2) is not incorporated into, or material to the development, manufacturing, or distribution of, any of Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ products or services, (B) any Intellectual Property licensed on a nonexclusive basis ancillary to the purchase or use of equipment, reagents or other materials, (C) any confidential information provided under confidentiality agreements and (D) agreements between Parent and any of its Subsidiaries and their employees in Parent’s standard form thereof), (ii) the corresponding Parent Contract pursuant to which such Parent Registered IP is licensed to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and (iii) whether the license or licenses granted to Parent or its Subsidiaries are exclusive or nonexclusive.

 

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(c)               Section 5.19(c) of the Parent Disclosure Schedule accurately identifies each Parent contract pursuant to which any Person has been granted any license or covenant not to sue under, or otherwise has received or acquired any right (whether or not currently exercisable) or interest in, any Parent Registered IP (other than (i) any confidential information provided under confidentiality agreements and (ii) any Parent Registered IP nonexclusively licensed to academic collaborators, suppliers or service providers for the sole purpose of enabling such academic collaborator, supplier or service providers to provide services for Parent’s benefit).

 

(d)               Parent and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable measures to maintain the confidentiality of all information that constitutes or constituted a material Trade Secret of Parent or its Subsidiaries, including requiring all Persons having access thereto to execute written nondisclosure agreements or other binding obligations to maintain confidentiality of such information.

 

(e)               Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the knowledge of Parent, the conduct of the businesses of Parent and its Subsidiaries, including the manufacture, marketing, offering for sale, sale, importation, use or intended use or other disposal of any product as currently sold or under development by Parent or its Subsidiaries, has not infringed, misappropriated or diluted, and does not infringe, misappropriate or dilute, any Intellectual Property of any Person, (ii) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice or claim asserting or suggesting that any such infringement, misappropriation, or dilution is or may be occurring or has or may have occurred and (iii) to the knowledge of Parent, no Person is infringing, misappropriating, or diluting in any material respect any Parent Registered IP.

 

(f)                Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (i) Parent and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and security of the computer and information technology systems used by Parent and its Subsidiaries (the “Parent IT Systems”) and the information and transactions stored or contained therein or transmitted thereby, (ii) to the knowledge of Parent, during the past two (2) years, there has been no unauthorized or improper use, loss, access, transmittal, modification or corruption of any such information or data, and (iii) during the past two (2) years, there have been no material failures, crashes, viruses, or security breaches (including any unauthorized access to any personally identifiable information) affecting the Parent IT Systems.

 

(g)               Except as, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect, (i) to the knowledge of Parent, Parent and its Subsidiaries have at all times complied in all material respects with all applicable Privacy Laws, (ii) during the past two (2) years, no claims have been asserted or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing against Parent alleging a violation of any Person’s privacy or Personal Information, (iii) neither this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will breach or otherwise violate any applicable Privacy Laws and (iv) Parent and its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the Personal Information collected, used or held for use by Parent or its subsidiaries against loss and unauthorized access, use, modification, disclosure or other misuse.

 

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(h)           To the knowledge of Parent, no government funding, facilities or resources of a university, college, other educational institution or research center or funding from third parties was used in the development of the Parent Owned IP, to the knowledge of Parent, exclusively licensed to Parent, and no Governmental Entity, university, college, other educational institution or research center has, to the knowledge of Parent, any claim or right in or to such Intellectual Property.

 

(i)            The execution, delivery and performance by Parent of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, will not result in the loss of, or give rise to any right of any third party to terminate or modify any of Parent’s or any Subsidiaries’ rights or obligations under any agreement under which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries grants to any Person, or any Person grants to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, a license or right under or with respect to any Intellectual Property that is material to any of the businesses of Parent or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Section 5.20          Related Party Transactions. Since January 1, 2018 through the date of this Agreement, there have been no transactions, agreements, arrangements or understandings between Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Affiliates of Parent, on the other hand (other than Parent’s Subsidiaries), that would be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and that have not been so disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents.

 

Section 5.21          Certain Payments. Neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries (nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, executives, representatives, agents or employees) (a) has used or is using any corporate funds for any illegal contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity, (b) has used or is using any corporate funds for any direct or indirect unlawful payments to any foreign or domestic governmental officials or employees, (c) has violated or is violating any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, (d) has established or maintained, or is maintaining, any unlawful fund of corporate monies or other properties or (e) has made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment of any nature.

 

Section 5.22          Brokers. No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person, other than Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., the fees and expenses of which will be paid by Parent, is entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Parent. Parent has furnished to Company a true and complete copy of any Contract between the Parent and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. pursuant to which Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. could be entitled to any payment from the Parent relating to the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

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Section 5.23         Opinion of Financial Advisor. Parent Board has received the opinion of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., dated the date of this Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date and based upon and subject to the qualifications, limitations, assumptions and other matters set forth therein, the First Merger Consideration (which as used in such opinion means the aggregate number of shares of Parent Capital Stock issuable in the Merger to holders of shares of Company Common Stock upon the conversion of shares of Company Common Stock) is fair, from a financial point of view, to Parent, a signed true and complete copy of which opinion has been or will promptly be provided to the Company.

 

Section 5.24         Merger Subs. First Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the First Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and has engaged in no business other than in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Second Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Second Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and has engaged in no business other than in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 5.25          State Takeover Statutes. No Takeover Laws or any similar anti-takeover provision in the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of Parent applicable to Parent is, or at the First Effective Time will be, applicable to this Agreement, the Merger, the Parent Capital Stock Issuance, or any of the other transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 5.26          No Other Representations or Warranties. Except for the representations and warranties contained in Article IV, each of Parent, First Merger Sub and Second Merger Sub acknowledges and agrees that none of the Company or any other Person on behalf of the Company makes any other express or implied representation or warranty whatsoever, and specifically (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing) that none of the Company or any other Person on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries makes any representation or warranty with respect to any projections or forecasts delivered or made available to Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Representatives of future revenues, results of operations (or any component thereof), cash flows or financial condition (or any component thereof) of the Company (including any such projections or forecasts made available to Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Representatives in certain “data rooms” or management presentations in expectation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), and none of Parent, First Merger Sub or Second Merger Sub has relied on any such information or any representation or warranty not set forth in Article IV.

 

Article VI
COVENANTS

 

Section 6.1             Proxy Statement.

 

(a)           As promptly as practicable after the Closing Date, Parent shall prepare and file with the SEC a proxy statement relating to the Parent Stockholders Meeting to be held in connection with the Conversion Proposal and Charter Amendment Proposal (together with any amendments thereof or supplements thereto, the “Proxy Statement”). Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) cause the Proxy Statement to comply with the applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC and (ii) respond promptly to any comments or requests of the SEC or its staff relating to the Proxy Statement.

 

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(b)           Parent covenants and agrees that the Proxy Statement (and the letter to stockholders, notice of meeting and form of proxy included therewith) will (i) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the DGCL, and (ii) not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(c)           Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to Parent’s stockholders as promptly as practicable after the Proxy Statement has been filed with the SEC and either (i) the SEC has indicated that it does not intend to review the Proxy Statement or that its review of the Proxy Statement has been completed or (ii) at least ten (10) days shall have passed since the Proxy Statement was filed with the SEC without receiving any correspondence from the SEC commenting upon, or indicating that it intends to review, the Proxy Statement, all in compliance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws and the DGCL. If Parent, the First Step Surviving Company or the Surviving Company becomes aware of any event or information that, pursuant to the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, should be disclosed in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, as the case may be, then such party, as the case may be, shall promptly inform the other parties thereof and shall cooperate with such other parties in Parent filing such amendment or supplement with the SEC and, if appropriate, in mailing such amendment or supplement to the Parent stockholders.

