Form of Underwriting Agreement

EX-1.1 2 ea144955ex1-1_abvcbio.htm FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

 

ABVC BIOPHARMA, INC.

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

1,000,000 Units

Consisting of

1,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

1,000,000 Series A Warrants to Purchase 1,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

And

1,000,000 Series B Warrants to Purchase 1,000,000 Shares of Common Stock

 

[*], 2021

 

WallachBeth Capital, LLC

Harborside Financial Plaza 5

185 Hudson St., Suite 1410

Jersey City, NJ 07311

As Representative of the

Several Underwriters Named on Schedule I hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

ABVC BIOPHARMA, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters,” or each, an “Underwriter”), for whom WallachBeth Capital, LLC is acting as representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 1,000,000 Units (the “Firm Units”), each Firm Unit consisting of (a) one share of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), (b) one Series A warrant (the “Series A Warrants”) to purchase one share of Common Stock and (c) one Series B warrant to purchase one share of common stock (the “Series B Warrants,” and together with the Series A Warrants, the “Warrants” and each a “Warrant”). The 1,000,000 shares of Common Stock referred to in this Section are hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Shares” and the Warrants referred to in this Section are hereinafter referred to as the “Firm Warrants,” and together with the Firm Units and the Firm Shares, the “Firm Securities.” The Firm Warrants shall be issued pursuant to, and shall have the rights and privileges set forth in, warrant agent agreements, dated on or before the Closing Date, between the Company and VStock Transfer, LLC, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agreement”). The Company also proposes to sell to the Underwriters, upon the terms and conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof, an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional 150,000 shares of Common Stock, representing up to fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering (the “Option Shares”), and/or Series A Warrants to purchase an additional 150,000 shares of Common Stock and Series B Warrants to purchase an additional 150,000 shares of Common Stock, representing up to 15% of the Firm Warrants sold in the Offering (as defined below) (the “Option Warrants”), in each case for the purpose of covering over-allotments of such securities, if any. The Over-allotment Option is, at the Underwriters’ sole discretion, for Option Shares and Option Warrants together, solely Option Shares, solely Option Warrants, or any combination thereof (each, an “Option Security” and collectively, the “Option Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Option Securities are collectively referred to as the “Securities.” The Securities shall be issued directly by the Company and shall have the rights and privileges described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (as defined below). The offering and sale of the Securities is herein referred to as the “Offering.”

 

The Company and the several Underwriters hereby confirm their agreement as follows:

 

1. Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement covering the Securities and Representative’s Securities (as defined in Section 4(f) hereof) on Form S-1 (File No. 333- 255112) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Commission thereunder, including a preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities and such amendments to such registration statement (including post effective amendments) as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. Such registration statement, as amended (including any post effective amendments), has been declared effective by the Commission. Such registration statement, including amendments thereto (including post effective amendments thereto) and all documents and information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement through incorporation by reference or otherwise at the time of effectiveness thereof (the “Effective Time”), the exhibits and any schedules thereto at the Effective Time or thereafter during the period of effectiveness and the documents and information otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the Securities Act or otherwise pursuant to the Rules and Regulations at the Effective Time or thereafter during the period of effectiveness, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” If the Company has filed or files an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term Registration Statement shall include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Securities and Representative’s Securities that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the pricing of the offering contemplated hereby is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.”

 

 

The Company is filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act a final prospectus covering the Securities, which includes the information permitted to be omitted therefrom at the Effective Time by Rule 430A under the Securities Act. Such final prospectus, as so filed, is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.” The Final Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus in the form in which they were included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act is hereinafter called a “Prospectus.” Reference made herein to any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or to the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company Regarding the Offering.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(d) below) and as of each Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 4(b) below), as follows:

 

(i) No Material Misstatements or Omissions. At each time of effectiveness, at the date hereof, at the Closing Date, and at each Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not, does not, and will not, as the case may be, contain any 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. The Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined below) as of the date hereof and at the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, any roadshow or investor presentations delivered to and approved by the Underwriter for use in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (the “Marketing Materials”), if any, and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, at the time of filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, at the Closing Date, and at each Option Closing Date, if any, did not, does not and will not contain any 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or any Prospectus in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by the Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f). The Registration Statement contains all exhibits and schedules required to be filed by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. No order preventing or suspending the effectiveness or use of the Registration Statement or any Prospectus is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(ii) Marketing Materials. The Company has not distributed any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the roadshow or investor presentations delivered to and approved by the Representative for use in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (the “Marketing Materials”).

