Underwriting Agreement, entered into by Advaxis, Inc. on July 23, 2019 with A.G.P./ Alliance Global Partners

EX-1.1 2 ex1-1.htm

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

between

 

ADVAXIS, INC.

 

and

 

A.G.P./ALLIANCE GLOBAL PARTNERS,

 

as Representative of the Several Underwriters

 

 

ADVAXIS, INC.

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

New York, New York
July 23, 2019

 

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners

As Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached hereto
590 Madison Avenue, 36^th Floor
New York, New York 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:

 

1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.

 

1.1 Firm Securities.

 

1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Securities.

 

(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, an aggregate of 9,200,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and an aggregate of 13,656,000 pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Agreement”) exercisable into an aggregate of 13,656,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares”), together with Common Stock purchase warrants (the “Firm Warrants”) to purchase up to an aggregate of 17,142,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Common Warrant Shares” and together with the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, the “Warrant Shares”), which shall have an exercise price of $2.80, subject to adjustment as provided in the Warrant Agent Agreement between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company as “Warrant Agent” (the “Warrant Agent Agreement”). The Firm Shares, The Firm Warrant and the Pre-Funded Warrants are referred to herein as the “Firm Securities.”

 

(ii) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price of $0.651 per share of Common Stock (93% of the per Firm Share offering price), $0.65007 per Pre-Funded Warrant (93% of the per Pre-Funded Warrant offering price) and $0.00093 per Firm Warrant. The Firm Securities are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).

 

 

1.1.2. Firm Securities Payment and Delivery.

 

(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the pricing for the Offering (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) occurs after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time on the Effective Date) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Zysman, Aharoni, Gayer and Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1633 Broadway, New York, New York, 10019 (“Representative Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Securities is called the “Closing Date.”

 

(ii) Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the Firm Securities via the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). The Firm Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Securities. The aggregate purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by each of the Underwriters shall equal up to the amount set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule 1 hereto, provided that to the extent any Underwriter sells fewer Securities and therefore determines to purchase fewer Securities, such amount shall be reduced on a pro rata basis based on the number of Securities actually purchased. The Underwriters shall notify the Company of the number of Securities they intend to purchase at the Closing Date on the business day immediately preceding the Closing Date, provided that such notification shall not be binding upon the Underwriters. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.

 

1.2 Over-allotment Option.

 

1.2.1. Option Securities. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Securities, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional 1,450,000 shares of Common Stock from the Company (the “Option Shares”), and/or (b) warrants to purchase up to 1,087,500 shares of Common Stock (the “Option Warrants” and collectively with the Option Shares, the “Option Securities”). The purchase price to be paid per Option Security shall be equal to the price per applicable Firm Security set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof. The shares of Common Stock underlying the Firm Warrants and the Option Warrants are hereinafter referred to as the “Registered Warrant Shares”. The Firm Securities, the Warrant Shares, the Registered, the Warrant Shares and the Option Securities are hereinafter referred to together as the “Public Securities.” The offering and sale of the Public Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering.”

 

1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Securities within thirty (30) days after the date of the Prospectus (as defined below). The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Securities to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Securities (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of Representative Counsel, or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Securities does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Securities, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Securities specified in such notice and (ii) each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total number of Option Securities then being purchased as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of such Underwriter.

 

 

1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Securities shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Securities.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, as follows:

 

2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.

 

2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-232526), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the sale of Public Securities under the Securities Act, which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and contains and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.

 

Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated July 22, 2019, which was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

 

“Applicable Time” means 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Public Securities that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Public Securities or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

“Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.

 

“Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

“Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.

 

2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The shares of Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

2.2 Intentionally omitted.

 

2.3 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

2.4 Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Common Stock are listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of delisting the shares of Common Stock from Nasdaq, nor has the Company received any notification that Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such listing. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance with all applicable listing requirements of Nasdaq. The Company has submitted the Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form with the Exchange with respect to the Offering of the Public Securities.

