EX-99.3 5 d81888dex993.htm EX-99.3 EX-99.3

Exhibit 99.3

 

LOGO

CEREVEL THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2020 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

The purpose of the Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is to provide eligible employees of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and each Designated Subsidiary (as defined in Section 11) with opportunities to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). 1,655,924 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate have been approved and reserved for this purpose, plus on January 1, 2021 and each January 1 thereafter until the Plan terminates pursuant to Section 20, the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan shall be cumulatively increased by the lesser of (i) one percent (1%) of the number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as determined by the Board (as defined in Section 1); provided that the total number of shares of Common Stock that become available for issuance under the Plan may not exceed 16,559,240.

The Plan consists of two components: a Code Section 423 component (the “423 Component”) and a non-Code Section 423 component (the “Non-423 Component”). It is intended for the 423 Component to constitute an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the 423 Component shall be interpreted in accordance with that intent. Under the Non-423 Component, which does not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code, options will be granted pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans adopted by the Administrator designed to achieve similar tax, securities, or other objectives for eligible employees as provided by the 423 Component. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the 423 Component and will be subject to the same limitations applicable to the 423 Component including, but not limited to, the limitations on purchase set forth in Section 8 of the Plan.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Plan shall have the meaning ascribed to them in Section 11.

1. Administration. The Plan will be administered by the person or persons (the “Administrator”) appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) for such purpose. The Administrator has authority at any time to: (a) adopt, alter and repeal such rules, guidelines and practices for the administration of the Plan and for its own acts and proceedings as it shall deem advisable; (b) interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan; (c) make all determinations it deems advisable for the administration of the Plan, including to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws, regulations and procedures for jurisdictions outside the United States; (d) decide all disputes arising in connection with the Plan; and (e) otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan. All interpretations and decisions of the Administrator shall be binding on all persons, including the Company and the Participants. No member of the Board or individual exercising administrative authority with respect to the Plan shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted hereunder.


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 2 of 10

 

2. Offerings. The Company will make one or more offerings to eligible employees to purchase Common Stock under the Plan (“Offerings”). Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, the initial Offering will begin on February 1, 2021 and end on May 28, 2021 (the “Initial Offering”). Thereafter, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, an Offering will begin on the first business day occurring on or after each June 1 and December 1 and will end on the last business day occurring on or before the following November 30 and May 31, respectively. The Administrator may, in its discretion, designate a different period for any Offering, provided that no Offering shall exceed 27 months in duration or overlap with any other Offering.

3. Eligibility. All individuals who render services as employees pursuant to employment relationships to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary are eligible to participate in any one or more of the Offerings under the Plan, provided that, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, as of the first day of the applicable Offering (the “Offering Date”) they are customarily employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for more than 20 hours a week and have completed at least two (2) months of employment. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, individuals who are not contemporaneously classified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for purposes of the Company’s or applicable Designated Subsidiary’s payroll system are not considered to be eligible employees of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary and shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan. In the event any such individuals are reclassified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for any purpose, including, without limitation, common law or statutory employees, by any action of any third party, including, without limitation, any government agency, or as a result of any private lawsuit, action or administrative proceeding, such individuals shall, notwithstanding such reclassification, remain ineligible for participation, except to the extent required by Code Section 423 and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive means for individuals who are not contemporaneously classified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on the Company’s or Designated Subsidiary’s payroll system to become eligible to participate in this Plan is through an amendment to this Plan, duly executed by the Company, which specifically renders such individuals eligible to participate herein.

4. Participation.

(a) An eligible employee who is not a Participant in any prior Offering may participate in a subsequent Offering by submitting an enrollment form by the 15th day of the month preceding the Offering Date (or by such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering).

(b) The enrollment form will (i) state a whole percentage to be deducted from an eligible employee’s Compensation (as defined in Section 11) per pay period, (ii) authorize the purchase of Common Stock in each Offering in accordance with the terms of the Plan and (iii) specify the exact name or names in which shares of Common Stock purchased for such individual are to be issued pursuant to Section 10. An employee who does not enroll in accordance with these procedures will be deemed to have waived the right to participate. Unless a Participant files a new enrollment form or withdraws from the Plan, such Participant’s deductions and purchases will continue at the same percentage of Compensation for future Offerings, provided he or she remains eligible.

