Form of Underwriting Agreement
Exhibit 1.1
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
Common Stock
Underwriting Agreement
[●], 2021
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
SVB Leerink LLC
Piper Sandler & Co.
As representatives (the Representatives) of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I hereto,
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street,
New York, New York 10282-2198
c/o SVB Leerink LLC
One Federal Street, 37th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
c/o Piper Sandler & Co.
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Design Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated in this agreement (this Agreement), to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the Underwriters) an aggregate of [●] shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (Stock, and such shares, the Firm Shares) and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to [●] additional shares (the Optional Shares) of Stock (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof being collectively called the Shares).
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (the Directed Share Underwriter) has agreed to reserve up to [●] of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale at the direction of the Company to certain parties related to the Company (such parties, collectively, Participants and such program, the Directed Share Program). The Shares to be sold by the Directed Share Underwriter pursuant to the Directed Share Program are hereinafter called the Directed Shares. Any Directed Shares not confirmed for purchase
by the deadline established therefor by the Directed Share Underwriter in consultation with the Company will be offered to the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.
1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[●]) (the Initial Registration Statement) in respect of the Shares has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), which became effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act has been initiated or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a Preliminary Prospectus; the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the Registration Statement; the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof) is hereinafter called the Pricing Prospectus; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the Prospectus; any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act or Rule 163B under the Act is hereinafter called a Testing-the-Waters Communication; any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a Written Testing-the-Waters Communication; and any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Shares is hereinafter called an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus);
(b) (i) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and (ii) each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that
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this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(b) of this Agreement);
(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the Applicable Time is [●] [p.m.] (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the information listed on Schedule II(c) hereto, taken together (collectively, the Pricing Disclosure Package), as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4(a) of this Agreement) (as supplemented by any post-effective amendment thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not, and as of each Time of Delivery (as supplemented by any post-effective amendment thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;
(d) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement, as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, and as of each Time of Delivery, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;
(e) The Company has not, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been (x) any change in the capital stock of the Company (other than as a result of (i) the exercise, if any, of stock options or the award, if any, of stock options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Companys equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) the issuance,
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if any, of stock upon conversion of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or (y) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); as used in this Agreement, Material Adverse Effect shall mean any material adverse change or effect, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change or effect, in or affecting (i) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (ii) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(f) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company is held by it under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company;
(g) The Company has been (i) duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing (where such concept exists) under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except, in the case of this clause (ii), where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing (where such concept exists) would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(h) The Company has no subsidiaries;
(i) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus;
(j) The unissued Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights;
(k) With respect to the stock options, if any, granted pursuant to the Companys equity plans (the Stock Options), (i) each Stock Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), so qualifies, (ii) each grant of a Stock Option was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Stock Option was by its terms to be
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effective (the Grant Date) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company equity plan and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with GAAP in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Stock Options prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Stock Options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its results of operations or prospects;
(l) The issue and sale of the Shares and the compliance by the Company with this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement and the Pricing Prospectus will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except, in the case of this clause (i) for such defaults, breaches, or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document) of the Company, or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Shares or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where the Directed Shares are being offered, except such as have been obtained under the Act, the approval by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) of the underwriting terms and arrangements and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters;
(m) The Company is not (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document), (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its property, or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for such defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(n) The statements set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption Description of Capital Stock, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the caption Material U.S. Federal Income Tax
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Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;
(o) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, demands, claims, suits, arbitrations, inquiries or proceedings (Actions) pending to which the Company or, to the Companys knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is a party or of which any property of the Company or, to the Companys knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company (or such officer or director), would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Companys knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others; there are no current or pending Actions that are required under the Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Pricing Prospectus that are not so described therein; and there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus;
(p) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Pricing Prospectus, will not be an investment company, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act);
(q) At the time of filing the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or, to the Companys knowledge, any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Shares, and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer, as defined under Rule 405 under the Act;
(r) Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;