 

2.5 Disclosures in Registration Statement.

 

2.5.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.

 

(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective , complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

 

(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date, and as of the Option Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date, or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: (a) the information set forth under the sub-captions “Discounts and Commissions,” “ Stabilization,” and “Passive Market Making,” and (b) the table showing the number of securities to be purchased by each Underwriter (the “Underwriters’ Information”).

 

(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date, or at any Option Closing Date (if any), included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information; and

 

(v) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

2.5.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained or incorporated by reference therein, and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement or to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, that have not been so described or filed or incorporated by reference. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder except for a default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (as such term is defined in Section 2.4.3 below). To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.

 

2.5.3. Organization and Qualification. The Company is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing, and, if applicable under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. The Company has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose in all material respects as described in the Registration Statement and SEC Reports and to own or lease its properties. The Company is not in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. The Company is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in: (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under this Agreement (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification. The Company has no subsidiaries.

 

 

2.5.4. Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement, and the consummation by each of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement upon delivery will have been duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

2.5.5. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Public Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company is subject (including, without limitation, those promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “FDA”) or by any foreign, federal, state or local regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA, and federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

2.5.6. Filings, Consents and Approvals. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement, other than: (i) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus Supplement, and (ii) application(s) to each applicable Exchange for the listing of the applicable Public Securities for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

2.5.7. Issuance of the Public Securities; Registration. The Public Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Warrant Shares and the Registered Warrant Shares are duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Warrant Agent Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement.

 

 

2.5.8. Capitalization. The equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization” (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans, or upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in each case described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common Stock. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Underwriters) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws where applicable, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. Except for the Required Approvals, no further approval or authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Public Securities. There are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

2.5.9. SEC Reports; Financial Statements. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the one year preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved, except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

 

2.5.10. Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company, or has entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information.

 

2.5.11. Litigation. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement or the Public Securities or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, neither the Company, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, which could result in a Material Adverse Effect. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

2.5.12. Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company, and the Company is not a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company believes that its relationships with its employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company is in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

2.5.13. Compliance. The Company: (i) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, storage or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) has not received any FDA Form 483, notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from the FDA or any other governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (iii) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (iv) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and have no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) has not received written notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and have no knowledge that any such governmental authority is considering such action, except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (vi) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

2.5.14. Environmental Laws. The Company (i) is in material compliance with all material federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) has received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws for their respective businesses; and (iii) is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

2.5.15. Regulatory Permits. The Company possesses all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.

 

2.5.16. Title to Assets. The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company is in compliance in all material respects.

 

 

2.5.17. Intellectual Property. The Company has, or has rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure to so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and the Company has not received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company has taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any facts that would preclude it from having valid license rights or clear title to the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company has no knowledge that it lacks or will be unable to obtain any rights or licenses to use all Intellectual Property Rights that are necessary to conduct its business.

 

2.5.18. Insurance. The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company is engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

2.5.19. Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option plan of the Company.

 

 

2.5.20. Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company is in material compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient 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 financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company as of the end of the period covered by the most recently filed Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its most recently filed Form 10-K under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company.

 

2.5.21. Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, Underwriter, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement. Other than for Persons engaged by any Underwriter, if any, the Underwriters shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement.

 

2.5.22. Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Public Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

2.5.23. Registration Rights. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, no Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.

 

2.5.24. Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The shares of Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from the Exchange on which the shares of Common Stock are or have been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Exchange. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The shares of Common Stock are currently eligible for electronic transfer through The Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to The Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

2.5.25. [Reserved].

 

 

2.5.26. Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Underwriters or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus Supplement. The Company understands and confirms that the Underwriters will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Underwriters regarding the Company, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, is true and correct in all material respects and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Underwriter makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

 

2.5.27. No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Underwriters’ representations and warranties related thereto, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Public Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act, or (ii) any applicable shareholder approval provisions of the Exchange on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

2.5.28. [Reserved].

 

2.5.29. Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim.

