EX-3.3 3 a2238823zex-3_3.htm EX-3.3

Exhibit 3.3

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

 

OF

 

AKERO THERAPEUTICS, INC.

 

(the “Corporation”)

 

1.                                      MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS.

 

1.1                               Annual Meeting.  If required by applicable law, an annual meeting of stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date, time and place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated by resolution of the Board of Directors from time to time.  Any other proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting.

 

1.2                               Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Board of Directors, but such special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

 

1.3                               Notice of Meetings.  Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting shall be given that shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.   If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.

 

1.4                               Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

 

1.5                               Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, at each meeting of stockholders the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote at the meeting shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum.  In the absence of a quorum, the stockholders so present may, by a majority in voting power thereof, adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 1.4 until a quorum shall attend.  At any such adjourned meeting at which the requisite amount of stock entitled to vote shall be

 


 

represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed; but only those stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting as originally noticed shall be entitled to vote at any adjournment or adjournments thereof.

 

1.6                               Organization.  Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in his or her absence by the Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in his or her absence by the President, or in his or her absence by a Vice President, or in the absence of the foregoing persons by a chairperson designated by the Board of Directors, or in the absence of such designation by a chairperson chosen at the meeting.  The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

1.7                               Voting; Proxies. Except as otherwise provided by or pursuant to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question.  Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.  A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power.  A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot.  At all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors at which a quorum is present a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect.  All other elections and questions presented to the stockholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the shares of stock of the Corporation which are present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon.

 

1.8                               Fixing Date For Determination of Stockholders of Record.  In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date: (1) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders or adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting; (2) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, shall not be more than ten (10) days from the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors; and (3) in the case of any other action, shall not be more than sixty (60) days prior to

 

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such other action.  If no record date is fixed: (1) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day preceding the day on which the meeting is held; (2) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action of the Board of Directors is required by law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law or, if prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action; and (3) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.  A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for any adjourned meeting.

 

1.9                               Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not fewer than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voting.  Prompt notice of the taking of any such action shall be given to those stockholders who did not consent in writing.

 

2.                                      BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

 

2.1                               Number, Qualification. The business, property, and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members, the number thereof to be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board of Directors.  Directors need not be stockholders.

 

2.2                               Election; Resignation; Vacancies. The Board of Directors shall initially consist of the persons named as directors in the Certificate of Incorporation or elected by the incorporator of the Corporation and each director so elected shall hold office until the first annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. At the first annual meeting of stockholders and at each annual meeting thereafter, the stockholders shall elect directors each of whom shall hold office for a term of one year or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon notice to the Corporation. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, any newly created directorship or any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors for any cause may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the Board of Directors, although such majority is less than a quorum, or by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders, and each director so elected shall hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her successor is elected and qualified.

 

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2.3                               Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places within or without the State of Delaware and at such times as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

 

2.4                               Special Meetings.  Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the President, any Vice President, the Secretary or by any member of the Board of Directors. Notice of a special meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given by the person or persons calling the meeting at least twenty-four hours before the special meeting.

 

2.5                               Telephonic Meetings Permitted.  Members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting thereof by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

2.6                               Quorum, Vote Required For Action. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, the directors entitled to cast a majority of the votes of the whole Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  Except in cases in which the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws or applicable law otherwise provides, a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

 

2.7                               Organization.  Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in his or her absence by the Vice Chairperson of the Board, if any, or in their absence by a chairperson chosen at the meeting.  The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in his or her absence the chairperson of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

2.8                               Action by Unanimous Consent of Directors.  Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing(s) or electronic transmission(s) are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee in accordance with applicable law.

 

3.                                      COMMITTEES.

 

3.1                               Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation.  The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.  In the absence or disqualification of a member of the committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the

 

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meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member.  Any such committee, to the extent permitted by law and to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it.

 

3.2                               Committee Rules.  Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board of Directors may make, alter and repeal rules for the conduct of its business.  In the absence of such rules, each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these Bylaws.