 

 

(iii) Accurate Disclosure. (A)

 

(1) “Time of Sale Disclosure Package” means the Prospectus most recently filed with the Commission before the time of this Agreement, including any preliminary prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof, and the description of the transaction provided by the Underwriters included on Schedule II.

 

(B) At the time of filing of the Registration Statement and at the date hereof, the Company is an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(C)

 

(iv) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the periods therein specified in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP). No other financial statements, pro forma financial information or schedules are required under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the Rules and Regulations to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus.

 

(v) Intentionally Left Blank.

 

 

(vi) Independent Accountants. To the Company’s knowledge, KCCW Accountancy Corp., which has expressed its opinion with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules included as a part of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, is an independent public accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

 

(vii) Accounting Controls. The Company will maintain a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, 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 GAAP 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.

 

(viii) Forward-Looking Statements. The Company had a reasonable basis for, and made in good faith, each “forward-looking statement” (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or the Marketing Materials.

 

(ix) Statistical and Marketing-Related Data. All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, or included in the Marketing Materials, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources, to the extent required.

 

(x) Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 001-[*]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Exchange Act of the shares of Common Stock and Warrants. The registration of the shares of Common Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date hereof. 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.

 

(xi) Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Common Stock have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”), 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 written notification that Nasdaq is contemplating terminating such listing.

 

(xii) Absence of Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action that is designed to or that has constituted or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xiii) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the net proceeds thereof, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

 

(b) Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3. Representations and Warranties Regarding the Company.

 

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:

 

(i) Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation or other entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization. The Company has the power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or other entity in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to so qualify would not have or be reasonably likely to result in a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company, or in its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Warrant, the Warrant Agreement or the Representative’s Warrant (as defined in Section 4(f)) (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(ii) Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Warrant, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) 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.

 

(iii) Contracts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Warrant and the Representative’s Warrant and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not (A) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any law, order, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject, or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, breach or default is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) (a “Default Acceleration Event”) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (the “Contracts”) or obligation or other understanding to which the Company is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default, or Default Acceleration Event is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (“Certificate of Incorporation”), or Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”).

 

(iv) No Violations of Governing Documents. The Company is not in violation, breach or default under its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other equivalent organizational or governing documents.

 

 

(v) Consents. No consents, approvals, orders, authorizations or filings are required on the part of the Company in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants and the Representative’s Warrant and the issue and sale of the Securities and the Representative’s Securities, except (A) the registration under the Securities Act of the Securities and Representative’s Securities, which has been effected, (B) the necessary filings and approvals from Nasdaq to list the Securities and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants and the Representative’s Warrants, (C) such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the several Underwriters, (D) such consents and approvals as have been obtained and are in full force and effect, and (E) such consents, approvals, orders, authorizations and filings the failure of which to make or obtain is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(vi) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. Since the respective dates as of which information is provided in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company has not entered into or granted any convertible or exchangeable securities, options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company. The Firm Securities, the Option Securities and the Representative’s Warrant have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all liens imposed by the Company; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Securities and Representative’s Warrant are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities and Representative’s Warrant has been duly and validly taken; the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and the Representative’s Warrant have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with the Warrant Agreement or Representative’s Warrant or exercised on a cashless basis as set forth in such Representative’s Warrant, as the case may be, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and the Securities, the Warrant Agreement and Representative’s Warrant conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(vii) Taxes. The Company has (a) filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) and (b) paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due and payable on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company (except where the failure to pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect). The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. To the knowledge of the Company, no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company, and no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

 

(viii) Material Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, (a) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, upon the conversion of outstanding shares of preferred stock or other convertible securities, due to the vesting of outstanding stock grants or the issuance of restricted stock awards or restricted stock units under the Company’s existing stock awards plan, or any new grants thereof in the ordinary course of business), (d) there has not been any material change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt, other than periodic accruals in the ordinary course pursuant to the terms of the Company’s outstanding debt, and (e) there has not been the occurrence of any Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ix) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

(x) Regulatory. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus: (i) the Company has not received notice from any Governmental Entity (as defined below) alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Regulations (as defined below) or Authorizations (as defined below); (ii) the Company is and has been in material compliance with federal, state or foreign statutes, laws, ordinances, rules and regulations applicable to the Company (collectively, “Applicable Regulations”); (iii) the Company possesses all licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, consents, authorizations, qualifications, registrations, permits, and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Regulations and/or to carry on its businesses as now conducted (“Authorizations”) and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (iv) the Company has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product, operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Regulations or Authorizations or has any knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, nor, has there been any material noncompliance with or violation of any Applicable Regulations by the Company that could reasonably be expected to require the issuance of any such communication or result in an investigation, corrective action, or enforcement action by any Governmental Entity; and (v) the Company has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations or has any knowledge that any such Governmental Entity has threatened or is considering such action. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its directors, officers, employees or agents has been convicted of any crime under any Applicable Regulations. “Governmental Entity” shall be defined as any arbitrator, court, governmental body, regulatory body, administrative agency or other authority, body or agency (whether foreign or domestic) having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, assets or operations.