(s) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) that (i) complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) has been designed by the Companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and (iii) is designed to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with managements general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and the Companys internal control over financial reporting is effective and
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the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;
(t) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Companys internal control over financial reporting that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Companys internal control over financial reporting;
(u) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective at the reasonable assurance level;
(v) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;
(w) Neither the Company nor any director, officer or employee of the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company has (i) made, offered, promised or authorized any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense (or taken any act in furtherance thereof); (ii) made, offered, promised or authorized any direct or indirect unlawful payment; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-corruption, anti-bribery or related law, statute or regulation (collectively, Anti-Corruption Laws); the Company has conducted its business in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and has instituted and maintained and will continue to maintain policies and procedures reasonably designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representations and warranties contained herein; the Company will not use, directly or indirectly, the proceeds of the offering in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any person in violation of Anti-Corruption Laws;
(x) The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulation or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened;
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(y) Neither the Company nor any director, officer or employee of the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company is (i) currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (OFAC), or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a specially designated national or blocked person, the European Union, Her Majestys Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, Sanctions), or (ii) located, organized, or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (a Sanctioned Jurisdiction), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; the Company is not engaged in, nor has, at any time in the past five years, engaged in, any dealings or transactions with or involving any individual or entity that was or is, as applicable, at the time of such dealing or transaction, the subject or target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Jurisdiction; the Company has instituted, and maintain, policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve continued compliance with Sanctions;
(z) The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company at the dates indicated and the statement of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders equity and cash flows of the Company for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding non-GAAP financial measures (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable;
(aa) From the time of initial confidential submission of a registration statement relating to the Shares with the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which a Testing-the-Waters Communication was made in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an emerging growth company as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act (an Emerging Growth Company);
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(bb) The Company owns, or has obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks, trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets, domain names, technology, know-how and other intellectual property described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by it or which are necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted as described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, and the Prospectus (collectively, Intellectual Property). There are no third parties who have rights to any Intellectual Property, except for customary reversionary rights of third-party licensors with respect to Intellectual Property that is disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Prospectus, and the Prospectus as licensed to the Company. The Company has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure assignments to its title, rights and interests in the Intellectual Property from its employees, consultants, agents and contractors; to the Companys knowledge, (i) there is no infringement, misappropriation, dilution or other violation by third parties of any Intellectual Property, and no third party has infringed, misappropriated, diluted or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property and (ii) except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is not infringing, misappropriating, diluting or otherwise violating, or has infringed, misappropriated, diluted or otherwise violated, any intellectual property rights of third parties. The Company is the sole owner of the Intellectual Property owned by it and has the valid and enforceable right to use such Intellectual Property without the obligation to obtain consent to sublicense and without a duty of accounting to co-owner, as applicable. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is not obligated to pay a material royalty, grant a license or option, or provide other material consideration to any third party in connection with the Intellectual Property of the Company. All employees, consultants, agents and contractors engaged in the development of Intellectual Property on behalf of the Company have executed appropriate invention assignment agreements whereby such employees, consultants, agents and contractors presently assign all of their right, title and interest in and to such Intellectual Property to the Company, and, to the Companys knowledge, no such agreement has been breached or violated; to the Companys knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has been in violation 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 employees employment with the Company. There is no pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened or notices of action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the Companys rights in or to any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; (B) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim; or (C) asserting that the Company infringes, misappropriates, dilutes or otherwise violates, or would, upon the manufacturing or commercialization of any product or service described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus as under development, infringe, misappropriate, dilute or otherwise violate, any patent, trademark, trade name, service name, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any
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such action, suit, proceeding or claim. The Company has complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and all such agreements are in full force and effect. The product candidates described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, and the Prospectus as under development by the Company fall within the scope of the claims of one or more patents or patent applications owned by, or exclusively licensed to, the Company. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, and the 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 that is owned or purported to be owned by the Company that would confer any governmental agency or body, university, college, other educational institution or research center any claim or right of ownership to any such Intellectual Property;
(cc) (i) All patents and patent applications owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or under which the Company has rights have, to the knowledge of the Company, been duly and properly filed and each issued patent is being diligently maintained and are valid and enforceable and the Company is unaware of any facts that would preclude the issuance of a valid and enforceable patent on any pending patent application included in the Intellectual Property; (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, the Company and the parties prosecuting such applications have complied with their duty of candor and disclosure to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (the USPTO), and all such requirements in the relevant foreign patent authority having similar requirements as the case may be, in connection with such patents and patent applications for which it has filing, prosecution, and/or maintenance responsibilities; and (iii) the Company is not aware of any prior art or public or commercial activity or other facts required to be disclosed to the USPTO and the relevant foreign patent authority that were not disclosed and which would preclude the grant of a patent in connection with any such application or would reasonably be expected to form the basis of a finding of invalidity or unenforceability with respect to any patents that have been issued with respect to such applications;
