Jade Biosciences, Inc. 2025 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
This agreement establishes the 2025 Employee Stock Purchase Plan for Jade Biosciences, Inc. and its designated subsidiaries. The plan allows eligible employees to purchase company common stock through payroll deductions, in accordance with Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. Participation is limited to employees who meet certain work hour and duration requirements. The plan is administered by the company's Compensation Committee and is designed to be fair and nondiscriminatory. Key terms include eligibility, contribution methods, offering periods, and compliance with applicable laws.
Exhibit 10.11
JADE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
2025 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
1. | Purpose |
The purpose of this Jade Biosciences, Inc. 2025 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock through accumulated Contributions. The Companys intention is to have the Plan qualify as an employee stock purchase plan under Section 423 of the Code. The provisions of the Plan, accordingly, will be construed to extend and limit Plan participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.
2. | Definitions. |
As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
(a) Administrator means the Compensation Committee of the Board (or any successor committee), or such other committee as designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 14.
(b) Applicable Laws means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under the laws of Nevada, other U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where options are, or will be, granted under the Plan.
(c) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(d) Code means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rulings and regulations issued thereunder.
(e) Common Stock means the common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value per share.
(f) Company means Jade Biosciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation, and any successor corporation.
(g) Compensation means an Eligible Employees base salary or base hourly rate of pay before deduction for any salary deferral contributions made by the Eligible Employee to any tax-qualified or nonqualified deferred compensation plan, but excluding commissions, overtime, incentive compensation, bonuses and other forms of compensation. The Administrator, in its discretion, may, on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, establish a different definition of Compensation for an Offering Period.
(h) Contributions means the payroll deductions and any other additional payments that the Administrator may permit to be made by a Participant to fund the exercise of options granted pursuant to the Plan, subject to Section 423 of the Code.
(i) Designated Subsidiary means any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan. As of the date of adoption of the Plan, the Designated Subsidiaries consist exclusively of: Jade Biosciences Canada ULC.
(j) Effective Date means the Closing Date (as defined in the Merger Agreement).
(k) Eligible Employee means any person, including an officer, who is customarily employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary (i) for more than 20 hours per week and (ii) for more than five months in any calendar year; provided, however, that if required by Applicable Laws, Eligible Employee means any person, including an officer, who is customarily employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary, subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company. Where the period of leave exceeds 90 days and the individuals right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the 91st day of such leave. Eligible Employee shall not include any person who is a citizen or resident of a foreign jurisdiction if granting them an option under the Plan would violate the law of such jurisdiction, or if compliance with the laws of the jurisdiction would cause the Plan to violate Section 423 of the Code.
(l) Employer means the Company and each Designated Subsidiary.
(m) Enrollment Date means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(n) Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(o) Fair Market Value means as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, system or market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing price for the Common Stock as quoted on such exchange, system or market as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable (or, if no sale of Common Stock is reported for such date, on the next preceding date on which any sale shall have been reported); and (ii) in the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Administrator.
(p) Merger Agreement means the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Aerovate Therapeutics, Inc. (Aerovate), Caribbean Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Aerovate, Caribbean Merger Sub II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Aerovate, and Jade Biosciences, Inc.
(q) New Exercise Date means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering Period then in progress.
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(r) Offering means an offer under the Plan of an option that may be exercised during an Offering Period as further described in Section 4. For purposes of the Plan, the Administrator may designate separate Offerings under the Plan (the terms of which need not be identical) in which Eligible Employees of one or more Employers will participate, even if the dates of the applicable Offering Periods of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(a)(1), the terms of each Offering need not be identical; provided, however, that the terms of the Plan and an Offering together satisfy Treasury Regulation Sections 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3).
(s) Offering Periods means the periods established by the Administrator (not to exceed 27 months) during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Sections 4, 18, and 19. The first Offering Period shall commence on the first June 10 or December 10 that follows the Effective Date (or such other date as determined by the Administrator) and end six months later on the following December 9 or June 9, respectively, and subsequent Offering Periods shall be each six-month period commencing the day after the prior Offering Period ends and ending on each December 9 or June 9 (or such other date as determined by the Administrator).