 

(xi) Good Title. The Company has good and marketable title to all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as being owned by it that are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects, except those that are disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus and those that are not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The property held under lease by the Company is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company.

 

 

(xii) Intellectual Property. The Company owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. The Company has not received any notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(a)(xii), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(a)(xii) reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 3(a)(xii), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons. To the Company’s knowledge, there is no prior art or public or commercial activity that may render any patent included in the Intellectual Property Rights invalid or that would preclude the issuance of any patent on any patent application included in the Intellectual Property which has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the relevant foreign patent authority, as the case may be. The Company has not, and to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has, committed any act or omitted to undertake any act the effect of such commission or omission would reasonably be expected to result in a legal determination that any item of Intellectual Property Rights thereby was rendered invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. The manufacture, use and sale of the products or product candidates described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus as under development by the Company fall within the scope of one or more claims of the patents or patent applications included in the Intellectual Property Rights. Other than information disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, no government funding, facilities or resources of a university, college, other educational institution or research center was used in the development of any Intellectual Property Rights that are owned or purported to be owned by the Company that would confer upon any governmental agency or body, university, college, other educational institution or research center any claim or right in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights.

 

 

(xiii) Employment Matters. There is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending against the Company, nor to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it, before the National Labor Relations Board, any state or local labor relation board or any foreign labor relations board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under any collective bargaining agreement is so pending against the Company, or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against it and (B) no labor disturbance by the employees of the Company exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, that could reasonably be expected, singularly or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware that any key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.

 

(xiv) ERISA Compliance. No “prohibited transaction” (as defined in Section 406 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the “Code”)) or “accumulated funding deficiency” (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA) or any of the events set forth in Section 4043(b) of ERISA (other than events with respect to which the thirty (30)-day notice requirement under Section 4043 of ERISA has been waived) has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Company which would reasonably be expected to, singularly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each employee benefit plan of the Company is in compliance in all material respects with applicable law, including ERISA and the Code. The Company has not incurred and could not reasonably be expected to incur liability under Title IV of ERISA with respect to the termination of, or withdrawal from, any pension plan (as defined in ERISA). Each pension plan for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and, to the Company’s knowledge, nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could, singularly or in the aggregate, cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(xv) Environmental Matters. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge.

 

(xvi) SOX Compliance. The Company has taken all actions it deems reasonably necessary or advisable to take on or prior to the date of this Agreement to assure that, upon and at all times after the Effective Date, it will be in compliance in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or implementing the provisions thereof. (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) that are then in effect and will take all action it deems reasonably necessary or advisable to assure that it will be in compliance in all material respects with other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect upon it and at all times after the effectiveness of such provisions.

 

 

(xvii) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(xviii) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent, affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(xix) OFAC. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf 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 of the Securities contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(xx) Insurance. Following the closing of the offering contemplated hereby, the Company will carry insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

 

(xxi) Books and Records. The minute books of the Company have been made available to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters, and such books (i) contain a complete summary of all meetings and actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable), since the time of its incorporation or organization through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes.

 

(xxii) No Violation. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any other party is in violation, breach or default of any Contract that has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxiii) Continued Business. No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company has notified the Company that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company, except where such discontinuation or decrease has not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxiv) No Finder’s Fee. There are no claims, payments, issuances, arrangements or understandings for services in the nature of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee with respect to the introduction of the Company to any Underwriter or the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements, understandings, payments or issuances with respect to the Company that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

 

(xxv) No Fees. Except as disclosed to the Representative in writing, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, investing fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who provided capital to the Company, (ii) any FINRA member, or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member within the twelve (12) month period prior to the date on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (“Filing Date”) or thereafter.

 

(xxvi) Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or any affiliate or associate of any participating FINRA member, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(xxvii) No FINRA Affiliations. To the Company’s knowledge and except as disclosed to the Representative in writing, no (i) officer or director of the Company or (ii) owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) owner of any amount of the Company’s unregistered securities acquired within the 180-day period prior to the Filing Date, has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member. The Company will advise the Representative and counsel to the Underwriters if it becomes aware that any officer, director of the Company or any owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offering.