(dd) The Company: (i) has operated and currently operates its business in compliance in all material respects with applicable provisions of the Health Care Laws (as defined below) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and any comparable foreign or other regulatory authority to which they are subject (collectively, the Applicable Regulatory Authorities) applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, storage, import, export or disposal, to the extent applicable, of any of the Companys product candidates or any product manufactured or distributed by the Company; (ii) has not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority alleging or asserting material non-compliance with (A) any Health Care Laws or (B) or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, exemptions, authorizations, registrations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Health Care Laws (Regulatory Authorizations); (iii) possesses all material Regulatory Authorizations required to conduct its business as currently conducted and such Regulatory Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in violation, in any material respect, of any term of any such Regulatory Authorizations; (iv) has not received written notice of any
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claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the Applicable Regulatory Authorities or any other third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in material violation of any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations and has no knowledge that the Applicable Regulatory Authorities or any other third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (v) has not received written notice that any of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Regulatory Authorizations and has no knowledge that any of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities is considering such action; (vi) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Health Care Laws or Regulatory Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were materially corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); (vii) is not a party to or have any ongoing reporting obligations pursuant to any corporate integrity agreements, deferred or non-prosecution agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, plans of correction or similar agreements with or imposed by any Applicable Regulatory Authority; and (viii) along with its employees, officers and directors, and, to the Companys knowledge, agents, has not been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any government health care program or human clinical research or, to the knowledge of the Company, is subject to a governmental inquiry, investigation, proceeding, or other similar action that would reasonably be expected to result in debarment, suspension, or exclusion.
The term Health Care Laws means Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395-1395hhh (the Medicare statute); Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1396-1396v (the Medicaid statute); the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b); the civil False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729 et seq.; the criminal False Claims Act 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(a); any criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. Sections 286, 287, 1347 and 1349, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320d et seq., (HIPAA); the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1320a-7a; the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7h; the Exclusions Law, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7; HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 17921 et seq. (HITECH); the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 301 et seq.; the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 201 et seq.; the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws; and any similar federal, state and local laws and regulations;
(ee) To the Companys knowledge, the manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers are operated in compliance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities;
(ff) None of the Companys product candidates have received marketing approval from any Applicable Regulatory Authority. All clinical and pre-clinical studies and trials conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company, or in which the Company has participated, with respect to the Companys product candidates, including any such studies and trials that are described in the Registration Statement and the
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Prospectus, or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as applicable (collectively, Company Trials), were, and if still pending are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable Health Care Laws of the Applicable Regulatory Authorities and current Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices, standard medical and scientific research procedures and any applicable rules, regulations and policies of the jurisdiction in which such trials and studies are being conducted; the descriptions in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of the results of any Company Trials are accurate and complete descriptions in all material respects and fairly present the data derived therefrom; the Company has no knowledge of any other studies or trials not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the results of which are inconsistent with or call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; the Company has not received, and the Company has no knowledge after due inquiry that any of its collaboration partners have received, any written notices, correspondence or other written communications from the Applicable Regulatory Authorities or any other governmental entity requiring or threatening the termination, material modification or suspension of Company Trials, other than ordinary course communications with respect to modifications in connection with the design and implementation of such studies or trials, and, to the Companys knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for the same. No investigational new drug application or comparable submission filed by or on behalf of the Company with the FDA has been terminated or suspended by the FDA or any other Applicable Regulatory Authority. The Company has obtained (or caused to be obtained) informed consent by or on behalf of each human subject who participated in a Company Trial. In using or disclosing patient information received by the Company in connection with a Company Trial, the Company has complied in all material respects with all applicable health care laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including, without limitation, HIPAA and the rules and regulations thereunder. To the Companys knowledge, none of the Company Trials involved any investigator who has been disqualified as a clinical investigator or has been found by the FDA to have engaged in scientific misconduct;
(gg) (i) The Company is not in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law or regulation relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including without limitation, laws and regulations relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products (collectively, Materials of Environmental Concern), or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Materials of Environmental Concern (collectively, Environmental Laws), which violation includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with any permits or other governmental authorizations required for the operation of the business of the Company under applicable Environmental Laws, or noncompliance with the terms and conditions thereof, nor has the Company received any written communication, whether from a governmental authority, citizens group, employee or otherwise, that alleges that the Company is in violation of any Environmental Law; (ii) there is no claim, action or cause of action filed with a court or governmental authority, no investigation with respect to which the Company has received written notice, and no written notice by any person or