(t) Outstanding Common Stock means the sum of (i) the shares of Common Stock outstanding, (ii) the shares of Common Stock underlying unexercised pre-funded warrants, and (iii) the shares of Common Stock underlying the Companys preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
(u) Parent means a parent corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(v) Participant means an Eligible Employee who elects to participate in the Plan.
(w) Purchase Date means the last Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(x) Purchase Period means the period during an Offering Period during which shares of Common Stock may be purchased on a Participants behalf in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, each Purchase Period will be the same six-month period as each Offering Period.
(y) Purchase Price means an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower; provided, however, that the Purchase Price may be determined for subsequent Offering Periods by the Administrator subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code (or any other Applicable Law) or pursuant to Section 18.
(z) Subsidiary means a subsidiary corporation, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
(aa) Trading Day means a day on which the national stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is listed is open for trading or, if the Common Stock is not listed on a national stock exchange, a business day as determined by the Administrator in good faith.
(bb) Treasury Regulations means the Treasury regulations of the Code. Reference to a specific Treasury Regulation or Section of the Code shall include such Treasury Regulation or Section, any valid regulation promulgated under such Section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such Section or regulation.
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3. | Eligibility. |
(a) Offering Periods. Any Eligible Employee on a given Enrollment Date will be eligible to participate in the Plan if he or she was employed by the Company for at least 30 calendar days (unless otherwise determined by the Administrator) immediately preceding the Enrollment Date, subject to the requirements of Section 5; provided, however, that an Eligible Employee who commences employment with the Company or a Designated Subsidiary following such 30-day period (or such other period as determined by the Administrator) will be eligible to participate in the Plan at the beginning of the next Purchase Period to occur that is at least 30 calendar days (or such other period as determined by the Administrator) following the commencement of his or her employment with the Company or a Designated Subsidiary. Eligible Employees who do not elect to participate in the Plan on a given Enrollment Date may elect to participate in the Plan at the beginning of any subsequent Purchase Period, as determined by the Administrator.
(b) Non-U.S. Employees. Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether they also are citizens or residents of the United States or resident aliens (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) may be excluded from participation in the Plan or an Offering if the participation of such employees is prohibited under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code. In addition, as provided in Section 14, the Administrator may establish one or more sub-plans of the Plan (which may, but are not required to, comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code) with respect to employees of Designated Subsidiaries located outside the United States in a manner that complies with Applicable Law. Any such sub-plan will be a component of the Plan and will not be a separate plan.
(c) Limitations. Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Eligible Employee will be granted an option under the Plan (i) to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (as defined in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company accrues at a rate that exceeds $25,000 worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the stock at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time, as determined in accordance with Section 423 of the Code and the regulations thereunder (regardless of whether such option is subject to Section 423 of the Code).
4. | Offering Periods |
The Plan will be implemented by consecutive Offering Periods with new Offering Periods commencing at such times as determined by the Administrator. The Administrator will have the power to change the duration of Offering Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) without stockholder approval.
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5. | Participation |
An Eligible Employee may participate in the Plan by (i) submitting to the Companys Finance department (or its delegate), on or before a date determined by the Administrator prior to an applicable Enrollment Date, a properly completed subscription agreement authorizing Contributions in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other enrollment procedure determined by the Administrator.
6. | Contributions |
(a) At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5, such Participant will elect to have payroll deductions made on each pay day or other Contributions (to the extent permitted by the Administrator) made during the Offering Period (or portion thereof) in an amount equal to at least 1% but not exceeding 15% of the Compensation (or such other percentage of Compensation as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, prior to the commencement of an applicable Offering Period), that the Participant receives on each pay day during the Offering Period; provided, however, that should a pay day occur on an Purchase Date, a Participant will have any payroll deductions made on such day applied to his or her notional account under the subsequent Purchase Period or Offering Period. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and to the extent permitted under Section 423 of the Code, may permit all Participants in a specified Offering to contribute amounts to the Plan through payment by cash, check, or other means set forth in the enrollment materials prior to the Purchase Date of each Purchase Period. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrator may, in its discretion, establish procedures regarding the ordering of payroll deductions, including the Contributions, and may provide that mandatory payroll deductions and other benefit plan deductions be prioritized over the Contributions. A Participants enrollment in the Plan and payroll deduction election will remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10.
