Description of Capital Stock
Exhibit 4.3
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following is a description of the common stock, $0.001 par value per share of Arcellx, Inc. (the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”), which is the only security of the Company registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The following summary description is based on the provisions of our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), our Amended and Restated Bylaws, (the “Bylaws”), and the applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”). This information may not be complete in all respects and is qualified entirely by reference to the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws. Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws are filed as exhibits to our Annual Report on Form 10-K of which this exhibit is a part.
Authorized Capital Shares
Our authorized capital stock consists of 1,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. In addition, under our Certificate of Incorporation, our board of directors may, without further action by our stockholders, fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of up to an aggregate of 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and authorize their issuance. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, dividend rate, conversion rights, voting rights, rights and terms of redemption (including sinking fund provisions), redemption price or prices, and liquidation preferences of any such series, and the number of shares constituting any such series and the designation thereof, or any of the foregoing, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. Any issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders would receive dividend payments and payments on liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change of control or other corporate action. We have no present plans to issue any shares of preferred stock. For a complete description of the terms and provisions of the Company’s preferred stock refer to our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
Each holder of common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws do not provide for cumulative voting rights. Because of this, the holders of a plurality of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose. With respect to matters other than the election of directors, at any meeting of the stockholders at which a quorum is present or represented, the affirmative vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at such meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders, except as otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws or the rules of the stock exchange on which our securities are listed. The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders.
Dividend Rights
Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of our common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of legally available funds.
Liquidation Rights
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Preemptive or Similar Rights
Holders of our common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription or other rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of our common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by the rights of the holders of shares of any series of our preferred stock that we may designate in the future.
Registration Rights
Under our amended and restated investors’ rights agreement, the holders of up to 24,785,564 shares of common stock or their transferees have the right to require us to register the offer and sale of their shares, or to include their shares in any registration statement we file, in each case as described below.
Demand Registration Rights
The holders of up to 24,785,564 shares of our common stock are entitled to certain demand registration rights. At any time beginning after 180 days following the completion of our initial public offering, the holders of a majority of the shares having registration rights then outstanding can request that we file a registration statement to register the offer and sale of their shares. We are only obligated to effect up to two such registrations. Each such request for registration must cover securities the anticipated aggregate gross proceeds of which is at least $5 million. These demand registration rights are subject to specified conditions and limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of shares included in any such registration under certain circumstances. If we determine that it would be materially detrimental to us and our stockholders to effect such a demand registration, we have the right to defer such registration, not more than once in any twelve-month period, for a period of up to 60 days.
Form S-3 Registration Rights
The holders of up to 24,785,564 shares of our common stock are entitled to certain Form S-3 registration rights. At any time when we are eligible to file a registration statement on Form S-3, the holders of the shares having these rights then outstanding can request that we register the offer and sale of their shares of our common stock on a registration statement on Form S-3 so long as the request covers securities the anticipated aggregate public offering price of which, net of selling expenses, is at least $1 million. These stockholders may make an unlimited number of requests for registration on a registration statement on Form S-3. However, we will not be required to effect a registration on Form S-3 if we have effected two such registrations within the twelve-month period preceding the date of the request. These Form S-3 registration rights are subject to specified conditions and limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of shares included in any such registration under certain circumstances. Additionally, if we determine that it would be seriously detrimental to us and our stockholders to effect such a demand registration, we have the right to defer such registration, not more than once in any twelve-month period, for a period of up to 60 days.
Piggyback Registration Rights
The holders of up to 24,785,564 shares of our common stock are entitled to certain “piggyback” registration rights. If we propose to register the offer and sale of shares of our common stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), all holders of these shares then outstanding can request that we include their shares in such registration, subject to certain marketing and other limitations, including the right of the underwriters to limit the number of shares included in any such registration statement under certain circumstances. As a result, whenever we propose to file a registration statement under the Securities Act, other than with respect to (1) a registration related to any employee benefit plan or a corporate reorganization or other transaction covered by Rule 145 promulgated under the Securities Act, (2) a registration relating to the offer and sale of debt securities, (3) a
registration on any registration form that does not permit secondary sales or (4) a registration pursuant to the demand or Form S-3 registration rights described in the preceding two paragraphs above, the holders of these shares are entitled to notice of the registration and have the right, subject to certain limitations, to include their shares in the registration.