 

Section 6.2            Stockholders’ Meeting.

 

(a)           Parent shall take all action necessary under applicable Law to call, give notice of and hold a meeting of the holders of Parent Common Stock to consider and vote to approve (1) the conversion of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement into shares of Parent Common Stock in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(a) (the “Conversion Proposal”) and (2) if deemed necessary or appropriate by Parent or as otherwise required by applicable Law or Contract, to authorize sufficient Parent Common Stock in Parent’s certificate of incorporation for the conversion of the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement and/or to effectuate a reverse stock split (collectively, the “Charter Amendment Proposal”) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (collectively, the “Parent Stockholder Matters” and such meeting, the “Parent Stockholder Meeting”). The Parent Stockholder Meeting shall be held as promptly as practicable after the date that the definitive Proxy Statement is filed with the SEC, and in any event no later than forty-five (45) days after such date. Parent shall take reasonable measures to ensure that all proxies solicited in connection with the Parent Stockholder Meeting are solicited in compliance with all applicable Law. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if on the date of the Parent Stockholder Meeting, or a date preceding the date on which the Parent Stockholder Meeting is scheduled, Parent reasonably believes that (i) it will not receive proxies sufficient to obtain the Parent Stockholder Approval, whether or not a quorum would be present or (ii) it will not have sufficient shares of Parent Common Stock represented (whether in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum necessary to conduct the business of the Parent Stockholder Meeting, Parent may postpone or adjourn, or make one or more successive postponements or adjournments of, the Parent Stockholder Meeting as long as the date of the Parent Stockholder Meeting is not postponed or adjourned more than an aggregate of thirty (30) days in connection with any postponements or adjournments.

 

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(b)           Parent agrees that, subject to the Parent Board’s compliance with its fiduciary duties under applicable Law, (i) the Parent Board shall recommend that the holders of Parent Common Stock vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to solicit such approval within the time frame set forth in Section 6.2(a) above and (ii) the Proxy Statement shall include a statement to the effect that the Parent Board recommends that Parent’s stockholders vote to approve the Parent Stockholder Matters.

 

Section 6.3            Indemnification, Exculpation and Insurance.

 

(a)           From the First Effective Time through the sixth anniversary of the date on which the First Effective Time occurs, each of Parent and the Surviving Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each person who is now, or has been at any time prior to the date hereof, or who becomes prior to the First Effective Time, a director or officer of Parent or the Company, respectively (the “D&O Indemnified Parties”), against all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, judgments, fines and reasonable fees, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and disbursements, incurred in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to the fact that the D&O Indemnified Party is or was a director or officer of Parent or of the Company, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the First Effective Time, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL and the DLLCA. Each D&O Indemnified Party will be entitled to advancement of expenses incurred in the defense of any such claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation from each of Parent and the Surviving Company, jointly and severally, upon receipt by Parent or the Surviving Company from the D&O Indemnified Party of a request therefor; provided that any such person to whom expenses are advanced provides an undertaking to Parent, to the extent then required by the DGCL and the DLLCA, to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification.

 

(b)           The provisions of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent with respect to indemnification, advancement of expenses and exculpation of present and former directors and officers of Parent that are presently set forth in the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent shall not be amended, modified or repealed for a period of six years from the First Effective Time in a manner that would adversely affect the rights thereunder of individuals who, at or prior to the First Effective Time, were officers or directors of Parent, unless such modification is required by applicable Law. The certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Company shall contain, and Parent shall cause the certificate of formation and limited liability company agreement of the Surviving Company to so contain, provisions no less favorable with respect to indemnification, advancement of expenses and exculpation of present and former directors and officers as those presently set forth in the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Parent.

 

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(c)           From and after the First Effective Time through the sixth anniversary of the date on which the First Effective Time occurs, (i) the Surviving Company shall fulfill and honor in all respects the obligations of the Company to its D&O Indemnified Parties as of immediately prior to the Closing pursuant to any indemnification provisions under the Company’s Organizational Documents and pursuant to any indemnification agreements between the Company and such D&O Indemnified Parties, with respect to claims arising out of matters occurring at or prior to the First Effective Time and (ii) Parent shall fulfill and honor in all respects the obligations of Parent to its D&O Indemnified Parties as of immediately prior to the Closing pursuant to any indemnification provisions under Parent’s Organizational Documents and pursuant to any indemnification agreements between Parent and such D&O Indemnified Parties, with respect to claims arising out of matters occurring at or prior to the First Effective Time.

 

(d)           From and after the First Effective Time through the sixth anniversary of the date on which the First Effective Time occurs, Parent shall maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies, with an effective date as of the Closing Date, on commercially available terms and conditions and with coverage limits customary for U.S. public companies similarly situated to Parent.

 

(e)           From and after the First Effective Time through the sixth anniversary of the date on which the First Effective Time occurs, Parent shall pay all expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, that are incurred by the persons referred to in this Section 6.3 in connection with their enforcement of the rights provided to such persons in this Section 6.3.

 

(f)            The provisions of this Section 6.3 are intended to be in addition to the rights otherwise available to the current and former officers and directors of Parent and the Company by Law, charter, statute, bylaw or agreement, and shall operate for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each of the D&O Indemnified Parties, their heirs and their Representatives.

 

(g)           In the event Parent or the Surviving Company or any of their respective successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or (ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Parent or the Surviving Company, as the case may be, shall succeed to the obligations set forth in this Section 6.3. Parent shall cause the Surviving Company to perform all of the obligations of the Surviving Company under this Section 6.3.

 

Section 6.4            Section 16 Matters. Prior to the First Effective Time, each of Parent and the Company shall take all such steps as may be necessary or appropriate to cause the acquisitions of Parent Common Stock (including derivative securities with respect to such Parent Common Stock) resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by each individual who will become subject to such reporting requirements with respect to Parent to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

 

Section 6.5            Employee Matters. At the First Effective Time, Parent shall assume the employment agreements for each of the employees of the Company set forth on Section 6.5 of the Company Disclosure Letter and the Company shall cause each such employee to waive any change of control or severance benefits that would otherwise arise by virtue of the consummation of the Merger (alone or in combination with any other event).

 

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Section 6.6            Tax Matters.

 

(a)           Each of Parent and the Company will (and will cause its Affiliates to) (i) use all reasonable best efforts to cause the Merger to constitute as a transaction qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment and (ii) not take any action or fail to take any action required hereby that could reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying as a transaction qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment. Parent shall not file (or cause its Affiliates, including the Company, to file) any U.S. federal, state or local Tax Return after the Closing Date in a manner that is inconsistent with the treatment of the Merger as a transaction qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment for U.S. federal, state income and other relevant Tax purposes, and shall not take any inconsistent position during the course of any audit, litigation or other proceeding with respect to Taxes, in each case, unless otherwise required by a determination within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code.

 

(b)          All transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration, excise, recording, registration value-added and other such similar Taxes and fees (including any penalties and interest) that become payable in connection with or by reason of the execution of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be borne and paid by Parent. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, Parent shall timely file any Tax Return or other document with respect to such Taxes or fees (and the Company shall reasonably cooperate with respect thereto as necessary).