(b) Payroll deductions for a Participant will commence on the first pay day following the Enrollment Date (or such later date on which a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5) and will end on the last pay day prior to the Purchase Date of such Purchase Period to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10; provided, however, that with respect to the first Offering Period, payroll deductions for a Participant will not commence until such time as determined by the Administrator.
(c) All Contributions made for a Participant will be credited to his or her notional account under the Plan and payroll deductions will be made in whole percentages only. Except to the extent permitted by the Administrator pursuant to Section 6(a), a Participant may not make any additional payments into such notional account.
(d) A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10. Participants shall not be permitted to increase or to otherwise decrease their rates of Contributions during a Purchase Period unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that Participants shall be permitted to increase or decrease their rates of Contributions effective as of the beginning of each Purchase Period.
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(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code or Applicable Laws, a Participants Contributions may be decreased to 0% at any time during a Purchase Period. Subject to Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, Contributions will recommence at the rate originally elected by the Participant effective as of the beginning of the first Purchase Period scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.
(f) At the time the option under the Plan is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of (or any other time that a taxable event related to the Plan occurs), the Participant must make adequate provision for the Companys or Employers federal, state, local, or any other tax liability payable to any authority including taxes imposed by jurisdictions outside of the United States, national insurance, social security, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, that arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Common Stock (or any other time that a taxable event related to the Plan occurs). At any time, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the Participants compensation the amount necessary for the Company or the Employer to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company or the Employer any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Eligible Employee. In addition, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the proceeds of the sale of Common Stock or any other method of withholding the Company or the Employer deems appropriate to the extent permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f).
7. | Grant of Option |
On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period (or any Purchase Period within such Offering Period) will be granted an option to purchase on each Purchase Date during such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing (i) such Eligible Employees Contributions accumulated prior to such Purchase Date and retained in the Eligible Employees notional account as of the Purchase Date by (ii) the applicable Purchase Price; provided, however, that in no event will an Eligible Employee be permitted to purchase during each Purchase Period more than 3,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 18) or such other maximum determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion prior to the commencement of the Offering Period; provided, further, that such purchase will be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(c) and 13. The Eligible Employee may accept the grant of such option by electing to participate in the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Section 5. The Administrator may, for future Offering Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that an Eligible Employee may purchase during each Purchase Period of an Offering Period. Exercise of the option will occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10. The option will expire on the last day of the Offering Period.
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8. | Exercise of Option |
(a) Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, such Participants option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on the Purchase Date, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be purchased for such Participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated Contributions from his or her notional account. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be purchased; unless determined by the Administrator, any Contributions accumulated in a Participants notional account that are not sufficient to purchase a full share will be retained in the Participants notional account for the subsequent Purchase Period or Offering Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant as provided in Section 10. Any other funds left over in a Participants notional account after the Purchase Date will be returned to the Participant (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under local laws, as further set forth in Section 12). During a Participants lifetime, a Participants option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.
(b) If the Administrator determines that, on a given Purchase Date, the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock available for sale under the Plan on such Purchase Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion (x) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Purchase Date, and continue all Offering Periods then in effect, or (y) provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Purchase Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Purchase Date, and terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 19. The Company may make a pro rata allocation of the shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance under the Plan by the Companys stockholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date.
9. | Delivery |
As soon as reasonably practicable after each Purchase Date on which a purchase of shares of Common Stock occurs, the Company will arrange the delivery to each Participant of the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option in a form determined by the Administrator (in its sole discretion) and pursuant to rules established by the Administrator. The Company may permit or require that shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Company or to a designated agent of the Company, and the Company may utilize electronic or automated methods of share transfer. The Company may require that shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such shares. No Participant will have any voting, dividend, or other stockholder rights with respect to shares of Common Stock subject to any option granted under the Plan until such shares have been purchased and delivered to the Participant as provided in this Section 9.