 

2


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 3 of 10

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, participation in the Plan will neither be permitted nor be denied contrary to the requirements of the Code.

5. Employee Contributions. Each eligible employee may authorize payroll deductions at a minimum of 1 percent up to a maximum of 15 percent of such employee’s Compensation for each pay period. The Company will maintain book accounts showing the amount of payroll deductions made by each Participant for each Offering. No interest will accrue or be paid on payroll deductions.

6. Deduction Changes. Except as may be determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, a Participant may decrease the percentage of Compensation designated to be deducted as payroll deductions during an Offering (but not below 1%) by completing and filing such deduction change forms as the Administrator may require. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, such decrease shall be effective in the next administratively feasible payroll period after the date that the Administrator receives such forms and shall apply to all remaining Compensation paid during the Offering, as well as to Compensation paid during subsequent Offerings. Except as may be determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, the Participant may exercise the right to decrease his or her payroll deductions only once during each Offering. Additionally, a Participant may increase or decrease his or her payroll deduction with respect to the next Offering (subject to the limitations of Section 5) by filing a new enrollment form by the 15th day of the month preceding the next Offering Date (or by such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering). The Administrator may, in advance of any Offering, establish rules permitting a Participant to increase, decrease or terminate his or her payroll deduction during an Offering.

7. Withdrawal. A Participant may withdraw from participation in the Plan by delivering a notice of withdrawal by no later than the 15th day of the month in which the Exercise Date falls (or such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering). Following a Participant’s timely withdrawal and as soon as administratively feasible, the Company will refund such individual’s entire account balance under the Plan to him or her (after payment for any Common Stock purchased before the effective date of withdrawal). Partial withdrawals are not permitted. Such an employee may not begin participation again during the remainder of the Offering, but, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements under Section 3 of the Plan, may enroll in a subsequent Offering in accordance with Section 4.

8. Grant of Options. On each Offering Date, the Company will grant to each eligible employee who is then a Participant in the Plan an option (“Option”) to purchase on the last day of such Offering (the “Exercise Date”), at the Option Price hereinafter provided for, the lowest of (a) a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions on such Exercise Date by the Option Price (as defined herein), (b) a number of shares determined by dividing $25,000 by the Fair Market Value on the Offering Date or (c) such

 

3


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 4 of 10

 

other lesser maximum number of shares as shall have been established by the Administrator in advance of the Offering; provided, however, that such Option shall be subject to the limitations set forth below. Each Participant’s Option shall be exercisable only to the extent of such Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions on the Exercise Date. The purchase price for each share purchased under each Option (the “Option Price”) will be 85 percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Offering Date or the Exercise Date, whichever is less.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Participant may be granted an Option hereunder if such Participant, immediately after the Option was granted, would be treated as owning stock possessing 5 percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (as defined in Section 11). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining the stock ownership of a Participant, and all stock which the Participant has a contractual right to purchase shall be treated as stock owned by the Participant. In addition, no Participant may be granted an Option which permits his or her rights to purchase stock under the Plan, and any other employee stock purchase plan of the Company and its Parents and Subsidiaries, to accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock (determined on the option grant date or dates) for each calendar year in which the Option is outstanding at any time. The limitation in the preceding sentence shall be applied taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted.

9. Exercise of Option and Purchase of Shares. Each employee who continues to be a Participant in the Plan on the Exercise Date shall be deemed to have exercised his or her Option on such date and shall acquire from the Company such number of whole shares of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan as his or her accumulated payroll deductions on such date will purchase at the Option Price, subject to any other limitations contained in the Plan. Any amount remaining in a Participant’s account at the end of an Offering solely by reason of the inability to purchase a fractional share will be carried forward to the next Offering; any other balance remaining in a Participant’s account at the end of an Offering will be refunded to the Participant promptly.

10. Issuance of Shares. Certificates or book entry deposits representing shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan may be issued only in the name of the employee, in the name of the employee and another person of legal age as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, or in the name of a broker authorized by the employee to be his, her or their, nominee for such purpose.

11. Definitions.

The term “Closing Date” means the date of the closing of the transactions contemplated by that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2020, by and among the Company and the other parties thereto.