 

2.5.30. Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

 

2.5.31. Accountants. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is as set forth in the Prospectus. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm (i) is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2018.

 

 

2.5.32. Acknowledgment Regarding Underwriters’ Purchase of Public Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Underwriters is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Underwriter is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and any advice given by any Underwriter or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is merely incidental to the Underwriters’ purchase of the Public Securities. The Company further represents to each Underwriter that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

2.5.33. Acknowledgment Regarding Underwriter’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding, it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Underwriters has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Underwriter agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Public Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Underwriter, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Underwriter, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Underwriter is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the shares of Common Stock, and (iv) each Underwriter shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Underwriters may engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the Public Securities are outstanding, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of this Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement.

 

2.5.34. Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Public Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Public Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Company’s Underwriter in connection with the placement of the Public Securities.

 

 

2.5.35. FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the FDA or any non-U.S. counterpart that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested and/or distributed by the Company (each such product, a “Product”), such Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested and/or distributed by the Company in compliance with all applicable Health Care Laws relating to registration, investigational use, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company, and of the Company has not received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Product, (iii) except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any Health Care Laws by the Company, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable Health Care Laws. The Company has not been informed by the FDA or any non-U.S. counterpart that the FDA or any non-U.S. counterpart will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States or in any other territory any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA or any non-U.S. counterpart expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings relating to any Health Care Law pending or threatened to which the Company is a party, nor is it aware of any material violations of such acts or regulations by the Company, which would have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement, “Health Care Laws” means: (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder; (ii) all applicable federal, state, local and all applicable foreign health care related fraud and abuse laws, including, without limitation, the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the U.S. Physician Payment Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), the criminal False Claims Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(a)), all criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusion laws (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7), the civil monetary penalties law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), the statutes, regulations and directives of applicable government funded or sponsored healthcare programs, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes; (iii) the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (the “Privacy Rule”), the Security Standards, and the Standards for Electronic Transactions and Code Sets promulgated under HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof or other law or regulation the purpose of which is to protect the privacy of individuals or prescribers; (iv) Medicare (Title XVIII of the Social Security Act); (v) Medicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act); and (vi) any and all other applicable health care laws and regulations.

 

2.5.36. Research Studies and Trials. The research studies and trials conducted by or on behalf of, or sponsored by, the Company, or in which the Company has participated, that are described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as applicable, were and, if still pending, are being, conducted in all material respects in accordance with applicable experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to, where applicable, accepted professional and scientific standards for products or product candidates comparable to those being developed by the Company and all applicable statutes, rules and regulations of the FDA and other comparable drug and medical device regulatory agencies to which they are subject; the Company has no knowledge of any research studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus the results of which reasonably call into question in any material respect the results of the research studies and trials described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; and except as described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus the Company has not received any written notices or correspondence from the FDA or any other foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority or any institutional review board or comparable authority requiring or threatening the premature termination, suspension, material modification or clinical hold of any research studies or trials conducted by or on behalf of, or sponsored by, the Company or in which the Company has participated that are described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and, to the Company’s knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for the same. There has not been any violation of applicable law by the Company in its product development efforts, submissions or reports to any regulatory authority that could reasonably be expected to require investigation, corrective action or enforcement action, except where such violation would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

2.5.37. Statistical Information. The statistical and market and industry-related data included in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company believes to be reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from sources to the extent required.

 

2.5.38. Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”) and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

2.5.39. U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Underwriter’s request.

 

2.5.40. Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

2.5.41. Money Laundering. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

2.5.42. PFIC Status. The Company does not believe it is a Passive Foreign Investment Company (“PFIC”) within the meaning of Section 1296 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and does not believe it is likely to become a PFIC.

 

2.5.43. Stamp or Other Tax. No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Placements Agents or any Underwriter to any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the sale and delivery by the Company of the Public Securities to or for the sale and delivery by Public Securities to the Underwriters.

 

 

2.5.44. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers and (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

2.5.45. [Reserved].