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10. | Withdrawal |
A Participant may withdraw all, but not less than all, the Contributions credited to his or her notional account and not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan at any time by (a) submitting to the Companys Finance department (or its delegate) a written notice of withdrawal in the form determined by the Administrator for such purpose, or (b) following an electronic or other withdrawal procedure determined by the Administrator. All the Participants Contributions credited to his or her notional account will be paid to such Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under local Applicable Laws, as further set forth in Section 12) and such Participants option for the Offering Period will be automatically terminated, and no further Contributions for the purchase of shares will be made for such Offering Period. If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, Contributions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offering Period, unless the Participant re-enrolls in the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.
11. | Termination of Employment |
(a) Upon a Participants ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any reason, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the Contributions credited to such Participants notional account during the Offering Period but not yet used to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Plan will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15, and such Participants option will be automatically terminated. In no event may a Participant be granted an option under the Plan following his or her termination of employment unless such Participant subsequently becomes an Eligible Employee again. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant ceases to be an Eligible Employee as a result of no longer customarily working 20 or more hours per week but otherwise remains an employee of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary, such Participant will continue to participate in any ongoing Offering Period and will not automatically withdraw but will not automatically be re-enrolled in the subsequent Offering Period.
(b) Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by Applicable Law, a Participant whose employment transfers or whose employment terminates with an immediate rehire (with no break in service) by or between the Company or a Designated Subsidiary shall not be treated as having terminated employment for purposes of participating in the Plan or an Offering. The Administrator may establish additional or different rules to govern transfers of employment for purposes of participation in the Plan or an Offering.
12. | Interest |
No interest will accrue on the Contributions of a Participant in the Plan, except as may be required by Applicable Law, as determined by the Company, and if so required by the laws of a particular jurisdiction, shall apply to all Participants in the relevant Offering except to the extent otherwise permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f).
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13. | Stock |
(a) Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 18 hereof, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that will be made available for sale under the Plan shall be equal to (i) a number equal to the lesser of (x) 1,000,000 or (y) 1% of the total number of shares of Outstanding Common Stock immediately following the closing of the transactions set forth in the Merger Agreement, plus (ii) any shares of Common Stock added as a result of the following sentence (collectively, the Share Pool). The Share Pool will automatically increase on January 1 of each year beginning in 2026 and ending with a final increase on January 1, 2035 in an amount equal to the lesser of (x) 1% of the Outstanding Common Stock on the preceding December 31, or (y) 2,000,000; provided, however, that the Administrator may provide that there will be no January 1 increase in the Share Pool for any such year or that the increase in the Share Pool for any such year will be a smaller number of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to this sentence.
(b) Until the shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), a Participant will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares, and no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder will exist with respect to such shares.
(c) Shares of Common Stock to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant.
14. | Administration |
The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator. The Board shall fill vacancies on, and from time to time may remove or add members to, the Administrator. Any power of the Administrator may also be exercised by the Board. The Administrator will have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret, and apply the terms of the Plan, to designate separate Offerings under the Plan, to determine eligibility, to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan, and to establish such procedures that it deems necessary for the administration of the Plan (including, without limitation, to adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the participation in the Plan by employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States, the terms of which sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of this Plan, with the exception of Section 13(a), but unless otherwise superseded by the terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of this Plan shall govern the operation of such sub-plan). Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the employees eligible to participate in each sub-plan will participate in a separate Offering. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding eligibility to participate, the definition of Compensation, handling of Contributions, making of Contributions to the Plan (including, without limitation, in forms other than payroll deductions), establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold Contributions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, obligations to pay payroll tax, determination of beneficiary designation requirements, withholding procedures, and handling of stock certificates that vary with applicable local requirements. The Administrator also is authorized to determine that, to the extent permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f), the terms of an option granted under the Plan or an Offering to citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction will be less favorable than the terms of options granted under
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the Plan or the same Offering to employees resident solely in the United States. The Administrator hereby delegates to and designates the most senior officer in the Finance Department of the Company (or such other officer with similar authority), and to his or her delegates or designates, the authority to assist the Administrator in the day-to-day administration of the Plan. The Administrator may also delegate some or all of its responsibilities to one or more other persons (which may include Company personnel) and, to the extent there has been any such delegation, any reference in the Plan to the Administrator shall include the delegate of the Administrator. Every finding, decision, and determination made by the Administrator will, to the full extent permitted by Applicable Laws, be final and binding upon all parties.