 

4.                                      OFFICERS.

 

4.1                               Officers; Elections; Term of Office; Resignation, Removal, Vacancies.  The Board of Directors shall elect a President and Secretary and it may, if it so determines, choose a Chairperson of the Board and a Vice Chairperson of the Board from among its members.  The Board of Directors may also choose one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as it shall from time to time deem necessary or desirable.  Each such officer shall hold office until the first meeting of the Board of Directors after each annual meeting and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.  Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation.  The Board of Directors may remove any officer with or without cause at any time, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if any, with the Corporation. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise may be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting.  Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Corporation and such officer or agent.

 

4.2                               Powers and Duties of Officers.  The officers of the Corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management of the Corporation as may be prescribed in a resolution by the Board of Directors and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may require any officer, agent or employee to give security for the faithful performance of his or her duties.

 

5.                                      STOCK.

 

5.1                               Certificates.  The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of stock shall be uncertificated shares.  Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors, if any, or the President or a Vice President, and by the

 

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Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation.  Any of or all the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile.  In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

 

5.2                               Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates.  The corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

 

6.                                      INDEMNIFICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES.

 

6.1                               Right to Indemnification. The corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any person (a “Covered Person”) who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred by such Covered Person.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as provided in Section 6.3, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a Covered Person in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such Covered Person only if the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by the Covered Person was authorized in the specific case by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

6.2                               Prepayment of Expenses.  The corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a Covered Person in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the Covered Person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article VI or otherwise.

 

6.3                               Claims.  If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such proceeding) or advancement of expenses under this Article VI is not paid in full within thirty (30) days after a written claim therefore by the Covered Person has been received by the Corporation, the Covered Person may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim.

 

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In any such action, the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the Covered Person is not entitled to the requested indemnification or advancement of expenses under applicable law.

 

6.4                               Non-exclusivity of Rights.  The rights conferred on any Covered Person by this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such Covered Person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

6.5                               Other Sources.  The corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or to advance expenses to any Covered Person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity shall be reduced by any amount such Covered Person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.

 

6.6                               Amendment or Repeal.  Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article VI shall not adversely affect any right or protection hereunder of any Covered Person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification.

 

6.7                               Other Indemnification and Prepayment of Expenses.  This Article VI shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to persons other than Covered Persons when and as authorized by appropriate corporate action.

 

6.8                               Insurance.  The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the General Corporation Law.

 

7.                                      MISCELLANEOUS.

 

7.1                               Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

7.2                               Seal.  The corporate seal shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors.  Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.  Whenever the Corporation is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word “(SEAL)” adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Corporation.

 

7.3                               Stock of Other Corporations or Other Interests.  Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the President, the Secretary, and such attorneys or agents of the

 

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Corporation as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors or the President, shall have full power and authority on behalf of this Corporation to attend and to act and vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the holders of securities of any corporation or other entity in which this Corporation may own or hold shares or other securities, and at such meetings shall possess and may exercise all the rights and power incident to the ownership of such shares or other securities which this Corporation, as the owner or holder thereof, might have possessed and exercised if present.  The President, the Secretary, or such attorneys or agents, may also execute and deliver on behalf of the Corporation powers of attorney, proxies, consents, waivers, and other instruments relating to the shares or securities owned or held by this Corporation.

 

7.4                               Manner of Notice.  Except as otherwise provided herein or permitted by applicable law, notices to directors and stockholders shall be in writing and delivered personally or mailed to the directors or stockholders at their addresses appearing on the books of the Corporation.  Notice to directors may be given by facsimile, email, telephone or other means of electronic transmission.

 

7.5                               Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors and Committees.  Any waiver of notice, given by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice.  Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.  Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in a waiver of notice.

 

7.6                               Form of Records.  Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device or method, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time.

 

7.7                               Amendment of Bylaws.  These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new Bylaws may be adopted, by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the stockholders may make additional bylaws and may alter, amend and repeal any bylaws whether adopted by them or otherwise.

 

Adopted: May 16, 2018

 

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