Description of the Registrants Securities
EX-4.3 2 afib12312310kexhibit43.htm EX-4.3 Document
Exhibit 4.3
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following summary describes our capital stock and the material provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of our Series A Common Equivalent Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, our amended and restated bylaws, the amended and restated investors rights agreement to which we and certain of our stockholders are parties, and of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or DGCL. This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Series A Common Equivalent Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, our amended and restated bylaws and amended and restated investors rights agreement, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit is a part.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 260,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share, of which 6 ###-###-#### have been designated as Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock, and the remainder of which are undesignated.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Each holder of our common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. Our stockholders do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the voting shares are able to elect all of the directors.
Dividends
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds. We do not have any plans to pay dividends to our stockholders.
Liquidation
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Rights and Preferences
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription or other rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that we may designate in the future.
Fully Paid and Nonassessable
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All of our outstanding shares of common stock are, and the shares of common stock to be issued in this offering will be, fully paid and nonassessable.
Preferred Stock
Our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our stockholders, to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. These
rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund provisions and the number of shares constituting, or the designation of, such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. The issuance of our preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon our liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company or other corporate action.
Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock
On August 23, 2021, in connection with the issuance of 6 ###-###-#### shares of our Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, in exchange for 6,665,841 shares of our common stock, we filed a Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Series A Common Equivalent Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
The Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock ranks senior to our common stock with respect to rights on the distribution of assets on any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our affairs, having a liquidation preference equal to its par value of $0.001 per share. The Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock will participate equally and ratably on an as-converted basis with the holders of our common stock in all cash dividends paid on our common stock. The Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock is non-voting.
A holder of Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock may convert each share of Series A Common Stock Equivalent Convertible Preferred Stock into 1,000 shares of our common stock (subject to certain anti-dilution adjustments) at its election, except to the extent that, following such conversion, the number of shares of our common stock held by such holder, its affiliates and any other persons whose beneficial ownership of our common stock would be aggregated with such holder’s for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including shares held by any “group” (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission) of which such holder is a member, but excluding shares beneficially owned by virtue of the ownership of securities or rights to acquire securities that have limitations on the right to convert, exercise or purchase similar to the limitation set forth in the Certificate of Designation of Preferences, Rights and Limitations of the Series A Common Equivalent Preferred Stock, exceeds 4.9% (or, at the election of a holder that is not an affiliate of Deerfield Management, made by delivering at least 61 days advance written notice to the Company of its intention to increase the beneficial ownership cap applicable to such holder, 9.9%) of the total number of shares of our common stock then issued and outstanding.
Registration Rights
Certain holders of shares of common stock or their transferees have the right to require us to register the offer and sale of their shares, or to include their shares in any registration statement we file, in each case as described below.
Registration Rights Agreement with Deerfield Entities
On June 30, 2022, and in connection with the issuance of warrants, we entered into a registration rights agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with certain entities affiliated with Deerfield Partners, L.P. (the “Deerfield
Exhibit 4.3
Entities”), pursuant to which, among other things, we were required to file with the SEC a registration statement to register the resale of shares of our common stock held by the Deerfield Entities, as well as any shares of our common stock issuable upon exercise of warrants held by the Deerfield Entities, and to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain effectiveness of such registration statement as soon as practicable, subject to extension under the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement. In addition, for a period of five years following the execution of the Registration Rights Agreement, or until all registrable securities are registered or no longer subject to restrictions on transfer (whichever is earlier), the Deerfield Entities hold certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed during such period.
The Registration Rights Agreement contains certain liquidated damages provisions with respect to delays in registering securities as required by the Registration Rights Agreement. We will generally pay all reasonable expenses incidental to our obligations and performance under the Registration Rights Agreement, other than underwriting discounts and commissions and such other charges. The registration rights granted in the Registration
Rights Agreement are subject to certain customary conditions and limitations, as well as customary indemnification and contribution provisions.