15. | Designation of Beneficiary |
(a) If permitted by the Administrator, a Participant may file a designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares of Common Stock and cash, if any, from the Participants notional account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death subsequent to an Purchase Date on which the option is exercised but prior to delivery to such Participant of such shares and cash. In addition, if permitted by the Administrator, a Participant may file a designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the Participants notional account under the Plan in the event of such Participants death prior to exercise of the option. If a Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent will be required for such designation to be effective, if required by Applicable Law.
(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by notice in a form determined by the Administrator. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participants death, the Company will deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent, or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.
(c) All beneficiary designations will be in such form and manner as the Administrator may designate from time to time. Notwithstanding Sections 15(a) and 15(b), the Company and/or the Administrator may decide not to permit such designations by Participants in non-U.S. jurisdictions to the extent permitted by Treasury Regulation Section 1.423-2(f).
16. | Transferability |
Neither Contributions credited to a Participants notional account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares of Common Stock under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 15) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge, or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10 hereof.
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17. | Use of Funds |
The Company may use all Contributions received or held by it under the Plan for any corporate purpose, and the Company will not be obligated to segregate such Contributions except under Offerings in which applicable local law requires that Contributions to the Plan by Participants be segregated from the Companys general corporate funds and/or deposited with an independent third party for Participants in non-U.S. jurisdictions. Until shares of Common Stock are issued, Participants will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares.
18. | Adjustments, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Other Corporate Transaction |
(a) Adjustments. In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Common Stock occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the number and class of Common Stock that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan that has not yet been exercised, and the numerical limits of Sections 7 and 13.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any Offering Period then in progress will be shortened by setting a New Purchase Date, and will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator. The New Purchase Date will be before the date of the Companys proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically, prior to the New Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for the Participants option has been changed to the New Purchase Date and that the Participants option will be exercised automatically on the New Purchase Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10.
(c) Merger or Other Corporate Transaction. In the event of a merger, sale, or other similar corporate transaction involving the Company, each outstanding option will be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. If the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the option, the Offering Period with respect to which such option relates will be shortened by setting a New Purchase Date on which such Offering Period shall end. The New Purchase Date will occur before the date of the Companys proposed merger, sale, or other similar corporate transaction. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically prior to the New Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date for the Participants option has been changed to the New Purchase Date and that the Participants option will be exercised automatically on the New Purchase Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10.
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19. | Amendment or Termination |
(a) The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason. If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator, in its discretion, may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or upon completion of the purchase of shares of Common Stock on the next Purchase Date (which may be sooner than originally scheduled, if determined by the Administrator in its discretion), or may elect to permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 18). If the Offering Periods are terminated prior to expiration, all amounts then credited to Participants notional accounts that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock will be returned to the Participants (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under local laws, as further set forth in Section 12) as soon as administratively practicable.
(b) Without stockholder consent and without limiting Section 19(a), the Administrator will be entitled to change the Offering Periods or Purchase Periods, designate separate Offerings, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Companys processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each Participant properly correspond with Contribution amounts, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable that are consistent with the Plan.
(c) In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend, or terminate the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:
(i) amending the Plan to conform with the safe harbor definition under the Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto), including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time;
(ii) altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period or Purchase Period including an Offering Period or Purchase Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;
(iii) shortening any Offering Period or Purchase Period by setting a New Purchase Date, including an Offering Period or Purchase Period underway at the time of the Administrator action;
(iv) reducing the maximum percentage of Compensation a Participant may elect to set aside as Contributions; and
(v) reducing the maximum number of shares of Common Stock a Participant may purchase during any Offering Period or Purchase Period.