 

2.5.46. Integration. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.

 

3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

 

3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the date of this Agreement and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.

 

3.2 Federal Securities Laws.

 

3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been filed and when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Public Securities. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

 

3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Public Securities, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

3.3 Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and counsel for the Representative, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

3.4 Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

 

3.5 Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (ii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (iv) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (v) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

 

3.6 Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act. The Company shall not deregister the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld.

 

3.7 Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided, however, that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

3.8 Review of Financial Statements. For a period of five (5) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.

 

3.9 Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the shares of Common Stock (including the Public Securities and the Warrant Shares) on the Exchange for at least three years from the date of this Agreement.

 

 

3.10 Financial Public Relations Firm. The Company has engaged a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date. The Representative acknowledges that the Company’s current financial public relations firm is acceptable to the Representative.

 

3.11 Reports to the Representative.

 

3.11.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also promptly furnish to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request; provided the Representative shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representative and Representative Counsel in connection with the Representative’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.11.1.

 

3.11.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock.

 

3.11.3. Trading Reports. During such time as the Public Securities are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by Exchange relating to price trading of the Public Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably request.

 

3.11.4. Warrant Agent. For so long as the Firm Warrants, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Option Warrants are outstanding, the Company shall retain a warrant agent reasonably acceptable to the Representative. The Warrant Agent is acceptable to the Representative to act as warrant agent for the Firm Warrants, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Option Warrants.

 

 

3.12 Payment of Expenses. The Company agrees to pay on the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not limited to (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Securities to be sold in this Offering with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Public Securities on the Exchange and on such other stock exchanges as the Company and Representative together determine; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities offered under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees of “blue sky” counsel); (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), registration statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs and expenses of its public relations firm; (h) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities to be offered in this offering; (i) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the securities; (j) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Representative; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountant; (l) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; and (m) up to $105,000 of the out of pocket expenses incurred by the Underwriters including up to $85,000 for legal fees of counsel to the Underwriters, and up to $20,000 for IPREO software related expenses, background check expenses, tombstones and marketing related expenses, including road show expenses if they are incurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Underwriters will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C). In the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 below, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the fees and disbursements of Representative Counsel) up to $105,000 and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters.

 

3.13 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

3.14 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth (15^th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.

 

3.15 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Securities.

 

3.16 Internal Controls. The Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

 

3.17 Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.

 

3.18 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that Company or any of its affiliates (within the meaning of FINRA’s Conduct Rule 5121(f)(1)) directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, or is an associated person (within the meaning of Article I, Section 1(ee) of the By-laws of FINRA) of, any member firm of FINRA.

 

3.19 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.20 Company Lock-Up Agreements.

 

3.20.1. Restriction on Sales of Capital Stock. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of 60 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up 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, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.

 

The restrictions contained in this Section 3.20.1 shall not apply to (i) the shares of Common Stock, Firm Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrants or Option Warrants to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, of which the Representative has been advised in writing, provided that such securities outstanding on the date hereof have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities; (iii) the issuance by the Company of stock options or shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company to employees, officers, consultants or directors of the Company for services rendered to the Company; or (iv) the transfer, issuance, sale or disposition of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock pursuant to an investment in which a single strategic investor (and not an organization primarily engaged in the business of capital raising) that is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds acquires over twenty five percent (25%) of the fully diluted capitalization of the date thereof, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during 60 days following the date hereof.

 

 

3.21 Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

3.22 Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

3.23 Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Public Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

3.24 Smaller Reporting Company. As of the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement and as of the date hereof, the Company was a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.

 

4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Securities, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:

 

4.1 Regulatory Matters.

 

4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Required Filings. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act and, at the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A under the Securities Act Regulations. The Registration Statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(iii) under the Securities Act with respect to the Warrant Shares and complies with said Rule.

 

 

4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.