 

(xxviii) No Financial Advisor. Other than the Underwriters no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(xxix) Data Privacy and Security Laws. The Company is, and at all prior times was, in material compliance with all applicable state and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations in the United States, including, without limitation, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, and all applicable provincial and federal data privacy and security laws and regulations in Canada, including without limitation the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (S.C. 2000, c. 5) (“PIPEDA”); and the Company has taken commercially reasonable actions to prepare to comply with, and have been and currently are in compliance with, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). To ensure compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company has in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the “Policies”). “Personal Data” means (i) a natural person’s name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, driver’s license number, passport number, credit card number, bank information, or customer or account number; (ii) any information which would qualify as “personally identifying information” under the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended; (iii) Protected Health Information as defined by HIPAA; (iv) “personal information”, “personal health information”. and “business contact information” as defined by PIPEDA; (v) “personal data” as defined by GDPR; and (vi) any other piece of information that allows the identification of such natural person, or his or her family, or permits the collection or analysis of any data related to an identified person’s health or sexual orientation. The Company has at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and none of such disclosures made or contained in any Policy have, to the knowledge of the Company, been inaccurate or in violation of any applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements in any material respect. The Company further certifies: (i) it has not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.

 

 

(xxx) No Registration Rights. Except for those shareholders included in Registration No. 333-250899 or as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived in writing or otherwise satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act.

 

(xxxi) Prior Sales of Securities. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company has not sold or issued any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date hereof, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, stock option plans or other employee compensation plans, pursuant to outstanding preferred stock, options, rights or warrants or other outstanding convertible securities or in connection with the vesting of any outstanding stock grants.

 

(xxxii) Compliance with Laws. The Company, (A) to the best of its knowledge, is and at all times has been in compliance with (i) the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”), (ii) the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and Laws applicable to hazardous or regulated substances and radioactive or biologic materials, (iii) the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, (iv) the False Claims Act, (v) the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, (vi) the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, (vii) the criminal False Claims Law, (viii) the HIPAA as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, (ix) licensing and certification laws covering any aspect of the business of the Company and (x) all other statutes, rules or regulations applicable to the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from 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 and/or to carry on its business as now conducted (“Applicable Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Application Authorizations and such Applicable Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Applicable Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Applicable Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding nor, to the Company’s knowledge, has there been any material noncompliance with or violation of any Applicable Laws by the Company that could reasonably be expected to require the issuance of any such communication or result in an investigation, corrective action, or enforcement action by any Governmental Entity; (E) has not received notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Applicable Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity has threatened or is considering such action; (F) to the best of its knowledge, 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 Applicable Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, “dear doctor” letter, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.

 

 

(xxxiii) Intentionally Left Blank.

 

(xxxiv) Clinical and Preclinical Studies. The studies, tests and preclinical and clinical trials conducted by or, to the Company’s knowledge, on behalf of the Company were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls pursuant to accepted professional scientific standards and all authorizations and applicable laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and any applicable rules, regulations and policies of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted; the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus are, to the Company’s knowledge, accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trials; except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test, or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described and the clinical state of development; and, except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Company has not received any notices or correspondence from the FDA or any governmental entity requiring the termination or suspension of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company.

 

4. Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Shares.

 

(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Units to the several Underwriters, and the several Underwriters agree, severally and not jointly, to purchase the Firm Units set forth opposite the names of the Underwriters in Schedule I hereto. The purchase price for each Firm Unit shall be $6.25 per share.

 

 

(b) The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the option to purchase some or all of the Option Securities and, upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriter shall have the right, severally and not jointly, to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to $6.23 per Option Share. The purchase price to be paid per Option Warrant shall be equal to $0.01 per Option Warrant. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. This Over-Allotment Option may be exercised by the Underwriters at any time and from time to time on or before the forty-fifth (45^th) day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company (the “Option Notice”). The Option Notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Closing Date (as defined below) nor earlier than the first business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised unless the Company and the Representative otherwise agree. 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; (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, subject to such adjustments as the Representative, in its sole discretion, shall determine and (iii) each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total number of Option Warrants then being purchased that the number of Option Warrants as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Option Warrants, subject, in each case, to such adjustments as the Representative, in its sole discretion, shall determine. The Representative may cancel the Over-Allotment Option at any time prior to the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option by written notice to the Company (except to the extent the Representative has exercised the Over-Allotment Option in accordance herewith).