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Such modifications or amendments will not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Participants.
20. | Notices |
All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form and manner specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
21. | Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares |
(a) Shares of Common Stock will not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto will comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.
(b) As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of Applicable Law.
22. | Term of Plan |
The Plan will become effective upon the Effective Date. It will continue in effect until terminated pursuant to Section 19.
23. | Stockholder Approval |
The Plan will be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within 12 months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
24. | Governing Law |
This Plan and any agreements or other documents hereunder shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada (without regard to its choice of law provisions). Any reference in this Plan or in any agreements or other documents hereunder to a provision of law or to a rule or regulation shall be deemed to include any successor law, rule, or regulation of similar effect or applicability.
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25. | Severability |
If any provision of the Plan is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason in any jurisdiction or as to any Participant, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as to such jurisdiction or Participant as if the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision had not been included.
26. | Interpretation |
Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference and shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, and where appropriate, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural. The use herein of the word including following any general statement, term, or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term, or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as without limitation, but not limited to, or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term, or matter. References herein to any agreement, instrument, or other document means such agreement, instrument, or other document as amended, supplemented, and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof and not prohibited by the Plan.
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EXHIBIT A
JADE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
2025 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
Original Application | Offering Date: | |
Change in Payroll Deduction Rate |
1. hereby elects to participate in the Jade Biosciences, Inc. 2025 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the Plan) and subscribes to purchase shares of the Companys Common Stock in accordance with this Subscription Agreement and the Plan. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Subscription Agreement have the meanings provided under the Plan.
2. I hereby authorize payroll deductions from each paycheck in the amount of ____% of my Compensation on each payday (from 1% to 15%) during the Offering Period in accordance with the Plan, commencing with the next Offering Period. (Please note that no fractional percentages are permitted.)
3. I understand that the payroll deductions will be accumulated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock at the applicable Purchase Price determined in accordance with the Plan. I understand that if I do not withdraw from an Offering Period, any accumulated payroll deductions will be used to automatically exercise my option and purchase Common Stock under the Plan.
4. I have received a copy of the complete Plan and its accompanying prospectus. I understand that my participation in the Plan is in all respects subject to the terms of the Plan.
5. Shares of Common Stock purchased for me under the Plan should be issued in the name(s) of (Eligible Employee or Eligible Employee and Spouse only).
6. If I am a U.S. taxpayer, I understand that if I dispose of any shares received by me pursuant to the Plan within two years after the Offering Date (the first day of the Offering Period during which I purchased such shares) or one year after the Purchase Date, I will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as having received ordinary income at the time of such disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time such shares were purchased by me over the price that I paid for the shares. The Company may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from my compensation the amount necessary to meet any applicable withholding obligation including any withholding necessary to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by me. If I dispose of such shares at any time after the expiration of the holding period, I understand that I will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as having received income only at the time of
such disposition, and that such income will be taxed as ordinary income only to the extent of an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such disposition over the Purchase Price which I paid for the shares, or (b) 15% of the fair market value of the shares on the first day of the Offering Period. The remainder of the gain, if any, recognized on such disposition will be taxed as capital gain. If I am subject to tax in a jurisdiction outside the United States, the tax treatment may be different.
7. I acknowledge that the Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding my participation in the Plan or the purchase or sale of the shares of Common Stock. I should consult my own personal tax, legal and financial advisors regarding participation in the Plan before taking any action related to the Plan
8. I hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the Plan. The effectiveness of this Subscription Agreement is dependent upon my eligibility to participate in the Plan.
9. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. I hereby consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agree to participate in the Plan through an online or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company, now or in the future.