 

4.1.3. Exchange Stock Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Firm Shares, the Warrant Shares and the Option Securities, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

4.2 Company Counsel Matters.

 

4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Goodwin Procter LLP, with offices located at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

4.2.2. Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of such counsel listed in Section 4.2.1, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in its respective opinion delivered on the Closing Date.

 

4.2.3. [Reserved].

 

4.3 Comfort Letters.

 

4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, you shall have received a cold comfort letter containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to you and to the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement.

 

4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. On the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, you shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) business days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.

 

 

4.4 Officers’ Certificates.

 

4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date)), of its Chief Executive Officer, and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the Applicable Time, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse Effect in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a Material Adverse Effect or a prospective Material Adverse Effect, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

4.4.2. Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At the Closing Date, and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative.

 

4.4.3. Secretary’s Certificate. At the Closing Date, and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Effect in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

4.6 No Material Misstatement or Omission. The Underwriters shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, that the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is necessary in order to make the statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

4.7 Delivery of Agreements.

 

4.7.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 3 hereto.

 

4.7.2. [Reserved].

 

4.7.3. Warrant Agent Agreement. As of the date hereof, the Company and the Warrant Agent shall have executed the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Warrant Agent Agreement shall be in full force and effect.

 

4.8 Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling Representative Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative Counsel.

 

 

5. Indemnification.

 

5.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters.

 

5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Pricing Disclosure Package, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Securities to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof.

 

5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel) shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter Indemnified Party shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

5.2 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Public Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

 

5.3 Contribution.

 

5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering of the Public Securities, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the Offering of the Public Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering of the Public Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid 15 days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.

 

 

6. Default by an Underwriter.

 

6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or Option Securities. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, and if the number of the Firm Securities or the Option Securities with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Securities or the Option Securities that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Securities or the Option Securities to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.

 

6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or the Option Securities. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Securities or the Option Securities to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Securities or the Option Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Securities or the Option Securities on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Securities or the Option Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.11 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Securities, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such shares of Common Stock.

 

 

7. Additional Covenants.

 

7.1 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Public Securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

8. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.

 

8.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.

 

8.2 Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Securities or Option Securities; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Effect in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities.

 

8.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, in the event that this Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing Date for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket documented expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable (including the out-of-pocket and documented fees and disbursements of Representative Counsel) up to $105,000, and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof up to the cap to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.4 Survival of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

 

 

8.5 Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Public Securities.

 

9. Miscellaneous.

 

9.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.

 

If to the Representative:

 

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners
590 Madison Avenue, 36^th Floor
New York, New York 10022
Attn: Mr. David Bocchi, Managing Director of Investment Banking
Fax No.: (212) 813-1047

 

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

 

Zysman, Aharoni, Gayer and Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1633 Broadway
New York, New York 10019
Attention: Oded Har-Even, Esq.
Fax No.: (212) 660-3000

 

If to the Company:

 

Advaxis, Inc.

305 College Road East

Princeton, New Jersey 08540

Attn: Mr. Kenneth A. Berlin, President and Chief Executive Officer

Fax No.: (609) 452-9818

 

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

 

Goodwin Procter LLP
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, New York 10018
Attention: Kristopher D. Brown, Esq.
Fax No.: (212) 355-3333

 

9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

 

9.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

 

9.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.

 

9.6 Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

9.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

9.8 Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.

 

	Very truly yours,
	ADVAXIS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Kenneth A. Berlin
	Name:	Mr. Kenneth A. Berlin
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:
A.G.P./ALLIANCE GLOBAL PARTNERS
By:	/s/ Thomas J. Higgins
Name:	Thomas J. Higgins
Title:	Managing Director, Investment Banking

 

[Signature Page]

advaxis, inc. – Underwriting Agreement

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

Underwriter		Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased				Total Number of Pre-Funded Warrants to be Purchased				Total Number of Firm Warrants to be Purchased				Number of Additional Shares to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised by the Representative				Number of Additional Warrants to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised by the Representative
A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners			9,200,000				13,656,000				17,142,000				1,450,000				1,087,500
TOTAL			9,200,000				13,656,000				17,142,000				1,450,000				1,087,500