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entity alleging potential liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs, governmental responses costs, natural resources damages, property damages, personal injuries, attorneys fees or penalties arising out of, based on or resulting from the presence, or release into the environment, of any Material of Environmental Concern at any location owned, leased or operated by the Company, now or in the past (collectively, Environmental Claims), pending or, to the Companys knowledge, threatened against the Company or any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law; and (iii) to the best of the Companys knowledge, there are no past or present actions, activities, circumstances, conditions, events or incidents, including, without limitation, the release, emission, discharge, presence or disposal of any Material of Environmental Concern, that would reasonably be expected to result in a violation of any Environmental Law or form the basis of a potential Environmental Claim against the Company or against any person or entity whose liability for any Environmental Claim the Company has retained or assumed either contractually or by operation of law;
(hh) The Company has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income, property and franchise tax returns and have paid all taxes required to be paid by it and, if due and payable, any related or similar assessment, fine or penalty levied against it except as may be being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 1(x) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income, property and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally determined;
(ii) (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), for which the Company or any member of its Controlled Group (defined as any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA or any entity that would be regarded as a single employer with the Company under Section 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Code) would have any liability (each, a Plan) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no Plan has failed (whether or not waived), or is reasonably expected to fail, to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code) applicable to such Plan; (iv) no Plan is, or is reasonably expected to be, in at risk status (within the meaning of Section 303(i) of ERISA) and no Plan that is a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA is in endangered status or critical status (within the meaning of Sections 304 and 305 of ERISA); (v) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (vi) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and the regulations promulgated thereunder) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (vii) each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and nothing has occurred, whether by action
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or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification; (viii) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than contributions to the Plan or premiums to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a multiemployer plan within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA); and (ix) none of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (A) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans by the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates in the current fiscal year of the Company or its Controlled Group affiliates compared to the amount of such contributions made in the Companys or its Controlled Group affiliates most recently completed fiscal year; or (B) a material increase in the Companys accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations (within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 715-60) compared to the amount of such obligations in the Companys most recently completed fiscal year, except in each case with respect to the events or conditions set forth in (i) through (ix) hereof, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;
(jj) No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is contemplated or threatened, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of its principal suppliers, contractors or customers except in each case as would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any notice of cancellation or termination with respect to any collective bargaining agreement to which it is a party;
(kk) The Company is, and at all prior times was, in material compliance with all applicable data privacy and security laws and regulations, including without limitation, as applicable, HIPAA, as amended by HITECH (collectively, Privacy Laws). To ensure compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company has in place, materially complies with, and takes appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with its policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, and analysis of Personal Data (the Policies) as applicable. Personal Data means (i) a natural persons name, street address, telephone number, e-mail address, photograph, social security number or tax identification number, drivers 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; and (iv) 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 persons health or sexual orientation. The Company since inception has at all times made all disclosures to users or customers required by applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, and has provided accurate notice of its Policies then in effect to its customers, employees, third party vendors and representatives as required by applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. None of such disclosures made or contained in any of the Policies have been inaccurate, misleading, deceptive or in violation of any Privacy Laws or Policies in any material respect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any other agreement referred to in this Agreement will
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not result in a breach of violation of any Privacy Laws or Policies. The Company further certifies that it: (i) 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 not 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 not a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law;
(ll) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Companys information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, IT Systems) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted, free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants; the Company has implemented and maintained reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data, including Personal Data) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same; the Company is presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, and all industry guidelines and standards, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except where the failure to be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company has implemented backup disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practice;
(mm) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith;
(nn) Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects;
(oo) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Companys directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), including Section 402 related to loans;
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(pp) Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares;
(qq) The Company is insured against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged and as required by law;
(rr) The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses comply in all material respects, and any further amendments or supplements thereto will comply in all material respects, with any applicable laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions in which the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, are distributed in connection with the Directed Share Program;
(ss) The Company has specifically directed in writing the allocation of Shares to each Participant in the Directed Share Program, and neither the Directed Share Underwriter nor any other Underwriter has had any involvement or influence, directly or indirectly, in such allocation decision; and
(tt) The Company has not offered, or caused the Directed Share Underwriter or its affiliates to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed Share Program (i) for any consideration other than the cash payment of the initial public offering price per share set forth in Schedule II hereof or (ii) with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (x) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer or suppliers terms, level or type of business with the Company or (y) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or its products.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $[●], the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2 (provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares), that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by the Representatives so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder.