 

(c)           On the Closing Date, the Company shall provide Parent with a certificate on behalf of the Company, prepared in a manner consistent and in accordance with the requirements of Treasury Regulations § 1.897-2(g), (h) and § 1.1445-2(c)(3), certifying that no interest in the Company is a “U.S. real property interest” within the meaning of Section 897(c) of the Code, and a form of notice to the Internal Revenue Service prepared in accordance with the provisions of Treasury Regulations § 1.897-2(h)(2); provided, that the Parent’s sole remedy for the Company’s failure to deliver such documentation shall be to withhold pursuant to Section 3.4.

 

Section 6.7            Private Placement. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take such actions and cause the holders of Company Common Stock, Company Preferred Stock and Company Warrants to provide all documentation, including investor questionnaires, reasonably requested by Parent to allow Parent to issue the Parent Capital Stock to such holders in a manner that satisfies the requirements of Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act or Rule 902 of Regulation S, including certifications to Parent: that either (a) (i) such holder is and will be, as of the First Effective Time, an “accredited investor” (as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D under the Securities Act) and as to the basis on which such holder is an accredited investor; or (ii) such holder is not and will not be, as of the First Effective Time, an “accredited investor,” in which case such holder either alone or with such holder’s purchaser representative has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that such holder is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the Parent Capital Stock; and (iii) that the Parent Capital Stock is being acquired for such holder’s account for investment only and not with a view towards, or with any intention of, a distribution or resale thereof for at least a period of six (6) months following the Closing or (b) such holder is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of Regulation S, Rule 902, promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act.

 

Section 6.8            Obligations of Merger Subs. Parent will take all action necessary to cause Merger Subs to perform their obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the Merger on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

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Article VII

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

 

Section 7.1           Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger. The obligation of each party to effect the Merger and otherwise consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the First Effective Time of the following conditions:

 

(a)           Company Stockholder Approval. The Company shall have obtained the Company Stockholder Approval.

 

(b)           No Injunctions or Legal Restraints; Illegality. No temporary restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction or other judgment, order or decree issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition shall be in effect, and no Law shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, enforced or deemed applicable by any Governmental Entity that, in any such case, prohibits or makes illegal the consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(c)           Nasdaq Listing. The shares of Parent Common Stock issuable to the stockholders of the Company and to holders of Company Options as provided for in Article III shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(d)           Concurrent Investment. The Stock Purchase Agreement shall be in full force and effect and the Concurrent Investment shall have resulted in gross proceeds to Parent of not less than $110,000,000, which gross proceeds shall have been received by or will be received by Parent substantially simultaneously with the Closing.

 

Section 7.2            Closing Deliveries of the Company. The obligations of Parent and Merger Subs to effect the Merger and otherwise consummate the transactions to be consummated at the Closing are subject to Parent receiving the following documents, each of which shall be in full force and effect, or the written waiver by Parent of delivery:

 

(a)           the Company Stockholder Approval executed by the stockholders of the Company shall be in full force and effect;

 

(b)           a written resignation, in a form reasonably satisfactory to Parent, dated as of the Closing Date and effective as of the Closing, executed by each of the directors and officers of the Company;

 

(c)           the Company Lock-Up Agreements;

 

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(d)           evidence reasonably satisfactory to Parent that the agreements listed in Section 7.2(d) of the Company Disclosure Letter have been terminated without continuing liability or obligation to Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or the Company;

 

(e)           evidence reasonably satisfactory to Parent that the agreements listed in Section 7.2(e) of the Company Disclosure Letter have been amended on terms reasonably satisfactory to Parent; and

 

(f)            stock certificates, to the extent not represented by book-entry, representing each share of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock that is issued and outstanding as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time, together with letters of transmittal (in customary form) duly executed by each holder thereof.

 

Section 7.3            Closing Deliveries of Parent. The obligations of the Company to effect the Merger and otherwise consummate the transactions to be consummated at the Closing are subject to the Company receiving the following documents, each of which shall be in full force and effect, or the written waiver by the Company of delivery:

 

(a)           a copy of the Certificate of Designation, certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

 

(b)           a written resignation, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, dated as of the Closing Date and effective as of the Closing, executed by each of the officers and directors of Parent who is not to continue as an officer or director, as the case may be, of Parent after the Closing pursuant to Section 1.1 hereof;

 

(c)           the Parent Support Agreements;

 

(d)           the Parent Lock-Up Agreements;

 

(e)           a schedule setting forth, in reasonable detail, Parent’s good faith, estimated calculation of Net Cash, including each component thereof prepared and certified by Parent’s principal financial or accounting officer, together with the work papers and backup materials used or useful in preparing such schedule, as requested by the Company; and

 

(f)            evidence of the issuance, to each holder of Company Common Stock immediately prior to the First Effective Time (other than any holders to the extent it holds Excluded Shares or Dissenting Shares) of such holders’ portion of the First Merger Consideration in the name of by book entry on the stock ledger of Parent (or, if such portion of the First Merger Consideration is to be represented in certificated form, a certificate representing the First Merger Consideration in the name of such holder).

 

Article VIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 8.1           Non-survival of Representations and Warranties. None of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement or in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the First Effective Time, other than those covenants or agreements of the parties which by their terms apply, or are to be performed in whole or in part, after the First Effective Time.

 

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Section 8.2            Amendment or Supplement. This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented by the parties by action taken or authorized by their respective Boards of Directors at any time, whether before or after Company Stockholder Approval or the Parent Stockholder Approval has been obtained; provided, however, that after the Company Stockholder Approval or the Parent Stockholder Approval has been obtained, no amendment shall be made that pursuant to applicable Law requires further approval or adoption by the stockholders of the Company or Parent, as applicable, without such further approval or adoption. This Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented in any manner, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, except by an instrument in writing specifically designated as an amendment hereto, signed on behalf of each of the parties in interest at the time of the amendment.

 

Section 8.3            Waiver. The parties may, by action taken or authorized by their respective Boards of Directors, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions of the other parties contained herein; provided, however, that after the Company Stockholder Approval or the Parent Stockholder Approval has been obtained, no waiver may be made that pursuant to applicable Law requires further approval or adoption by the stockholders of the Company or Parent, as applicable, without such further approval or adoption. Any agreement on the part of a party to any such waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a written instrument executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer on behalf of such party. No failure or delay of any party in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right or power, or any course of conduct, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies which they would otherwise have hereunder.

 

Section 8.4            Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such fees or expenses.

 

Section 8.5            Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (a) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, or if by e-mail, upon written confirmation of receipt by e-mail or otherwise, (b) on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered utilizing a next-day service by a recognized next-day courier or (c) on the earlier of confirmed receipt or the fifth Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be delivered to the addresses set forth below, or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice:

 

(i)           if to Parent, Merger Subs or the Surviving Company, to:

 

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
100 High Street
Floor 28
Boston, Massachusetts 02110

Attention: General Counsel
E-mail: bharshbarger@catabasis.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Attention: Rosemary G. Reilly, Esq.
  Joseph B. Conahan, Esq.
E-mail: rosemary.reilly@wilmerhale.com
  joseph.conahan@wilmerhale.com

 

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(ii)          if to Company, to:

 

Quellis Biosciences, Inc.

203 Crescent Street, Bldg. #17, Suite #102B

Waltham, MA 02453

Attention: Jonathan Violin
E-mail: jviolin@quellisbio.com

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
555 Mission St., Suite 3000
San Francisco, CA 94105

Attention: Ryan Murr, Esq.
  Chris Trester, Esq.
E-mail: rmurr@gibsondunn.com
  ctrester@gibsondunn.com

 

Section 8.6            Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:

 

(a)           Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first Person.

 

(b)           Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by applicable Law to be closed.