Expenses of Registration
We will pay all expenses relating to any demand registrations, Form S-3 registrations and piggyback registrations, subject to specified limitations.
Termination
The registration rights terminate upon the earliest of (1) the date that is five years after the completion our initial public offering, (2) immediately prior to the completion of certain liquidation events and (3) as to a given holder of registration rights, the date when such holder of registration rights can sell all of such holder’s registrable securities during any three-month period pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Certain Provisions of Delaware Law, Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Our Amended and Restated Bylaws
Certain provisions of Delaware law and certain provisions that are included in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws summarized below may be deemed to have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider to be in its best interests, including attempts that might result in a premium being paid over the market price for the shares held by stockholders.
Preferred Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation contains provisions that permit our board of directors to issue, without any further vote or action by the stockholders, 200,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and, with respect to each such series, to fix the number of shares constituting the series and the designation of the series, the voting rights (if any) of the shares of the series and the powers, preferences or relative, participation, optional and other special rights, if any, and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of the shares of such series.
Classified Board
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our board of directors is divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class is an equal number of directors, as nearly as possible, consisting of one third of the total number of directors constituting the entire board of directors. The term of initial Class I directors shall terminate on the date of the 2023 annual meeting, the term of the initial Class II directors shall terminate on the date of the 2024 annual meeting, and the term of the initial Class III directors shall terminate on the date of the 2025 annual meeting. At each annual meeting of stockholders beginning in 2023, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting will be elected for a three-year term.
Removal of Directors
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that stockholders may only remove a director for cause by a vote of no less than at least a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors.
Director Vacancies
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes only our board of directors to fill vacant directorships.
No Cumulative Voting
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that stockholders do not have the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors.
Special Meetings of Stockholders
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that, except as otherwise required by law, special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by the chairperson of our board of directors, our Chief Executive Officer, our President, or our board of directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of our board of directors.
Advance Notice Procedures for Director Nominations
Our Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to nominate candidates for election as directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders or seeking to propose matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at annual stockholder meetings must provide timely notice thereof in writing. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice generally will have to be delivered to and received at our principal executive offices before notice of the meeting is issued by the secretary of the company, with such notice being served not less than 90 nor more than 120 days before the meeting. Although the Bylaws do not give the board of directors the power to approve or disapprove stockholder nominations of candidates to be elected at an annual meeting, the Bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of the company.
Action by Written Consent
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that any action to be taken by the stockholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders and may not be effected by written consent.
Amending our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws
Our Certificate of Incorporation may be amended or altered in any manner provided by the DGCL except that amendment of certain provisions would require the approval of a two-thirds majority of our then outstanding common stock. Our Bylaws may be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by stockholders only upon approval of a majority of the voting power of all the then outstanding shares of common stock, except that amendment of certain provisions would require the approval of a two-thirds majority of our then outstanding common stock. Additionally, our Certificate of Incorporation provides that our Bylaws may be amended, altered or repealed by the board of directors.
Authorized but Unissued Shares
Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval, except as required by the listing standards of Nasdaq, and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Exclusive Jurisdiction
Our Bylaws provide that, unless we consent to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have jurisdiction, another state court in Delaware or the United States District Court for the District of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, any action asserting a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to the DGCL, any action regarding our Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our Bylaws further provide that the federal district courts of the United
States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions.
Business Combinations with Interested Stockholders
We are governed by Section 203 of the DGCL, which, subject to certain exceptions, prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a business combination (as defined in such section) with an “interested stockholder” (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation or any person affiliated with such person) for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless (i) prior to such time the board of directors of such corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; (ii) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of such corporation at the time the transaction commenced (excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock of such corporation outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (A) by persons who are directors and also officers of such corporation and (B) by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer); or (iii) at or subsequent to such time the business combination is approved by the board of directors of such corporation and authorized at a meeting of stockholders (and not by written consent) by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock of such corporation not owned by the interested stockholder.
Our Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws provide that we must indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized by the DGCL. We are expressly authorized to, and do, carry directors’ and officers’ insurance providing coverage for our directors, officers and certain employees for some liabilities. We believe that these indemnification provisions and insurance are useful to attract and retain qualified directors and executive directors.
The limitation on liability and indemnification provisions in our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against directors for breach of their fiduciary duties. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. In addition, your investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
Listing
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “ACLX”.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. The transfer agent and registrar’s address is 150 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.