Investors’ Rights Agreement
Pursuant to the Investors’ Rights Agreement, dated June 12, 2019, by and among us and the investors named therein, certain of our investors have certain demand, Form S-3 and “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements, subject to specified conditions and limitations. We are required to pay all expenses relating to any demand registrations, Form S-3 registrations and “piggy-back” registrations, subject to specified exceptions. The registration rights terminate upon the earliest of: (i) the date that is three years after the completion of our initial public offering; (ii) immediately prior to the closing of certain liquidation events; and (iii) as to a given holder of registration rights, the date after the completion of our initial public offering when such holder of registration rights can sell all of such holder’s registrable securities during any ninety-day period pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law
Some provisions of Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult: acquisition of us by means of a tender offer; acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise; or removal of our incumbent officers and directors. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish or could deter transactions that stockholders may otherwise consider to be in their best interest or in our best interests, including transactions that might result in a premium over the market price for our shares.
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions are also designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of a non-friendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
Preferred Stock
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation contains provisions that permit our board of directors to issue, without any further vote or action by the stockholders, shares of preferred stock in one or more series and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting the series and the designation of the series, the voting rights (if any) of the shares of the series and the powers, preferences or relative, participation, optional and other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of the shares of such series.
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Classified Board
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class will be an equal number of directors, as nearly as possible, consisting of one third of the total number of directors constituting the entire board of directors. The term of initial Class I directors terminated on the date of our 2021 annual meeting, the term of the initial Class II directors terminated on the date of our 2022 annual meeting, and the term of the initial Class III directors shall terminate on the date of our 2023 annual meeting. At each annual meeting of stockholders, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting will be elected for a three-year term.
Removal of Directors
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may only remove a director for cause by a vote of no less than a majority of the total voting power of all outstanding securities generally entitled to vote in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
Director Vacancies
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation authorizes only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships.
No Cumulative Voting
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders do not have the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors.
Special Meetings of Stockholders
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provides that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by our board of directors.
Advance Notice Procedures for Director Nominations
Our bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders must provide timely notice thereof in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice generally will have to be delivered to and received at our principal executive offices before notice of the meeting is issued by the secretary of the company, with such notice being served not less than 90 nor more than 120 days before the meeting. Although the amended and restated bylaws will not give the board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates to be elected at an annual meeting, the amended and restated bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the company.
Action by Written Consent
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide that any action to be taken by the stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by written consent.
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Amending our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may be amended or altered in any manner provided by the DGCL. Our amended and restated bylaws may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by stockholders only upon approval of at least majority of the voting power of all the then outstanding shares of the common stock, except for any amendment of the above provisions, which would require the approval of a two-thirds majority of our then outstanding common stock. Additionally, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that our bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by the board of directors.
Authorized but Unissued Shares
Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval, except as required by the listing standards of Nasdaq, and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Exclusive Jurisdiction
Our amended and restated bylaws provide that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding
brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the DGCL, any action regarding our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our amended and restated bylaws provide further that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Although our amended and restated bylaws contain the choice of forum provisions described above, it is possible that a court could rule that such provisions are inapplicable for a particular claim or action or that such provisions are unenforceable. For example, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, federal courts have concurrent jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, this exclusive forum provision would not apply to suits brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the U.S. federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders
We are governed by Section 203 of the DGCL. Subject to certain exceptions, Section 203 of the DGCL prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination (as defined in such section) with an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation or any person affiliated with such person) for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless: (i) prior to such time the board of directors of such corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; (ii) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of such corporation at the time the transaction commenced (excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock of such corporation outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (1) by persons who are directors and also officers of such corporation and (2) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer); or (iii) at or subsequent to such time the business combination is
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approved by the board of directors of such corporation and authorized at a meeting of stockholders (and not by written consent) by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation not owned by the interested stockholder.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We are expressly authorized to, and do, carry directors’ and officers’ insurance providing coverage for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive directors.
The limitation on liability and indemnification provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Exchange Listing
Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “AFIB.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.