 

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(c)           Cash and Cash Equivalents” means all (i) cash and cash equivalents and (ii) marketable securities, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

(d)           Certificate of Designation” means a certificate of designation for the Parent Convertible Preferred Stock in the form attached hereto as Exhibit E.

 

(e)           Company Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property owned by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in whole or in part.

 

(f)            control” (including the terms “controlled,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

(g)           Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights of any kind or nature in any jurisdiction throughout the world, including all of the following to the extent protected by applicable law: (i) trademarks or service marks (whether registered or unregistered), trade names, domain names, social media user names, social media addresses, logos, slogans, and trade dress, including applications to register any of the foregoing, together with the goodwill symbolized by any of the foregoing; (ii) patents, utility models and any similar or equivalent statutory rights with respect to the protection of inventions, and all applications for any of the foregoing, together with all re-issuances, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisionals, revisions, extensions and reexaminations thereof; (iii) copyrights (registered and unregistered) and applications for registration; (iv) trade secrets and customer lists, in each case to the extent any of the foregoing derive economic value (actual or potential) from not being generally known to other Persons who can obtain economic value from their disclosure or use, and other confidential information (“Trade Secrets”); and (v) any other proprietary or intellectual property rights of any kind or nature.

 

(h)           knowledge” of any party means (i) the actual knowledge of any executive officer of such party or other officer having primary responsibility for the relevant matter or (ii) any fact or matter which any such officer of such party could be expected to discover or otherwise become aware of in the course of conducting a reasonably comprehensive investigation, consistent with such officer’s title and responsibilities, concerning the existence of the relevant matter.

 

(i)            Nasdaq” means the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC.

 

(j)            Net Cash” means the amount, whether positive or negative, without duplication, as of immediately prior to the First Effective Time: (i) Parent’s Cash and Cash Equivalents determined, to the extent in accordance with GAAP, in a manner consistent with the manner in which such items were historically determined and in accordance with the financial statements (including any related notes) contained or incorporated by reference in the Parent SEC Documents and the Parent Balance Sheet, minus (ii) the sum of (x) Parent’s consolidated short-term and long-term liabilities accrued at Closing, and (y) to the extent payable in cash at Closing, any and all liabilities of Parent (I) to any current or former Parent’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ officer, director, employee, consultant or independent contractor (including change-of-control payments, retention payments, severance and other employee-, consultant- or independent contractor-related termination costs, or other payments), or (II) pursuant to any Parent Plan, including deferred compensation accrued but unpaid bonuses and accrued but unpaid vacation or paid time off (including related employer employment taxes on all the foregoing), plus (iii) all prepaid expenses at Closing, minus (iv) the cash costs of warrant payouts (including Black-Scholes warrant payouts, if applicable) required to be paid by a party in connection with or triggered by, the Closing or the transactions contemplated hereby, minus (v) the sum of estimated cash costs associated with the termination of ongoing contractual obligations relating to Parent’s legacy business operations (e.g., CRO fees, consulting fees with termination provisions, manufacturing obligations, etc.), minus (vi) unpaid fees and expenses of Parent and its Subsidiaries incurred in connection with the contemplated transactions hereunder, including for the avoidance of doubt, Transaction Expenses to the extent unpaid as of the Closing, minus (vii) any unpaid Taxes of Parent and its Subsidiaries for Tax periods (or portions thereof) ending on or before the Closing Date determined in a manner consistent with past practice (to the extent such past practice is consistent with applicable Law), minus (viii) unpaid “applicable employment taxes” (as defined in Section 2302(d)(i) of the CARES Act) that the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries has deferred as of the Closing Date.

 

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(k)           Parent Balance Sheet” means the audited balance sheet of Parent as of December 31, 2019, included in Parent’s Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the SEC.

 

(l)            Parent Capital Stock” means the Parent Common Stock and Parent Convertible Preferred Stock.

 

(m)          Parent Closing Price” means the closing price of one (1) share of Parent Common Stock on Nasdaq on the trading day immediately preceding the Closing Date

 

(n)           Parent Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property owned by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in whole or in part.

 

(o)           Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, trust or other entity or organization, including any Governmental Entity.

 

(p)           Personal Information” means any information that alone or in combination with other information can be used to identify an individual.

 

(q)           Representative” means, with respect to a party, such party’s directors, officers, employees, investment bankers, financial advisors, attorneys, accountants or other advisors, agents or representatives.

 

(r)            SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(s)           Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which stock or other equity interests having ordinary voting power to elect more than 50% of the board of directors or other governing body are owned, directly or indirectly, by such first Person.

 

(t)            Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, election, claim for refund, information return, or statement filed or supplied or required to be filed or supplied to any Governmental Entity or any other Person with respect to Taxes, including any schedule, attachment or supplement thereto, and including any amendment thereof.

 

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(u)           Taxes” means (i) all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, stock, ad valorem, transfer, transaction, franchise, profits, gains, registration, license, wages, lease, service, service use, employee and other withholding, social security, unemployment, welfare, disability, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, workers’ compensation, premium, real property, personal property, escheat or unclaimed property, windfall profits, net worth, capital, value-added, alternative or add-on minimum, customs duties, estimated and other taxes, fees, assessments, charges or levies of any kind whatsoever (whether imposed directly or through withholding and including taxes of any third party in respect of which a Person may have a duty to collect or withhold and remit and any amounts resulting from the failure to file any Tax Return), whether disputed or not, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto and (ii) any liability for payment of amounts described in clause (i) whether as a result of transferee or successor liability, of being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group for any period, pursuant to a Contract, through operation of Law or otherwise.

 

(v)           Transaction Expenses” means the aggregate amount (without duplication) of all costs, fees and expenses incurred by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (including Merger Subs), or for which Parent or any of its Subsidiaries are or may become liable in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation, preparation and execution of this Agreement or any other agreement, document, instrument, filing, certificate, schedule, exhibit, letter or other document prepared or executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including (a) any fees and expenses of legal counsel and accountants, the maximum amount of fees and expenses payable to financial advisors, investment bankers, brokers, consultants, tax advisors, transfer agents, proxy solicitor and other advisors of Parent and (b) any bonus, retention payments, severance, change-in-control payments or similar payment obligations (including payments with “single-trigger” provisions triggered at and as of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby) that become due or payable to any director, officer, employee or consultant in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, together with any payroll Taxes associated therewith.

 

Section 8.7            Interpretation. When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section, Article, Exhibit or Schedule such reference shall be to a Section, Article, Exhibit or Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement or in any Exhibit or Schedule are for convenience of reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All words used in this Agreement will be construed to be of such gender or number as the circumstances require. Any capitalized terms used in any Exhibit or Schedule but not otherwise defined therein shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. All Exhibits and Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth herein. The word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement will mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to the Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision in this Agreement. The term “or” is not exclusive. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” References to days mean calendar days unless otherwise specified. Each of the terms “delivered” and “made available” means, with respect to any documentation, that (i) prior to 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time) on the date that is two Business Days prior to the date of this Agreement (A) a copy of such material has been posted to and made available by a party to the other party and its Representatives in the electronic data room maintained by such disclosing party or (B) such material is disclosed in the Parent SEC Documents filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof and publicly made available on the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system or (ii) such documentation has been delivered by or on behalf of a party or its Representatives via electronic mail or in hard copy form prior to the execution of this Agreement. Whenever the last day for the exercise of any privilege or the discharge of any duty hereunder shall fall upon a Saturday, Sunday, or any date on which banks in New York, New York, are authorized or obligated by law to be closed, the party having such privilege or duty may exercise such privilege or discharge such duty on the next succeeding day which is a regular Business Day.