10. The provisions of this Subscription Agreement are severable, and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT SUCCESSIVE OFFERING PERIODS UNLESS TERMINATED BY ME.
| Date: | |||
Signature |
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ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
PARTICIPANTS IN CANADA
Capitalized terms used but not defined in these additional terms and conditions for Participants in Canada shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan or the Subscription Agreement, as applicable.
1. | Responsibility for Taxes |
(a) I acknowledge that, regardless of any action taken by the Company or, if different, the Employer, the ultimate liability for all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, fringe benefits tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to my participation in the Plan and legally applicable to me (Tax-Related Items) is and remains my responsibility and may exceed the amount, if any, actually withheld by the Company or the Employer. I further acknowledge that the Employer (i) make no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of the Plan, including, but not limited to, the grant of the option to purchase shares of Common Stock, the purchase of shares of Common Stock, the issuance or disposition of shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan or the receipt of any dividends and (ii) do not commit to and are under no obligation to structure the terms of the option or any aspect of the Plan to reduce or eliminate my liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if I am subject to Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction, I acknowledge that the Employer (or former employer, as applicable) may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.
(b) Prior to any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, I agree to make arrangements satisfactory to the Company or the Employer to satisfy all Tax-Related Items. In this regard, I authorize the Company or the Employer to satisfy any applicable withholding obligations with regard to any Tax-Related Items by one or a combination of the following:
(i) withholding from my wages or other cash compensation payable to me by the Employer;
(ii) requiring me to make a cash payment;
(iii) withholding from proceeds of the sale of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, either through a voluntary sale or through a mandatory sale arranged by the Company (on my behalf pursuant to this authorization without further consent); or
(iv) any other method determined by the Company or the Employer and compliant with Applicable Laws.
(c) The Company or the Employer may withhold or account for Tax-Related Items by considering statutory withholding amounts or other withholding rates, including maximum rates applicable in my jurisdiction(s). In the event of over-withholding, I may receive a refund of any over-withheld amount in cash (with no entitlement to the equivalent in shares of Common Stock) or, if not refunded, I may be able to seek a refund from the local tax authorities. In the event of under-withholding, I may be required to pay additional Tax-Related Items directly to the applicable tax authority. If the obligation for Tax-Related Items is satisfied by withholding shares of Common Stock, for tax purposes, I will be deemed to have been issued the full number of shares of Common Stock subject to the option, notwithstanding that a number of shares of Common Stock is held back solely for the purpose of satisfying the Tax-Related Items.
(d) Finally, I agree to pay to the Company or the Employer any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company or the Employer may be required to withhold or account for as a result of my participation in the Plan that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described. The Company may refuse to purchase or deliver the shares of Common Stock or the proceeds of the sale of shares of Common Stock if I fail to comply with my obligations in connection with the Tax-Related Items.
2. | Termination of Employment |
I acknowledge and agree that in the event of termination of my employment (for any reason whatsoever, whether or not later found to be invalid or in breach of Applicable Laws in the jurisdiction where I am employed or the terms of my employment agreement, if any), my right to participate in the Plan and purchase shares of Common Stock will terminate effective as of the date I am no longer actually providing services to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary (the Termination Date), regardless of any notice period or period of pay in lieu of such notice or related payments or damages provided or required to be provided under Applicable Laws in the jurisdiction where I am employed (including, but not limited to statutory law, regulatory law and/or common law). In the event that the Termination Date cannot reasonably be determined under the terms of the Plan and the Subscription Agreement, the Administrator shall have the exclusive discretion to determine when the Termination Date occurs for purposes of my participation in the Plan (including whether I may still be considered to be employed while on a leave of absence).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if applicable employment standards legislation explicitly requires continued participation in the Plan during a statutory notice period, I acknowledge that my right to participate in the Plan, if any, will terminate effective as of the last day of my minimum statutory notice period, and I will not earn or be entitled to a pro-rata purchase if the Purchase Date falls after the end of my statutory notice period, nor will I be entitled to any compensation for lost ability to purchase shares of Common Stock.