 

(c) Payment of the purchase price for and delivery of the Option Shares and/or the Option Warrants shall be made on an Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Securities as set forth in subparagraph (d) below.

 

(d) The Firm Securities will be delivered by the Company to the Representative, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of same day funds payable to the order of the Company at the offices of WallachBeth Capital, LLC, Harborside Financial Plaza 5, 185 Hudson St., Suite 1410, Jersey City, NJ 07311, or such other location as may be mutually acceptable, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, on the second (or if the Firm Securities are priced, as contemplated by Rule 15c6-1(c) under the Exchange Act, after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, the third) full business day following the date hereof, or at such other time and date as the Representative and the Company determine pursuant to Rule 15c6-1(a) under the Exchange Act, or, in the case of the Option Securities, at such date and time set forth in the Option Notice. The time and date of delivery of the Firm Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.” On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver the Firm Securities which shall be registered in the name or names and shall be in such denominations as the Representative may request on behalf of the Underwriters at least one (1) business day before the Closing Date, to the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, which delivery shall with respect to the Firm Securities, be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company’s Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) system.

 

(e) It is understood that the Representative has been authorized, for its own account and the accounts of the several Underwriters, to accept delivery of and receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Firm Securities and any Option Securities the Underwriters have agreed to purchase. The Representative, individually and not as the Representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment for any Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds shall not have been received by the Representative by the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the account of such Underwriter, but any such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

 

(f) The Company hereby agrees to issue to the Underwriters (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date a five-year warrant (the “Representative’s Warrant”) for the purchase of an aggregate of up to 50,000 shares of Common Stock, representing up to 5% of the Firm Shares plus 5% of any Option Shares purchased in the Offering. The Representative’s Warrant, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is six (6) months after the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock equal to 100% of the initial public offering price of the Firm Units (subject to adjustment as set forth therein). The Representative’s Warrant and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities.” The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representative’s Warrant and the underlying shares of Common Stock during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrant, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the offering of the Securities or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.

 

5. Covenants.

 

(a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

 

(i) The Company shall prepare the Final Prospectus in a form approved by the Representative and file such Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by the Rules and Regulations.

 

(ii) During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as determined by the Representative the Final Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an underwriter or dealer (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, including any Rule 462 Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Representative for review and comment a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably objects.

 

(iii) From the date of this Agreement until the end of the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company shall promptly advise the Representative in writing (A) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission, (B) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (C) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective and (D) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending its use or the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Stock from any securities exchange upon which it is listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rules 424(b), 430A, 430B or 430C as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) of the Securities Act).

 

 

(iv) (A) During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, and by the Exchange Act, as now and hereafter amended, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus. If during the Prospectus Delivery Period any event occurs the result of which would cause the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) to include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary or appropriate in the opinion of the Company or its counsel or the Representative or counsel to the Underwriters to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package ) to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Representative, allow the Representative the opportunity to provide reasonable comments on such amendment, prospectus supplement or document, and will amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Final Prospectus (or if the Final Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) or file such document (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance.

 

(B) Intentionally Omitted.

 

(v) The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities and Representative’s Securities for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified, to execute a general consent to service of process in any state or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject.

 

(vi) The Company will furnish to the Underwriters and counsel to the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, each Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(vii) The Company will make generally available (which includes filings pursuant to the Exchange Act made publicly through the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (“EDGAR”) system) to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(viii) The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, will pay or cause to be paid all expenses relating to the Offering, including, without limitation, (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Securities to be sold in the Offering with the Commission; (b) all actual Public Offering Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements, if any, relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of “blue sky” counsel); (e) all actual 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 Representatives may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representatives may reasonably deem necessary; (g) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (h) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the Common Stock; (i) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (k) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (l) all reasonable and documented “road show” expenses for the Offering; and (m) the due diligence fees and expenses of the Underwriters, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses of the Underwriters and other diligence expenses; provided that these actual accountable expenses of the Underwriters shall not exceed $125,000 in the aggregate (less any retainer previously paid to the Representatives) in addition to any expenses reimbursed pursuant to clause (l) above), including the fees and disbursements of the underwriters’ counsel. The Representatives may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or any Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein (as limited by this Section 5(a)(viii)) to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters, provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof. In the event the offering is terminated, the Advance received against reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the offering will be returned to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C).

 

(ix) The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

 

(x) The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or that has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xi) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter, severally, and not jointly, represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses included in Schedule III. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Company and the Representative is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied or will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record-keeping.