 

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Section 8.8            Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the Exhibits hereto), the Company Disclosure Letter, the Parent Disclosure Letter and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all prior written agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings and all prior and contemporaneous oral agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

Section 8.9            No Third-Party Beneficiaries.

 

(a)           Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any Person other than the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature under or by reason of this Agreement, except as provided in Section 3.2(a) and Section 6.3.

 

(b)           The representations and warranties in this Agreement are the product of negotiations among the parties hereto and are for the sole benefit of the parties hereto. Any inaccuracies in such representations and warranties are subject to waiver by the parties hereto in accordance with Section 8.3 without notice or liability to any other Person. In some instances, the representations and warranties in this Agreement may represent an allocation among the parties hereto of risks associated with particular matters regardless of the knowledge of any of the parties hereto. Consequently, Persons other than the parties hereto may not rely upon the representations and warranties in this Agreement as characterizations of actual facts or circumstances as of the date of this Agreement or as of any other date.

 

Section 8.10          Governing Law. This Agreement and all disputes or controversies arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the laws of any other jurisdiction that might be applied because of the conflicts-of-laws principles of the State of Delaware.

 

Section 8.11          Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the parties irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party or its Affiliates against any other party or its Affiliates shall be brought and determined in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; provided, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, then any such legal action or proceeding may be brought in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for itself and with respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, with regard to any such action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the parties agrees not to commence any action, suit or proceeding relating thereto except in the courts described above in Delaware, other than actions in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any judgment, decree or award rendered by any such court in Delaware as described herein. Each of the parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Delaware as described herein for any reason, (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

 

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Section 8.12          Assignment; Successors. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations under this Agreement may be assigned or delegated, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties, and any such assignment without such prior written consent shall be null and void. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Section 8.13          Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that the parties hereto do not perform the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with its terms or otherwise breach such provisions. Accordingly, the parties acknowledge and agree that each party shall be entitled to an injunction, specific performance and other equitable relief to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, provided, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, then in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity. Each of the parties hereby further waives (a) any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any law to post security as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

Section 8.14          Currency. All references to “dollars” or “$” or “US$” in this Agreement refer to United States dollars, which is the currency used for all purposes in this Agreement.

 

Section 8.15          Severability. Whenever possible, each provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction, and this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had never been contained herein.

 

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Section 8.16          Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 8.17         Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other party.

 

Section 8.18          Facsimile or .pdf Signature. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or .pdf signature and a facsimile or .pdf signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.

 

Section 8.19          No Presumption against Drafting Party. Each of Parent, the Merger Subs and the Company acknowledges that each party to this Agreement has been represented by counsel in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Accordingly, any rule of law or any legal decision that would require interpretation of any claimed ambiguities in this Agreement against the drafting party has no application and is expressly waived.

 

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

 

  CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
   
   
  By: /s/ JILL C. MILNE                              
    Name: Jill C. Milne
    Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer
     
     
  CABO MERGER SUB I, INC.
   
   
  By: /s/ BEN HARSHBARGER
    Name: Ben Harshbarger
    Title:   President and Secretary
     
     
  CABO MERGER SUB II, LLC
   
   
  By:  /s/ BEN HARSHBARGER
    Name: Ben Harshbarger
    Title:   Secretary
     
  QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, INC.
   
   
  By: /s/ JONATHAN VIOLIN
    Name: Jonathan Violin
    Title:   Treasurer and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Agreement and Plan of Merger]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Parent Support Agreements

 

See attached.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF SUPPORT AGREEMENT

 

CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.

 

SUPPORT AGREEMENT

 

THIS SUPPORT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 28, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), is made by and among Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), Quellis Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned holder (“Stockholder”) of shares of capital stock (the “Shares”) of Parent.

 

WHEREAS, Parent, Cabo Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“First Merger Sub”), Cabo Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Second Merger Sub”), and the Company, have entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated of even date herewith (the “Merger Agreement”), providing for the merger of First Merger Sub with and into the Company (the “First Merger”) and, the merger of the Company with and into Second Merger Sub (the “Second Merger” and, together with the First Merger, the “Merger”);

 

WHEREAS, Stockholder beneficially owns and has sole or shared voting power with respect to the number of Shares, and holds Parent Options to acquire the number of Shares indicated opposite Stockholder’s name on Schedule 1 attached hereto;

 

WHEREAS, as an inducement and a condition to the willingness of Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub and the Company to enter into the Merger Agreement, and in consideration of the substantial expenses incurred and to be incurred by them in connection therewith, Stockholder has agreed to enter into and perform this Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, all capitalized terms used in this Agreement without definition herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of, and as a condition to, Parent, First Merger Sub, Second Merger Sub and the Company’s entering into the Merger Agreement and proceeding with the transactions contemplated thereby, and in consideration of the substantial expenses incurred and to be incurred by them in connection therewith, Stockholder, Parent and the Company agree as follows:

 

1.                   Agreement to Vote Shares. Stockholder agrees that, prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in Section 2 below), at any meeting of the stockholders of Parent or any adjournment or postponement thereof, or in connection with any written consent of the stockholders of Parent, with respect to the Conversion Proposal (defined below) or the Charter Amendment Proposal (defined below), Stockholder shall:

 

(a)                 appear at such meeting or otherwise cause the Shares[ and any New Shares (as defined in Section 3 below)]1 to be counted as present thereat for purposes of calculating a quorum;

 

 

1 Note to Draft: Only for Stockholders executing lock-up agreements.

 

1 

 

 

 

(b)                from and after the date hereof until the Expiration Date, vote (or cause to be voted), or deliver a written consent (or cause a written consent to be delivered) covering all of the Shares[ and any New Shares] that Stockholder shall be entitled to so vote: (i) in favor of (A) the approval of the conversion of the Parent Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Merger Agreement into shares of Parent Common Stock in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(a) (the “Conversion Proposal”) and, if applicable, (B) the approval of an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Parent to authorize sufficient shares of Parent Common Stock for the conversion of the Parent Preferred Stock issued pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Stock Purchase Agreement and/or to effectuate a reverse stock split (the “Charter Amendment Proposal”) and any matter that could reasonably be expected to facilitate the Conversion Proposal and the Charter Amendment Proposal; (ii) against any proposal to remove the limitation initially set at the discretion of holders of Parent Preferred Stock between 4.9% and 19.9% of the number of shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Parent Common Stock upon conversion (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”) restricting such holders from beneficially owning a number of shares of Parent Common Stock in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation or any agreement, transaction or other matter that is intended to, or would reasonably be expected to, impede, interfere with, delay, postpone, discourage or materially and adversely affect the consummation of the Conversion Proposal or Charter Amendment Proposal; and (iii) to approve any proposal to adjourn or postpone the meeting to a later date, if there are not sufficient votes for the approval of the Conversion Proposal or Charter Amendment Proposal on the date on which such meeting is held. Stockholder shall not take or commit or agree to take any action inconsistent with the foregoing.

 

2.                   Expiration Date. As used in this Agreement, the term “Expiration Date” shall mean the earliest to occur of (a) 180 days from the date of this Agreement, (b) the approval of the Conversion Proposal, and (c) upon mutual written agreement of the parties to terminate this Agreement.

 

3.                   Additional Purchases. Stockholder agrees that any shares of capital stock or other equity securities of Parent that Stockholder purchases or with respect to which Stockholder otherwise acquires sole or shared voting power (including any proxy) after the execution of this Agreement and prior to the Expiration Date, whether by the exercise of any Parent Options or otherwise, including, without limitation, by gift, succession, in the event of a stock split or as a dividend or distribution of any Shares (“New Shares”), shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement to the same extent as if they constituted the Shares.