3. | Nature of Grant |
By enrolling and participating in the Plan, I acknowledge, understand and agree that:
(a) the Plan is established voluntarily by the Company and is discretionary in nature;
(b) the grant of the option to purchase shares of Common Stock is exceptional, voluntary and occasional and does not create any contractual or other right to receive future options to purchase shares of Common Stock or benefits in lieu of options to purchase shares of Common Stock, even if options to purchase shares of Common Stock have been granted in the past;
(c) all decisions with respect to future grants of options to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Plan or other grants, if any, will be at the sole discretion of the Company;
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(d) the option to purchase shares of Common Stock and my participation in the Plan shall not create a right to employment or be interpreted as forming or amending an employment or service contract with the Employer or any Affiliate and shall not interfere with the ability of the Employer to terminate my employment relationship (if any);
(e) I am voluntarily participating in the Plan;
(f) the option to purchase shares of Common Stock and any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, and the income from and value of same, are not intended to replace any pension rights or compensation;
(g) except to the extent explicitly and minimally required under applicable legislation, the option to purchase shares of Common Stock and any shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan, and the income from and value of same, are not part of normal or expected compensation or salary for any purpose, including, without limitation, calculating any severance, resignation, termination, redundancy, dismissal, end-of-service payments, holiday pay, bonuses, long-service awards, leave-related payments, pension or retirement or welfare benefits or similar mandatory payments;
(h) the future value of the underlying shares of Common Stock is unknown, indeterminable and cannot be predicted with certainty;
(i) the value of such shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan may increase or decrease in the future, even below the Purchase Price; and
(j) neither the Employer nor any Affiliate shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between my local currency and the United States dollar that may affect the value of the shares of Common Stock or any amounts due pursuant to the purchase of the shares of Common Stock or the subsequent sale of any shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan.
4. Securities Law Notification.
I understand that I will not be permitted to sell or otherwise dispose of the shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan within Canada. I will only be permitted to sell or dispose of any shares acquired under the Plan if such sale or disposal is made through the designated broker appointed under the Plan and takes place outside of Canada through the facilities on which such shares are traded.
5. | Imposition of Other Requirements. |
The Company reserves the right to impose other requirements on my participation in the Plan and on any shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan, to the extent the Company determines it is necessary or advisable for legal or administrative reasons, and to require me to sign any additional agreements or undertakings that may be necessary to accomplish the foregoing.
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6. | Waiver. |
I acknowledge that a waiver by the Company of breach of any provision of this Subscription Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Subscription Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by me or any other Participant.
7. | Foreign Asset/Account Reporting Requirements. |
I understand that specified foreign property, including shares of Common Stock acquired under the Plan and other rights to receive shares (e.g., purchase rights under the Plan) of a non-Canadian company held by a Canadian resident must generally be reported annually on a Form T1135 (Foreign Income Verification Statement) if the total cost of the specified foreign property exceeds C$100,000 at any time during the year. I understand that I should consult with my personal tax advisor to determine my reporting requirements
8. | Entire Agreement. |
The Plan and the Subscription Agreement constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede all prior undertakings and agreements with respect to the subject matter hereof. I understand and agree that the terms of an Offering can only be amended in writing. I agree that the terms of the Plan govern an Offering and that all interpretations and determinations made by the Company or the Administrator with respect to the Plan and the Subscription Agreement shall be final and binding on all persons.
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EXHIBIT B
JADE BIOSCIENCES, INC.
2025 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
The undersigned Participant in the Offering Period of the Jade Biosciences, Inc. 2025 Employee Stock Purchase Plan that began on ______________, ______ (the Offering Date) hereby notifies the Company that he or she hereby withdraws from the Offering Period. He or she hereby directs the Company to pay to the undersigned as soon as reasonably practicable all the payroll deductions credited to his or her notional account with respect to such Offering Period. The undersigned understands and agrees that his or her option for such Offering Period will be automatically terminated. The undersigned understands further that no further payroll deductions will be made for the purchase of shares in the current Offering Period and the undersigned will be eligible to participate in succeeding Offering Periods only by delivering to the Company a new Subscription Agreement.
Participants Name: |
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Participants Address: |
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| Date: | |||
Signature |