 

4


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 5 of 10

 

The term “Compensation” means the amount of base pay, but excluding overtime, commissions and incentive or bonus awards, prior to salary reduction pursuant to Sections 125, 132(f), or 401(k) of the Code, allowances and reimbursements for expenses such as relocation allowances or travel expenses, income or gains on the exercise of Company stock options, and similar items. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine the application of this definition to Participants outside the United States.

The term “Designated Subsidiary” means any present or future Subsidiary (as defined below) that has been designated by the Board to participate in the Plan. The Board may so designate any Subsidiary, or revoke any such designation, at any time and from time to time, either before or after the Plan is approved by the stockholders, and may further designate such Subsidiaries or Participants as participating in the 423 Component or the Non-423 Component. The Board may also determine which Subsidiaries or eligible employees may be excluded from participation in the Plan, to the extent consistent with Section 423 of the Code or as implemented under the Non-423 Component, and determine which Designated Subsidiary or Subsidiaries will participate in separate Offerings (to the extent that the Company makes separate Offerings). For purposes of the 423 Component, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be Designated Subsidiaries; provided, however, that at any given time, a Subsidiary that is a Designated Subsidiary under the 423 Component will not be a Designated Subsidiary under the Non-423 Component.

The term “Fair Market Value of the Common Stock” on any given date means the fair market value of the Common Stock determined in good faith by the Administrator; provided, however, that if the Common Stock is admitted to quotation on The Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange, the determination shall be made by reference to the closing price on such date. If there is no closing price for such date, the determination shall be made by reference to the last date preceding such date for which there is a closing price.

The term “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering then in progress.

The term “Parent” means a “parent corporation” with respect to the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

The term “Participant” means an individual who is eligible to participate in the Plan as determined in Section 3 and who has complied with the provisions of Section 4.

The term “Sale Event” means(i) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company on a consolidated basis to an unrelated person or entity, (ii) a merger, reorganization or consolidation pursuant to which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting power and outstanding stock immediately prior to such transaction do not own a majority of the outstanding voting power and outstanding stock or other equity interests of the resulting or successor entity (or its ultimate parent, if applicable) immediately upon completion of such transaction, (iii) the sale of all of the Common Stock to an unrelated person, entity or group thereof acting in concert, or (iv) any other transaction in which the owners of the Company’s outstanding voting power immediately prior to such transaction do not own at least a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Company or any successor entity immediately upon completion of the transaction other than as a result of the acquisition of securities directly from the Company.

 

5


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 6 of 10

 

The term “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation” with respect to the Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

12. Rights on Termination or Transfer of Employment. If a Participant’s employment terminates for any reason before the Exercise Date for any Offering, no payroll deduction will be taken from any pay due and owing to the Participant and the balance in the Participant’s account will be paid to such Participant or, in the case of such Participant’s death, to his or her designated beneficiary as if such Participant had withdrawn from the Plan under Section 7. An employee will be deemed to have terminated employment, for this purpose, if the corporation that employs him or her, having been a Designated Subsidiary, ceases to be a Subsidiary, or if the employee is transferred to any corporation other than the Company or a Designated Subsidiary. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a Participant whose employment transfers between, or whose employment terminates with an immediate rehire (with no break in service) by, Designated Subsidiaries or a Designated Subsidiary and the Company will not be treated as having terminated employment for purposes of participating in the Plan or an Offering; provided, however, that if a Participant transfers from an Offering under the 423 Component to an Offering under the Non-423 Component, the exercise of the Participant’s Option will be qualified under the 423 Component only to the extent that such exercise complies with Section 423 of the Code. If a Participant transfers from an Offering under the Non-423 Component to an Offering under the 423 Component, the exercise of the Participant’s Option will remain non-qualified under the Non-423 Component. Further, an employee will not be deemed to have terminated employment for this purpose, if the employee is on an approved leave of absence for military service or sickness or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the employee’s right to reemployment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant to which the leave of absence was granted or if the Administrator otherwise provides in writing.

13. Special Rules. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrator may adopt special rules applicable to the employees of a particular Designated Subsidiary, whenever the Administrator determines that such rules are necessary or appropriate for the implementation of the Plan in a jurisdiction where such Designated Subsidiary has employees; provided that such rules are consistent with the requirements of Section 423(b) of the Code. Any special rules established pursuant to this Section 13 shall, to the extent possible, result in the employees subject to such rules having substantially the same rights as other Participants in the Plan.