 

 

SCHEDULE 2-A

Pricing Information

 

Number of Firm Shares: 9,200,000

 

Number of Pre-Funded Warrants: 13,656,000

 

Number of Firm Warrants: 17,142,000

 

Number of Option Shares: 1,450,000

 

Number of Option Warrants: 1,087,500

 

Public Offering Price per Firm Share: $0.70

 

Public Offering Price per Pre-Funded Warrant: $0.699

 

Public Offering Price per Firm Warrant: $0.001

 

Firm Warrant Exercise Price: $5

 

Underwriting Discount per Firm Share: $0.049

 

Underwriting Discount per Pre-Funded Warrant: $0.04893

 

Underwriting Discount per Firm Warrant: $0.00007

 

Proceeds to Company per Firm Share (before expenses): $0.651

 

Proceeds to Company per Pre-Funded Warrant (before expenses): $0.65007

 

Proceeds to Company per Firm Warrant (before expenses): $0.00093

 

 

SCHEDULE 2-B

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus filed with the Commission on July 16, 2019

 

 

SCHEDULE 3

 

List of Lock-Up Parties

 

Dr. David Sidransky

 

Dr. James P. Patton

 

Roni A. Appel

 

Kenneth Berlin

 

Richard J. Berman

 

Dr. Samir Khleif

 

Molly Henderson

 

Andres Gutierrez

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Lock-Up Agreement

 

July __, 2019

 

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners

590 Madison Avenue, 36th Floor

New York, New York 10022

 

As Representative (the “Representative”) of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement referenced below

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms (the “Underwriters”) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for the purchase by the Underwriters of securities (the “Securities”), including shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value (the “Shares”) of Advaxis, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Securities to the public (the “Offering”).

 

In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (a) offer for sale, sell, pledge, or otherwise transfer or dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the transfer or disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Shares (including, without limitation, Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Shares that may be issued upon exercise of any options, or warrants) or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares; (b) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of Shares, whether any such transaction described in clause (a) or (b) above is to be settled by delivery of Shares or other securities, in cash or otherwise; (c) except as provided for below, make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Shares or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares or any other securities of the Company; or (d) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period commencing on the date hereof and ending three (3) months after the closing date of the Offering (such three-month period, the “Lock-Up Period”).

 

 