 

(xii) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it and any successors will not, during the period ending one hundred and eighty 180 days after the date hereof (“Lock-Up Period”), (a) 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, (b) file or caused to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock or (c) 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 (a), (b) or (c) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or any successors or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The restrictions contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to (i) the shares of Common Stock 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, which is disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, the terms of which option, warrant or other outstanding convertible security are not thereafter amended, (iii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the vesting of outstanding stock grants (iv) grants of stock options, stock awards, restricted stock, RSUs, or other equity awards and the issuance of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (whether upon the exercise of stock options or otherwise) to the Company’s employees, officers, directors, advisors, or consultants pursuant to the terms of an equity compensation plan in effect as of the Closing Date and described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus provided that if the grantee of any such equity award set forth in this Section is an executive officer or director of the Company, such person enters into a Lock-Up Agreement (as defined below) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B in connection with any such grant, provided further that such securities issued to advisors or consultants of the Company are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144 of the Securities Act) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the Lock-Up Period; and (v) the filing by the Company of any registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto relating to an equity compensation plan described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

 

(xiii) From the date hereof until the one (1) year anniversary after the Closing Date, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive, additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon, and/or varies with, the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price. Any Underwriter shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.

 

(xiv) To engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock (if other than the Company).

 

(xv) To use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on Nasdaq.

 

(xvi) To not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be expected to constitute, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

 

(xvii) The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 5(a)(viii), on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Representative, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Shares; provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance previously paid by the Company to the Representative against the Representative’s non-accountable expense allowance actually anticipated to be incurred, which the Company and the Representative acknowledge is in the amount of $15,000 (the “Advance”), shall be applied towards the accountable expenses set forth herein; provided that the Representative will reimburse the Company for any remaining portion of the Advance to the extent amount of the Advance was not used for accountable expenses actually incurred by the Representative in the offering.

 

 

(xvii) As of the Closing Date, the Company shall have retained an investor relations advisory firm reasonably acceptable to the Representatives and the Company and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representatives for a period of not less than one (1) year after the Closing Date.

 

(xviii) Within 120 days from the closing date of the Offering, the Company will have appropriate Directors’ & Officers’ (“D&O”) and Errors & Omissions (“E&O”) insurance with appropriate liability levels as reasonably determined by the Company. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Representative and their principal officers shall be named additional insureds of the Company’s D&O and E&O insurance policies.

 

(b) Right of First Refusal; Tail.

 

(i)

For a period of one year from the closing of the Offering, the Company hereby grants a right of first refusal to the Representative to act as lead underwriter or book-running manager or placement agent for each and every future public and private equity, equity-linked, convertible or debt (excluding commercial bank debt) offerings of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company during such twelve (12) month period. If the Representative fails to accept an offer within ten (10) Business Days after the receipt of a notice containing the material terms of a proposed financing by registered mail or overnight courier service addressed to the Representative, then the Representative shall have no further claim or right with respect to the financing proposal contained in such notice. If, however, the terms of such financing proposal are subsequently modified in any material respect, the preferential right referred to herein shall apply to such modified proposal as if the original proposal had not been made. The Representative’s failure to exercise its preferential right with respect to any particular proposal shall not affect its preferential rights relative to future proposals.

 

(ii)

For a period of 12 months after the closing of the Offering, the Representative will receive a cash fee equal to 2% of the Aggregate Consideration (as defined below) the Company pays or receives in connection with any sale, merger, acquisition or other similar transactions (each, a “Transaction”) occurring with a party directly introduced to the Company by the Representative in connection with the Offering. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Representative shall not receive any compensation pursuant to this Section 5(b)(ii) upon the occurrence or in connection with any transactions or persons included on Schedule IV attached hereto.

 

The term “Transaction” shall include, without limitation, any investment in (whether in one or a series of transactions) the assets or the capital stock of the Company, through any proposed merger, consolidation, joint venture or other business/strategic combination with or involving the Company or any event which results in the transfer of control of or a material interest in the Company or of all or a substantial amount of the assets thereof, as well as any recapitalization or restructuring of the Company by the current owners, a third party or any combination thereof, or any other form of transaction which results in the effective acquisition of the principal business and operations of the Company.

 

“Aggregate Consideration” means the total proceeds and other consideration paid to or received by, or to be paid to or received by, the Company, or any of its affiliates or other parties in interest in connection with a Transaction, including, without limitation, cash, notes, securities, and other property; payments made in installments; or Contingent Payments (as defined below). In addition, if any of the Company’s liabilities are assumed or otherwise paid off in conjunction with a Transaction (by the Company or any Investor, in the form of “cure” payments or otherwise), the Aggregate Consideration will be increased to reflect the face value of any such liabilities and the fair market value of any such assets.