 

4.                   Share Transfers. [From and after the date hereof until the Expiration Date, Stockholder shall not, directly or indirectly, (a) sell, assign, transfer, tender, or otherwise dispose of (including, without limitation, by the creation of any Liens) any Shares or any New Shares acquired, (b) deposit any Shares or New Shares into a voting trust or enter into a voting agreement or similar arrangement with respect to such Shares or New Shares or grant any proxy or power of attorney with respect thereto (other than this Agreement), (c) enter into any Contract, option, commitment or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or other disposition of (including, without limitation, by the creation of any Liens) any Shares or New Shares, or (d) take any action that would make any representation or warranty of Stockholder contained herein untrue or incorrect or have the effect of preventing or disabling Stockholder from performing Stockholder’s obligations under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Stockholder may make (1) transfers by will or by operation of Law or other transfers for estate-planning purposes, in which case this Agreement shall bind the transferee, (2) with respect to Stockholder’s Parent Options which expire on or prior to the Expiration Date, transfers, sale, or other disposition of Shares to Parent as payment for the (i) exercise price of Stockholder’s Parent Options and (ii) taxes applicable to the exercise of Stockholder’s Parent Options, (3) if Stockholder is a partnership or limited liability company, a transfer to one or more partners or members of Stockholder or to an Affiliate of Stockholder, or if Stockholder is a trust, a transfer to a beneficiary, provided that in each such case the applicable transferee has signed a voting agreement in substantially the form hereof and no such transfer will necessitate the filing of a Form 4 reporting such transfer, (4) transfers to another holder of the capital stock of the Company that has signed a voting agreement in substantially the form hereof, and (5) transfers, sales or other dispositions as the Company may otherwise agree in writing in its sole discretion. If any voluntary or involuntary transfer of any Shares covered hereby shall occur (including a transfer or disposition permitted by Section 4(1) through Section 4(5), sale by a Stockholder’s trustee in bankruptcy, or a sale to a purchaser at any creditor’s or court sale), the transferee (which term, as used herein, shall include any and all transferees and subsequent transferees of the initial transferee) shall take and hold such Shares subject to all of the restrictions, liabilities and rights under this Agreement, which shall continue in full force and effect, notwithstanding that such transferee is not a Stockholder and has not executed a counterpart hereof or joinder hereto.]2

 

2 

 

 

5.                   Representations and Warranties of Stockholder. Stockholder hereby represents and warrants to Parent and the Company as follows:

 

(a)                 If Stockholder is an entity: (i) Stockholder is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated, organized or constituted, (ii) Stockholder has all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform Stockholder’s obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, performance of Stockholder’s obligations hereunder and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby by Stockholder have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of Stockholder and no other proceedings on the part of Stockholder are necessary to authorize this Agreement, or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. If Stockholder is an individual, Stockholder has the legal capacity to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform Stockholder’s obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby;

 

(b)                this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by or on behalf of Stockholder and, to Stockholder’s knowledge and assuming this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company and Parent, constitutes a valid and binding agreement with respect to Stockholder, enforceable against Stockholder in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity whether applied in a court of Law or a court of equity and by bankruptcy, insolvency and similar Laws affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally;

 

(c)                 Stockholder beneficially owns the number of Shares indicated opposite Stockholder’s name on Schedule 1, and will own any New Shares, free and clear of any Liens, and has sole or shared, and otherwise unrestricted, voting power with respect to such Shares or New Shares and none of the Shares or New Shares is subject to any voting trust or other agreement, arrangement or restriction with respect to the voting of the Shares or the New Shares, except as contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(d)                to the knowledge of Stockholder, the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Stockholder does not, and the performance by Stockholder of his, her or its obligations hereunder and the compliance by Stockholder with any provisions hereof will not, violate or conflict with, result in a material breach of or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a material default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of any Liens on any Shares or New Shares pursuant to, any Contract or other obligation or any order, arbitration award, judgment or decree to which Stockholder is a party or by which Stockholder is bound, or any Law, statute, rule or regulation to which Stockholder is subject or, in the event that Stockholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, any certificate of incorporation, bylaw or similar organizational document of Stockholder; except for any of the foregoing as would not reasonably be expected to prevent or delay the performance by Stockholder of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect;

 

(e)                 the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Stockholder does not, and the performance of this Agreement by Stockholder does not and will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Entity or regulatory authority by Stockholder except for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, and except where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not prevent or delay the performance by Stockholder of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect;

 

 

2 Note to Draft: Only for Stockholders executing lock-up agreements.

 

3 

 

 

(f)                  no investment banker, broker, finder or other intermediary is entitled to a fee or commission from Parent or the Company in respect of this Agreement based upon any Contract made by or on behalf of Stockholder; and

 

(g)                as of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of Stockholder, threatened against Stockholder that would reasonably be expected to prevent or delay the performance by Stockholder of his, her or its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect.

 

6.                   Irrevocable Proxy. Subject to the penultimate sentence of this Section 6, by execution of this Agreement, Stockholder does hereby appoint the Company and any of its designees with full power of substitution and resubstitution, as Stockholder’s true and lawful attorney and irrevocable proxy, to the fullest extent of Stockholder’s rights with respect to the Shares, to vote and exercise all voting and related rights, including the right to sign Stockholder’s name (solely in its capacity as a stockholder) to any stockholder consent, if Stockholder is unable to perform or otherwise does not perform his, her or its obligations under this Agreement, with respect to such Shares solely with respect to the matters set forth in Section 1 hereof. Stockholder intends this proxy to be irrevocable and coupled with an interest hereunder until the Expiration Date, hereby revokes any proxy previously granted by Stockholder with respect to the Shares and represents that none of such previously-granted proxies are irrevocable. The irrevocably proxy and power of attorney granted herein shall survive the death or incapacity of Stockholder and the obligations of Stockholder shall be binding on Stockholder’s heirs, personal representatives, successors, transferees and assigns. Stockholder hereby agrees not to grant any subsequent powers of attorney or proxies with respect to any Shares with respect to the matters set forth in Section 1 until after the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this irrevocable proxy shall automatically terminate upon the Expiration Date.

 

7.                   Other Remedies; Specific Performance. Except as otherwise provided herein, any and all remedies herein expressly conferred upon a party will be deemed cumulative with, and not exclusive of, any other remedy conferred hereby, or by Law or equity upon such party, and the exercise by a party of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other remedy. The parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, provided, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, then in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law or in equity. Each of the parties hereby further waives (a) any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any law to post security as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

8.                   Directors and Officers. [This Agreement shall apply to Stockholder solely in Stockholder’s capacity as a stockholder of Parent and/or holder of Parent Options and not in Stockholder’s capacity as a director, officer or employee of Parent or its Subsidiaries or in Stockholder’s capacity as a trustee or fiduciary of any employee benefit plan or trust. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall (or require Stockholder to attempt to) limit or restrict a director and/or officer of Parent in the exercise of his or her fiduciary duties as a director and/or officer of Parent or in his or her capacity as a trustee or fiduciary of any employee benefit plan or trust or prevent or be construed to create any obligation on the part of any director and/or officer of Parent or any trustee or fiduciary of any employee benefit plan or trust from taking any action in his or her capacity as such director, officer, trustee and/or fiduciary.]3

 

9.                   No Ownership Interest. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to vest in the Company any direct or indirect ownership or incidence of ownership of or with respect to any Shares. All rights, ownership and economic benefits of and relating to the Shares shall remain vested in and belong to Stockholder, and the Company does not have authority to manage, direct, superintend, restrict, regulate, govern, or administer any of the policies or operations of Parent or exercise any power or authority to direct Stockholder in the voting of any of the Shares, except as otherwise provided herein.