The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to [●] Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the
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paragraph above, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from the Representatives to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by the Representatives but in no event earlier than the First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless the Representatives and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice.
3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive or book-entry form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (DTC), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates, if any, representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the Designated Office). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on [●], 2021 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the First Time of Delivery, such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the Second Time of Delivery, and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a Time of Delivery.
(b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Shares and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(m) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP, 140 Scott Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (the Closing Location), and the Shares will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at [ ● ] [a.m.]/[p.m.], New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, New York Business Day shall mean each
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Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commissions 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 Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Shares, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;
(b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation (where not otherwise required) or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction (where not otherwise required);
(c) Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement (or such other time as may be agreed to by the Representatives and the Company) and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
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necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, to notify you and upon your request to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;
(d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable (which may be satisfied by filing with the Commissions Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR)), but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);
(e)(1) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the Lock-Up Period), not to (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with or confidentially submit to the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to, any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Shares, including but not limited to any options or warrants to purchase shares of Stock or any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the Representatives prior written consent; provided, however, that the Company may (A) effect the transactions contemplated hereby, (B) (y) issue Stock upon the conversion of convertible preferred stock outstanding on the date of this Agreement in connection with the offering contemplated by this Agreement, or (z) issue Stock, options to purchase Stock, restricted stock units or Stock upon exercise of options or settlement of restricted stock units pursuant to any stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or equity compensation arrangement described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, provided that any directors or officers who are recipients thereof have provided to the Representatives a signed lock-up letter in substantially the form attached as Annex I, (C) issue Stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each case, (y) if such convertible or exchangeable securities, warrants or options are (1) outstanding on the date hereof, and (2) described in the Registration Statement and (z) if the recipient to any Stock issued pursuant to this subsection (C) is a director or officer of the Company, they execute a lock-up letter in substantially the form attached as Annex I, (D) file a registration statement on Form S-8 or a successor form thereto to register Stock issuable
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pursuant to the terms of a stock option, stock bonus or other stock plan or arrangement described in the Registration Statement and (E) issue shares of Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of Stock issued in connection with any joint venture, commercial or collaborative relationship or the acquisition or license by the Company of the securities, businesses, property or other assets of another person or entity or pursuant to any employment benefit plan assumed by the Company in connection with any such acquisition, provided that in the case of clause (E), the aggregate number of shares that the Company may sell or issue or agree to sell or issue pursuant to clause (E), (i) shall not exceed 5.0% of the total number of shares of Stock issued and outstanding immediately following the completion of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) the recipients thereof provide to the Representatives a signed lock-up letter in substantially the form attached as Annex I;
(e)(2) If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter in the form attached as Annex I for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Annex II hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.