 

“Contingent Payments” mean the fair market value of consideration received or receivable by the Company or any of its affiliates, and/or any other parties in the form of deferred Aggregate Consideration based on “earn-outs”, or other contingent payments based upon the future performance of the Company or any of its businesses or assets, and shall not include any payments made pursuant to any employment or consulting agreements which requires the services of such individual for market rate compensation.

 

6. Conditions of the Underwriter’s Obligations. The respective obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder to purchase the Shares are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at all times through the Closing Date, and on each Option Closing Date (as if made on the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as applicable), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the following additional conditions:

 

(a) If filing of the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, is required under the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations, the Company shall have filed the Final Prospectus (or such amendment or supplement) or such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus with the Commission in the manner and within the time period so required (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or 164(b) under the Securities Act); the Registration Statement shall remain effective; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462 Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; any request of the Commission or the Representative for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Representative.

 

(b) The Common Stock and Warrants shall be approved for listing on Nasdaq, and satisfactory evidence thereof shall have been provided to the Representative and its counsel.

 

 

(c) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(d) The Representative shall not have reasonably determined, and advised the Company, that the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of the Representative, is material and is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(e) Intentionally Omitted.

 

(f) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriter the opinion and negative assurance letters of Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC, corporate counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

 

(g) Intentionally Omitted.

 

(h) The Underwriters shall have received a letter of KCCW Accountancy Corp., on the date hereof and on the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, addressed to the Underwriters, confirming that they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualifications of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, and confirming, as of the date of each such letter (or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of which specified financial information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, as of a date not prior to the date hereof or more than five (5) days prior to the date of such letter), the conclusions and findings of said firm with respect to the financial information and other matters required by the Underwriters.

 

(j) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to the Underwriters a certificate, dated the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, signed by the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company, in their capacity as officers of the Company, to the effect that:

 

(i) The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement that are qualified by materiality or by reference to any Material Adverse Effect are true and correct in all respects, and all other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, in all material respects, as if made at and as of the Closing Date and on the Option Closing Date, and the Company has complied in all material respects with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part required to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable;

 

(ii) No stop order or other order (A) suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof, (B) suspending the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale, or (C) suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and

 

(iii) There has been no occurrence of any event resulting or reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Effect during the period from and after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable.

 

 

(k) On or before the date hereof, the Representative shall have received duly executed lock-up agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto (each a “Lock-Up Agreement”), by and between the Representative and each of the parties specified in Schedule V.

 

(l) On the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant.

 

(m) The Company shall have furnished to the Representative and its counsel such additional documents, certificates and evidence as the Representative and its counsel may have reasonably requested.

 

If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as applicable, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party, except that Section 5(a)(viii), Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

7. Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or such person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to Rules 430A and 430B of the Rules and Regulations, or arise out of or are based upon the omission from the Registration Statement, or alleged omission to state therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act (Written Testing-the-Waters Communications), any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, , or the Marketing Materials or in any other materials used in connection with the offering of the Securities, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a 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, (iii) in whole or in part, any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, or (iv) in whole or in part, any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with evaluating, investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f).

 

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for use in the preparation thereof, which written information is described in Section 7(f), and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with evaluating, investigating, and defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action. The obligation of each Underwriter to indemnify the Company (including any controlling person, director or officer thereof) shall be limited to the amount of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder actually received by such Underwriter.

 

 

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof; provided, however, that if (i) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (ii) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iii) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ a single counsel to represent it in any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section 7, in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the indemnified party as incurred.

 

The indemnifying party under this Section 7 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is a party or could be named and indemnity was or would be sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent (a) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability for claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding and (b) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering and sale of the Shares 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 in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, 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 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim that is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of the of the underwriting discount applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder actually received by such Underwriter. 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. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute as provided in this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

 

 

(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that the Company may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act; and the obligations of each Underwriter under this Section 7 shall be in addition to any liability that each Underwriter may otherwise have and the benefits of such obligations shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to the Company and its officers, directors and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

 

(f) For purposes of this Agreement, each Underwriter severally confirms, and the Company acknowledges, that there is no information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing to the Company by such Underwriter specifically for preparation of or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, any Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, other than the statement set forth in the last paragraph on the cover page of the Prospectus, the marketing and legal names of each Underwriter, and the statements set forth in the “Underwriting” section of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, and the Final Prospectus only insofar as such statements relate to the amount of selling concession and re-allowance, if any, or to over-allotment, stabilization and related activities that may be undertaken by such Underwriter.