 

 

3 Note to Draft: Only for Stockholders that are directors and/or officers.

 

4 

 

 

 

10.                Termination. This Agreement shall terminate and shall have no further force or effect as of the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, no party shall have any further obligations or liabilities under this Agreement; provided, however, nothing set forth in this Section 10 or elsewhere in this Agreement shall relieve any party from liability for any fraud or for any willful and material breach of this Agreement prior to termination hereof.

 

11.                Further Assurances. Stockholder shall, from time to time, execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, such additional or further consents, documents and other instruments as the Company or Parent may reasonably request for the purpose of effectively carrying out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Merger Agreement.

 

12.                Disclosure. Stockholder hereby agrees that Parent and the Company may publish and disclose in any registration statement, any prospectus filed with any regulatory authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Merger Agreement and any related documents filed with such regulatory authority and as otherwise required by Law, Stockholder’s identity and ownership of Shares and the nature of Stockholder’s commitments, arrangements and understandings under this Agreement and may further file this Agreement as an exhibit to any registration statement or prospectus or in any other filing made by Parent or the Company as required by Law or the terms of the Merger Agreement, including with the SEC or other regulatory authority, relating to the transactions contemplated thereby, all subject to prior review and an opportunity to comment by Stockholder’s counsel. Prior to the Closing, Stockholder shall not, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its representatives not to, directly or indirectly, make any press release, public announcement or other public communication that criticizes or disparages this Agreement or the Merger Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated thereby, without the prior written consent of Parent and the Company, provided that the foregoing shall not limit or affect any actions taken by Stockholder (or any affiliated officer or director of Stockholder) that would be permitted to be taken by Stockholder, Parent or the Company pursuant to the Merger Agreement; provided, further, that the foregoing shall not effect any actions of Stockholder the prohibition of which would be prohibited under applicable Law.

 

13.                Notice. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (a) on the date of delivery if delivered personally or if by e-mail, upon written confirmation of receipt by e-mail or otherwise, (b) on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered utilizing a next-day service by a recognized next-day courier or (c) on the earlier of confirmed receipt or the fifth Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid to the Company or Parent, as the case may be, in accordance with Section 8.5 of the Merger Agreement and to Stockholder at his, her or its address or email address (providing confirmation of transmission) set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice).

 

14.                Severability. Whenever possible, each provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable Law, but if any provision or portion of any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable Law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or portion of any provision in such jurisdiction, and this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision or portion of any provision had never been contained herein.

 

15.                Assignability. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall be enforceable by and inure solely to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that neither this Agreement nor any of a party’s rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned or delegated, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, by such party without the prior written consent of the other parties hereto, and any attempted assignment or delegation of this Agreement or any of such rights, interests or obligations by such party without the prior written consent of the other parties shall be void and of no effect. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto) any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

 

5 

 

 

 

16.                Waivers. No waivers of any breach of this Agreement extended by the Company or Parent to Stockholder shall be construed as a waiver of any rights or remedies of the Company or Parent, as applicable, with respect to any other stockholder of Parent who has executed an agreement substantially in the form of this Agreement with respect to Shares held or subsequently held by such stockholder or with respect to any subsequent breach of Stockholder or any other stockholder of Parent. No failure or delay of any party in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right or power, or any course of conduct, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the parties hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies which they would otherwise have hereunder.

 

17.                Applicable Law; Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the state of Delaware, regardless of the Laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of Laws. Each of the parties irrevocably agrees that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party or its Affiliates against any other party or its Affiliates shall be brought and determined in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware; provided, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, then any such legal action or proceeding may be brought in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for itself and with respect to its property, generally and unconditionally, with regard to any such action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Each of the parties agrees not to commence any action, suit or proceeding relating thereto except in the courts described above in Delaware, other than actions in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any judgment, decree or award rendered by any such court in Delaware as described herein. Each of the parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Delaware as described herein for any reason, (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) that (i) the suit, action or proceeding in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

 

18.                Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

19.                No Agreement Until Executed. Irrespective of negotiations among the parties or the exchanging of drafts of this Agreement, this Agreement shall not constitute or be deemed to evidence a Contract, agreement, arrangement or understanding between the parties hereto unless and until (a) the Parent Board has approved, for purposes of any applicable anti-takeover Laws and regulations and any applicable provision of the Certificate of Incorporation of Parent, the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, (b) the Merger Agreement is executed by all parties thereto, and (c) this Agreement is executed by all parties hereto.

 

20.                Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including the schedules hereto) and the other agreements referred to in this Agreement constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all prior written agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings and all prior and contemporaneous oral agreements, arrangements, communications and understandings among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

6 

 

 

21.                Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other party.

 

22.                Facsimile or .pdf Signature. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or .pdf signature and a facsimile or .pdf signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.

 

23.                Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended, supplemented or modified, and no provisions hereof may be modified or waived, except by an instrument in writing specifically designated as an amendment hereto, signed on behalf of each of the parties in interest at the time of the amendment; provided, however, that the rights or obligations of any Stockholder may be waived, amended or otherwise modified in a writing signed by Parent, the Company and Stockholder.

 

24.                Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Merger Agreement or any other agreement contemplated by the Merger Agreement to which a party hereto is a party, each party hereto shall bear its own expenses in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

25.                Voluntary Execution of Agreement. This Agreement is executed voluntarily and without any duress or undue influence on the part or behalf of the parties. Each of the parties hereby acknowledges, represents and warrants that (a) it has read and fully understood this Agreement and the implications and consequences thereof; (b) it has been represented in the preparation, negotiation, and execution of this Agreement by legal counsel of its own choice, or it has made a voluntary and informed decision to decline to seek such counsel; and (c) it is fully aware of the legal and binding effect of this Agreement.

 

26.                Construction. When a reference is made in this Agreement to a Section or Schedule such reference shall be to a Section or Schedule of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The headings contained in this Agreement or in any Schedule are for convenience of reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All words used in this Agreement will be construed to be of such gender or number as the circumstances require. Any capitalized terms used in any Schedule but not otherwise defined therein shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. All Schedules annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth herein. The word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement will mean “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified. The words “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to the Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision in this Agreement. The term “or” is not exclusive. The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” References to days mean calendar days unless otherwise specified.

 

[Remainder of Page has Intentionally Been Left Blank]

 

7 

 

 

EXECUTED as of the date first above written.

 

  [STOCKHOLDER]
   
  By:
  Name (if an Entity):
  Title (if an Entity):

 

[Signature Page to Support Agreement]

 

 

 

 

EXECUTED as of the date first above written.

 

  CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
   
  By:
  Name:
  Title:
   
  QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, INC.
   
  By:
  Name:
  Title:

 

[Signature Page to Support Agreement]

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

Name, Address and Email Address of Stockholder   Shares
of
Parent
Common Stock
  Parent Options    

 

 

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Lock-Up Agreements

 

See attached.

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

 

January 28, 2021

 

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

100 High Street, Floor 28
Boston, Massachusetts 02110

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned signatory of this lock-up agreement (this “Lock-Up Agreement”) understands that Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of January 28, 2021 (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”) with Cabo Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, Cabo Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, and Quellis Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Merger Agreement.