The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to (a) transactions relating to Shares or other securities acquired in the open market after the completion of the Offering, provided that no filing under Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfers; (b) bona fide gifts of shares of any class of the Company’s capital stock or any security convertible into Shares, in each case that are made exclusively between and among the undersigned or members of the undersigned’s family, or affiliates of the undersigned, including its partners (if a partnership) or members (if a limited liability company); (c) any transfer of Shares or any security convertible into Shares by will or intestate succession upon the death of the undersigned; (d) transfer of shares of Shares or any security convertible into Shares to an immediate family member (for purposes of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin) or any trust, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or any immediate family member of the undersigned; provided that, in the case of clauses (b), (c) and (d) above, it shall be a condition to any such transfer that (i) the transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement (including, without limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the transferee/donee were a party hereto; (ii) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the Exchange Act) to make, and shall agree to not voluntarily make, any filing or public announcement of the transfer or disposition prior to the expiration of the three (3) month period referred to above; and (iii) the undersigned notifies the Representative at least two (2) business days prior to the proposed transfer or disposition; (e) the transfer of shares to the Company to satisfy withholding obligations for any equity award granted pursuant to the terms of the Company’s stock option/incentive plans, such as upon exercise, vesting, lapse of substantial risk of forfeiture, or other similar taxable event, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis (which, for the avoidance of doubt shall not include “cashless” exercise programs involving a broker or other third party), provided that as a condition of any transfer pursuant to this clause (e), that if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report, and if applicable an appropriate disposition transaction code, to the effect that such transfer is being made as a share delivery or forfeiture in connection with a net value exercise, or as a forfeiture or sale of shares solely to cover required tax withholding, as the case may be; (f) transfers, issuances, sales or dispositions of Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares pursuant to (i) a bona fide third party tender offer made to all holders of Shares, (ii) merger, (iii) consolidation or (iv) other similar transaction involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company, including voting in favor of any such transaction or taking any other action in connection with such transaction, provided that in the event that such merger, tender offer or other transaction is not completed, the Shares and any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares shall remain subject to the restrictions set forth herein; (g) the transfer, issuance, sale or disposition of Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Shares pursuant to an investment in which a single strategic investor (and not an organization primarily engaged in the business of capital raising) acquires over twenty five percent (25%) of the fully diluted capitalization of the Company as of the date thereof, provided that such investor agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement to the same extent as if the investor were a party hereto and that the undersigned notifies the Representative at least two (2) business days prior to the proposed transfer, issuance, sale or disposition of the Shares or any security convertible into or exercisable for Shares; (h) the exercise of warrants or the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s stock option/incentive plans or otherwise outstanding on the date hereof; provided, that the restrictions shall apply to Shares issued upon such exercise or conversion; (i) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 (a “Rule 10b5-1 Plan”) under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that no sales of Shares or securities convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Shares, shall be made pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period; provided further, that the Company is not required to report the establishment of such Rule 10b5-1 Plan in any public report or filing with the Commission under the Exchange Act during the lock-up period and does not otherwise voluntarily effect any such public filing or report regarding such Rule 10b5-1 Plan; (j) any demands or requests for, exercise any right with respect to, or take any action in preparation of, the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of the undersigned’s Shares, provided that no transfer of the undersigned’s Shares registered pursuant to the exercise of any such right and no registration statement shall be filed under the Securities Act with respect to any of the undersigned’s Shares during the Lock-Up Period; (k) transfers with the prior written consent of the Representative; (l) transfer by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that each such transferee agrees to be bound in writing by the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement to the same extent as if the transferee were a party hereto and that the undersigned notifies the Representative at least two (2) business days prior to the proposed transfer; and (m) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity, the undersigned may transfer Shares, or any security convertible into Shares, (i) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the undersigned (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a fund managed by the same manager or managing member or general partners or management company or by an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such manager or managing member or general partner or management company as the undersigned or who shares a common investment advisor with the undersigned) or (ii) as part of a distribution without consideration by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members or other equity holders; provided that in the case of any transfer contemplated in (i) or (ii) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer that (w) each transferee executes an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding such Shares, or any security convertible into Shares, subject to the provisions of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement, (x) there shall be no further transfer of such Shares, or any security convertible into Shares, except in accordance with this Lock-Up Letter Agreement, (y) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and (z) the undersigned notifies the Representative at least two (2) business days prior to the proposed transfer. For purposes of clause (f) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, purchase, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company.

 

 

The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s securities subject to this Lock-Up Letter Agreement except in compliance with this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (a) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any Shares that the undersigned may purchase in the Offering; (b) the Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of securities subject to this Lock-Up Letter Agreement, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (c) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (i) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of securities subject to this Lock-Up Letter Agreement not for consideration and (ii) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this securities subject to this Lock-Up Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.

 

It is understood that, if the Company notifies the Representative that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold in the Offering, the undersigned will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters will proceed with the Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.

 

Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Underwriters.

 

This Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (a) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of any Securities to the Underwriters; or (b) September 15, 2019, in the event that the Underwriting Agreement has not been executed by that date.

 

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representative, successors and assigns of the undersigned.

 

Very truly yours,
(Name)
(Signature)
(Name of Signatory, in the case of entities –
Please Print)
(Title of Signatory, in the case of entities –
Please Print)

 

Address:

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Press Release

 

Advaxis, Inc.

 

[Date]

 

Advaxis, Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, acting as representative for the underwriters in the Company’s recent public offering of                     shares of Common Stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to                     shares of Common Stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on                , 20        , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

 

This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.