 

8. Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company contained herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including, but not limited to, the agreements of the several Underwriters and the Company contained in Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the several Underwriters or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Shares to and by the Underwriters hereunder.

 

9. Termination of this Agreement.

 

(a) The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date (as to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date only), if in the reasonable discretion of the Representative, (i) there has occurred any material adverse change in the securities markets or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representative, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities markets or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares or enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares (ii) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or Nasdaq or trading in securities generally on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the NYSE or the NYSE MKT shall have been suspended, (iii) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the NYSE or NYSE American, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority having jurisdiction, (iv) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities, (v) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or other international political, financial or economic conditions or any other calamity or crisis , (vi) the Company suffers any material loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or (vii) in the judgment of the Representative, there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, any material adverse change in the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

 

(b) If the Representative elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 9, the Company and the other Underwriters shall be notified promptly by the Representative by telephone, confirmed by letter.

 

(c) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to any of its provisions, the Company shall not be under any liability to any Underwriter, and no Underwriter shall be under any liability to the Company, except that (y) subject to a maximum reimbursement of $125,000, the Company will reimburse the Representative only for all actual, accountable out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of its counsel) reasonably incurred by the Representative in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Shares or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder and (z) no Underwriter who shall have failed or refused to purchase the Shares agreed to be purchased by it under this Agreement, without some reason sufficient hereunder to justify cancellation or termination of its obligations under this Agreement, shall be relieved of liability to the Company, or to the other Underwriters for damages occasioned by its failure or refusal.

 

10. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase Shares hereunder on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally, in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall so default and the aggregate number of Shares with respect to which such default or defaults occur is more than ten percent (10%) of the total number of Shares to be purchased by all Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date and arrangements satisfactory to the remaining Underwriters and the Company for the purchase of such Shares by other persons are not made within forty-eight (48) hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate.

 

If the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters are required hereby or agree to take up all or part of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters on such Closing Date or Option Closing Date as provided in this Section 10, (i) the Company shall have the right to postpone such Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a period of not more than five (5) full business days in order to permit the Company to effect whatever changes in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, which may thereby be made necessary, and the Company agrees to promptly file any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus which may thereby be made necessary, and (ii) the respective numbers of Shares to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters or substituted Underwriters shall be taken as the basis of their underwriting obligation for all purposes of this Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability to the Company or any other Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company, except that the obligations with respect to expenses to be paid or reimbursed pursuant to Section 5(a)(viii) and Section 7 and Sections 9 through 17, inclusive, shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect.

 

11. [Intentionally Omitted].

 

12. Notices. All notices and communications hereunder shall be in writing and mailed or delivered or by telephone, electronic mail or telegraph if subsequently confirmed in writing, (a) if to the Representative, WallachBeth Capital, LLC Harborside Financial Center Plaza 5, 185 Hudson Street, Suite 1410 Jersey City, New Jersey 07311, Attention: Kenneth Bantum, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP, 55 West 39^th Street, 18^th Floor, New York, NY 10018, Attention: Ross Carmel and Jeffrey Wofford, and (b) if to the Company, to ABVC BioPharma, Inc., 44370 Old Warm Springs Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, Attention Dr. Howard Doong, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC, 800 Third Avenue, Suite 2800, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Louis Taubman.

 

 

13. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 7. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Shares from any Underwriters.

 

14. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) each Underwriter has been retained solely to act as underwriter in connection with the sale of the Shares and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and any Underwriter has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Underwriter has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Shares set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that no Underwriter has any obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and (d) it has been advised that each Underwriter is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of such Underwriter, and not on behalf of the Company.

 

15. Amendments and Waivers. No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

 

16. Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph, clause or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph, clause or provision.

 

17. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

18. Submission to Jurisdiction. 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. EACH OF THE COMPANY (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ON BEHALF OF ITS RESPECTIVE EQUITY HOLDERS AND CREDITORS) AND THE UNDERWRITER HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, THE TIME OF SALE DISCLOSURE PACKAGE, ANY PROSPECTUS AND THE FINAL PROSPECTUS.

 

19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission or electronic mail) in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

 

Very truly yours,
ABVC BIOPHARMA, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:

 

Confirmed as of the date first above-mentioned by the Representative of the several Underwriters.
WALLACBETH CAPITAL, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:

 

[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

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