 

As a condition and inducement to each of the parties to enter into the Merger Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, subject to the exceptions set forth herein, without the prior written consent of Parent, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing upon the Closing and ending on the date that is 180 days after the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”):

 

i.                     offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Parent Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Parent Common Stock (including without limitation, Parent Common Stock or such other securities which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC and securities of Parent which may be issued upon exercise of an option to purchase Parent Common Stock or a warrant to purchase Parent Common Stock) that are currently or hereafter owned by the undersigned (collectively, the “Undersigned’s Shares”), or publicly disclose the intention to make any such offer, sale, pledge, grant, transfer or disposition;

 

ii.                   enter into any swap, short sale, hedge or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Undersigned’s Shares regardless of whether any such transaction described in clause (i) above or this clause (ii) is to be settled by delivery of Parent Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise; or

 

iii.                 make any demand for, or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Parent Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Parent Common Stock (other than such rights set forth in the Merger Agreement).

 

The restrictions and obligations contemplated by this Lock-Up Agreement shall not apply to:

 

a.             transfers of the Undersigned’s Shares:

 

i.                     if the undersigned is a natural person, (A) to any person related to the undersigned by blood or adoption who is an immediate family member of the undersigned, or by marriage or domestic partnership (a “Family Member”), or to a trust formed for the benefit of the undersigned or any of the undersigned’s Family Members, (B) to the undersigned’s estate, following the death of the undersigned, by will, intestacy or other operation of Law, (C) as a bona fide gift or a charitable contribution, (D) by operation of Law pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement or (E) to any partnership, corporation or limited liability company which is controlled by the undersigned and/or by any such Family Member(s);

 

 

 

 

ii.                   if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership or other entity, (A) to another corporation, partnership, or other entity that is an affiliate (as defined under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) of the undersigned, including investment funds or other entities under common control or management with the undersigned, (B) as a distribution or dividend to equity holders, current or former general or limited partners, members or managers (or to the estates of any of the foregoing), as applicable, of the undersigned (including upon the liquidation and dissolution of the undersigned pursuant to a plan of liquidation approved by the undersigned’s equity holders), (C) as a bona fide gift or a charitable contribution or (D) transfers or dispositions not involving a change in beneficial ownership; or

 

iii.                 if the undersigned is a trust, to any grantors or beneficiaries of the trust; provided that, in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to this clause (a), such transfer is not for value and each donee, heir, beneficiary or other transferee or distributee shall sign and deliver to Parent a lock-up agreement in the form of this Lock-Up Agreement with respect to the shares of Parent Common Stock or such other securities that have been so transferred or distributed;

 

b.            the exercise of an option to purchase Parent Common Stock (including a net or cashless exercise of an option to purchase Parent Common Stock ), and any related transfer of shares of Parent Common Stock to Parent for the purpose of paying the exercise price of such options or for paying taxes (including estimated taxes) due as a result of the exercise of such options; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the underlying shares of Parent Common Stock shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement;

 

c.             transfers to Parent in connection with the net settlement of any other equity award that represents the right to receive in the future shares of Parent Common Stock, settled in Parent Common Stock, to pay any tax withholding obligations; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the underlying shares of Parent Common Stock shall continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement;

 

d.             the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Parent Common Stock; provided that such plan does not provide for any transfers of Parent Common Stock during the Restricted Period;

 

e.             transfers by the undersigned of shares of Parent Common Stock purchased by the undersigned on the open market or in a public offering by Parent, in each case following the Closing Date;

 

f.              pursuant to a bona-fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of Parent’s capital stock involving a change of control of Parent, provided that in the event that such tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Undersigned’s Shares shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this Lock-Up Agreement; or

 

g.             pursuant to an order of a court or regulatory agency;

 

and provided, further, that, with respect to each of (a), (b), (c), and (d) above, no filing by any party (including any donor, donee, transferor, transferee, distributor or distributee) under Section 16 of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer or disposition during the Restricted Period (other than (i) any exit filings or public announcements that may be required under applicable federal and state securities Laws or (ii) in respect of a required filing under the Exchange Act in connection with the exercise of an option to purchase Parent Common Stock or in connection with the net settlement of any other equity award that represents the right to receive in the future shares of Parent Common Stock, settled in Parent Common Stock, that would otherwise expire during the Restricted Period, provided that reasonable notice shall be provided to Parent prior to any such filing).

 

2

 

 

Any attempted transfer in violation of this Lock-Up Agreement will be of no effect and null and void, regardless of whether the purported transferee has any actual or constructive knowledge of the transfer restrictions set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement, and will not be recorded on the share register of Parent. In furtherance of the foregoing, the undersigned agrees that Parent and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement. Parent may cause the legend set forth below, or a legend substantially equivalent thereto, to be placed upon any certificate(s) or other documents, ledgers or instruments evidencing the undersigned’s ownership of Parent Common Stock:

 

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO AND MAY ONLY BE TRANSFERRED IN COMPLIANCE WITH A LOCK-UP AGREEMENT, A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE COMPANY.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that if the Merger Agreement is terminated for any reason, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Lock-Up Agreement. The undersigned understands that Parent and the Company are proceeding with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement in reliance upon this Lock-Up Agreement.

 

Any and all remedies herein expressly conferred upon Parent or the Company will be deemed cumulative with and not exclusive of any other remedy conferred hereby, or by Law or equity, and the exercise by Parent or the Company of any one remedy will not preclude the exercise of any other remedy. The undersigned agrees that irreparable damage would occur to Parent and/or the Company in the event that any provision of this Lock-Up Agreement were not performed in accordance with its specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that Parent and the Company shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Lock-Up Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United States or any state having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other remedy to which Parent or the Company is entitled at Law or in equity, and the undersigned waives any bond, surety or other security that might be required of Parent or the Company with respect thereto.

 

In the event that any holder of Parent’s securities that are subject to a substantially similar agreement entered into by such holder, other than the undersigned, is permitted by Parent to sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of shares of Parent Common Stock for value other than as permitted by this or a substantially similar agreement entered into by such holder, the same percentage of shares of Parent Common Stock held by the undersigned shall be immediately and fully released on the same terms from any remaining restrictions set forth herein (the “Pro-Rata Release”); provided, however, that such Pro-Rata Release shall not be applied unless and until permission has been granted by Parent to an equity holder or equity holders to sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of all or a portion of such equity holders shares of Parent Common Stock in an aggregate amount in excess of 1% of the number of shares of Parent Common Stock originally subject to a substantially similar agreement.

 

Upon the release of any of the Undersigned’s Shares from this Lock-Up Agreement, Parent will cooperate with the undersigned to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Undersigned Shares without the restrictive legend above or the withdrawal of any stop transfer instructions.

 

This Lock-Up Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Laws of the state of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of Laws principles thereof.

 

3

 

 

This Lock-Up Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument. The exchange of a fully executed Lock-Up Agreement (in counterparts or otherwise) by Parent, the Company and the undersigned by facsimile or electronic transmission in .pdf format shall be sufficient to bind such parties to the terms and conditions of this Lock-Up Agreement.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
Print Name of Stockholder:  
   
  Signature (for individuals):
   
   
   
  Signature (for entities):
     
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

Accepted and Agreed by CATABASIS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.:

 
     
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  
   

Accepted and Agreed by QUELLIS BIOSCIENCES, INC.:

 
     
By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

[Signature Page to Lock-up Agreement]

 

 

 

Exhibit C

 

Stock Purchase Agreement

 

See attached.

 

(See Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K which this Exhibit C is a part)

 

 

 

 

Exhibit D

 

Exchange Ratio Calculation

 

[***]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit E

 

Form of Certificate of Designation

 

See attached.

 

(See Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K which this Exhibit E is a part)