14. Optionees Not Stockholders. Neither the granting of an Option to a Participant nor the deductions from his or her pay shall constitute such Participant a holder of the shares of Common Stock covered by an Option under the Plan until such shares have been purchased by and issued to him or her.

 

6


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 7 of 10

 

15. Rights Not Transferable. Rights under the Plan are not transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and are exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant.

16. Application of Funds. All funds received or held by the Company under the Plan may be combined with other corporate funds and may be used for any corporate purpose.

17. Adjustment in Case of Changes Affecting Common Stock. In the event of a subdivision of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the payment of a dividend in Common Stock or any other change affecting the Common Stock, the number and class of shares approved for the Plan and the share limitation and Option Price set forth in Section 8 shall be adjusted by the Administrator in such manner as it deems equitable. In the case of and subject to the consummation of a Sale Event, the Administrator, in its discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any right under the Plan or to facilitate such transactions or events:

(a) To provide for either (i) termination of any outstanding Option in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon the exercise of such Option had such Option been currently exercisable or (ii) the replacement of such outstanding Option with other options or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion;

(b) To provide that the outstanding Options under the Plan shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for similar options covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

(c) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Options under the Plan and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding Options and Options that may be granted in the future;

(d) To provide that the Offering with respect to which an Option relates will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date on which such Offering will end. The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Sale Event. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering as provided in Section 7 hereof; and

(e) To provide that all outstanding Options shall terminate without being exercised and all amounts in the accounts of Participants shall be promptly refunded.

 

7


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 8 of 10

 

18. Amendment of the Plan. The Board may, at any time, amend the Plan in any respect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following amendments by Board action shall have no effect unless stockholder approval is received within 12 months of such Board action: (a) amendments increasing the number of shares approved for the 423 Component of the Plan, or (b) amendments making any other change that would require stockholder approval in order for the Plan, as amended, to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423(b) of the Code.

19. Insufficient Shares. If the total number of shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be purchased on any Exercise Date plus the number of shares purchased under previous Offerings under the Plan exceeds the maximum number of shares issuable under the Plan, the shares then available shall be apportioned among Participants in proportion to the amount of payroll deductions accumulated on behalf of each Participant that would otherwise be used to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date, in as uniform a manner as practicable and as the Administrator determines to be equitable.

20. Termination of the Plan. The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Board. If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or once shares of Common Stock have been purchased on the next Exercise Date (which may, in the discretion of the Administrator, be accelerated) or permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment in accordance with Section 17). If any Offering Period is terminated before its scheduled expiration, all amounts in the accounts of Participants shall be promptly refunded. The Plan shall automatically terminate on the ten-year anniversary of the Closing Date.

21. Governmental Regulations. The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver Common Stock under the Plan is subject to obtaining all governmental approvals required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such stock.

22. Governing Law. This Plan and all Options and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

23. Issuance of Shares. Shares may be issued upon exercise of an Option from authorized but unissued Common Stock, from shares held in the treasury of the Company, or from any other proper source.

24. Tax Withholding. Participation in the Plan is subject to any minimum required tax withholding on income of the Participant in connection with the Plan. Each Participant agrees, by entering the Plan, that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant, including shares issuable under the Plan.

 

8


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 9 of 10

 

25. Notification Upon Sale of Shares under the 423 Component. Each Participant agrees, by participating in the 423 Component of the Plan, to give the Company (if so requested by the Company) prompt notice of any disposition of shares purchased under the Plan where such disposition occurs within two years after the date of grant of the Option pursuant to which such shares were purchased or within one year after the date such shares were purchased.

26. Effective Date and Approval of Shareholders. The Plan shall take effect on the date immediately preceding the Closing Date, subject to approval by the holders of a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present or by written consent of the stockholders within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

27. Entire Plan. This Plan constitutes the entire plan with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior plans with respect to the subject matter hereof.

28. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and the Plan shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.

Date Approved by Board of Directors: July 28, 2020

Date Adopted by Stockholders: October 26, 2020

Date Amended and Restated by Board of Directors: December 4, 2020

 

9


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 10 of 10

 

APPENDIX A

Designated Subsidiaries

Cerevel Therapeutics, LLC

 

10