(f) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, for so long as the Company is subject to the reporting requirements of either Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, to furnish to its stockholders as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows of the Company certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders summary financial information of the Company for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided that no reports, documents or other information needs to be furnished pursuant to this Section 5(f) to the extent they are available on EDGAR;
(g) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; and (ii) such additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request; provided that no reports, documents or other information needs to be furnished pursuant to this Section 5(g) to the extent they are available on EDGAR;
(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption Use of Proceeds;
(i) To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market (the Exchange);
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(j) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act;
(k) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act;
(l) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Companys trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Shares (the License); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred;
(m) To promptly notify you if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (i) completion of the distribution of the Shares within the meaning of the Act and (ii) the last Time of Delivery; and
(n) To comply with all applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
6. (a) The Company represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives is listed on Schedule II(a) or Schedule II(c) hereto;
(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and the Company represents that it has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions under Rule 433 under the Act to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any electronic road show;
(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an
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Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission;
(d) The Company represents and agrees that (i) it has not engaged in, or authorized any other person to engage in, any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12) or (a)(13) under the Act; and (ii) it has not distributed, or authorized any other person to distribute, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than those distributed with the prior consent of the Representatives that are listed on Schedule II(d) hereto; and the Company reconfirms that the Underwriters have been authorized to act on its behalf in engaging in Testing-the-Waters Communications; and
(e) Each Underwriter represents and agrees that any Testing-the-Waters Communications undertaken by it were with entities that such Underwriter reasonably believes are qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9), (a)(12) or (a)(13) under the Act.
7. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Companys counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Shares on the Exchange; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Shares; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (viii) any documentary, stamp, registration or similar issuance tax or stock transfer tax, including any interest and penalties, on the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares by the Company to the Underwriters; (ix) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program and stamp duties, similar taxes or duties or other taxes, if any, incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the Directed Share Program; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section; provided, however, that the amounts payable by the Company for fees and
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disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters described in clauses (iii), (v) and (ix) shall not exceed $50,000 in the aggregate. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9, 10 and 13 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Shares by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Shares to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of the Applicable Time and such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; all material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) under the Act, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Prospectus, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you their written opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) (i) Cooley LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and (ii) Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, PC, intellectual property counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
(d) On the date of the Prospectus, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives;
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(e) (i) The Company shall not have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of the exercise of stock options or the award of stock options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Companys equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any change or effect, or any development involving a prospective change or effect, in or affecting (x) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders equity or results of operations of the Company, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or (y) the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Shares, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(f) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Companys debt securities or preferred stock by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Companys debt securities or preferred stock;
(g) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on the Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Companys securities on the Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;
(h) The Shares to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed for quotation on the Exchange;
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(i) The Company shall have obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from all officers, directors, and stockholders of the Company and, if applicable, Participants, substantially in the form attached as Annex I hereto;
(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
(k) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request;
(l) At each Time of Delivery, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Secretary of the Company, as to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request; and
(m) At each Time of Delivery, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such additional information, certificates, opinions or documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
9. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, 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, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any roadshow as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a roadshow), any issuer information filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, 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, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an
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untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, 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, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow or any Testing-the-Waters Communication, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, Underwriter Information shall mean the written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the fifth paragraph under the caption Underwriting, and the information contained in the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and sixteenth paragraphs under the caption Underwriting.
(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; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. 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 therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement,
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compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) 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 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) 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 of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits 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 which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other 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 discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the 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 on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in 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 any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
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(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.
10. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless the Directed Share Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages and liabilities to which the Directed Share Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program 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, (ii) arise out of or are based upon the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant agreed to purchase, or (iii) are related to, arise out of or are in connection with the Directed Share Program, and will reimburse the Directed Share Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) above, the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith or gross negligence of the Directed Share Underwriter.
(b) Promptly after receipt by the Directed Share Underwriter of notice of the commencement of any action, the Directed Share Underwriter shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraph of this Section 10 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the Company shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to the Directed Share Underwriter otherwise than under the preceding paragraph of this Section 10. In case any such action shall be brought against the Directed Share Underwriter and it shall notify the Company of the commencement thereof, the Company shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Directed Share Underwriter (who shall not, except with the consent of the Directed Share Underwriter, be counsel to the Company), and, after notice from the Company to the Directed Share Underwriter of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the Company shall not be liable to the Directed Share Underwriter under this subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The
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Company shall not, without the written consent of the Directed Share Underwriter, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Directed Share Underwriter is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the Directed Share Underwriter from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of the Directed Share Underwriter.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 10 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless the Directed Share Underwriter under subsection (a) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other from the offering of the Directed Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then the Company shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other in connection with any statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Directed Share Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Directed Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Directed Share Underwriter for the Directed Shares. If the loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact 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, 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 on the one hand or the Directed Share Underwriter on the other and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Directed Share Underwriter agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (c) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (c). The amount paid or payable by the Directed Share Underwriter as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (c) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Directed Share Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (c), the Directed Share Underwriter shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price
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at which the Directed Shares sold by it and distributed to the Participants exceeds the amount of any damages which the Directed Share Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
(d) The obligations of the Company under this Section 10 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each employee, officer and director of the Directed Share Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls the Directed Share Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer or other affiliate of the Directed Share Underwriter.
11. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Shares which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or other parties to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Shares on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company that the Representatives have so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, or the Company notifies the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Shares, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased
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exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Sections 9 and 10 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
12. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any director, officer or controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.
13. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Shares are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein or the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by the Representatives, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares not so delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.
14. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives in care of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Registration Department; in care of SVB Leerink LLC, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor, New York, New York, 10019, Attention: Stuart R. Nayman; and in care of Piper Sandler & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention: Piper Legal; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Chief Executive Officer; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request; provided, however, that notices under subsection 5(e) shall be in writing,
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and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives at Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282-2198, Attention: Control Room; in care of SVB Leerink LLC, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor, New York, New York, 10019, Attention: Stuart R. Nayman; and in care of Piper Sandler & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention: Piper Legal. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
15. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 9, 10 and 12 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, or any director or officer of any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
16. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term business day shall mean any day when the Commissions office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.
17. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate, and (v) none of the activities of the Underwriters in connection with the transactions contemplated herein constitutes a recommendation, investment advice, or solicitation of any action by the Underwriters with respect to any entity or natural person. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
18. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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19. This Agreement and any transaction contemplated by this Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related thereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would results in the application of any other law than the laws of the State of New York. The Company agrees that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York and the Company agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.
20. The Company and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
21. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
22. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company is authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, tax structure is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
23. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
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(c) As used in this section:
BHC Act Affiliate has the meaning assigned to the term affiliate in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
Covered Entity means any of the following:
(i) a covered entity as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a covered bank as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a covered FSI as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
Default Right has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
U.S. Special Resolution Regime means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us one for the Company and each of the Representatives plus one for each counsel counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.
Very truly yours, | ||
Design Therapeutics, Inc. | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
Accepted as of the date hereof:
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: | ||
SVB Leerink LLC | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Piper Sandler & Co. | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: |
On behalf of each of the Underwriters
[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE I |
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Underwriter | Total Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased | Number of Optional Shares to be Purchased if Maximum Option Exercised | ||||||
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | ||||||||
SVB Leerink LLC | ||||||||
Piper Sandler & Co. | ||||||||
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Total | ||||||||
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SCHEDULE II
(a) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package:
[●]
(b) Additional Documents Incorporated by Reference:
None
(c) Information other than the Pricing Prospectus that comprise the Pricing Disclosure Package:
The initial public offering price per share for the Shares is $ [●].
The number of Shares purchased by the Underwriters is [●].
(d) Written Testing-the-Waters Communications:
[●]
ANNEX I
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
Lock-Up Agreement
, 2021
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
SVB Leerink LLC
Piper Sandler & Co.
As representatives of the several Underwriters
named in Schedule I to the Underwriting
Agreement
c/o Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282-2198
c/o SVB Leerink LLC
One Federal Street, 37th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
c/o Piper Sandler & Co.
800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Re: Design Therapeutics, Inc. - Lock-Up Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that you, as representatives (the Representatives), propose to enter into an underwriting agreement (the Underwriting Agreement) on behalf of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to such agreement (collectively, the Underwriters), with Design Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), providing for a public offering (the Public Offering) of shares (the Shares) of the common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the Common Stock) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).
In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to purchase, offer and sell the Shares, and of other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees that, during the period beginning from the date of this Lock-Up Agreement and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date set forth on the final prospectus used to sell the Shares (the Lock-Up Period), the undersigned shall not, and shall not cause or direct any of its affiliates to, (i) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any
option to purchase, lend or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock, or any options or warrants to purchase any shares of Common Stock, or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive shares of Common Stock (such options, warrants or other securities, collectively, Derivative Instruments), including without limitation any such shares or Derivative Instruments now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned, (ii) engage in any hedging or other transaction or arrangement (including, without limitation, any short sale or the purchase or sale of, or entry into, any put or call option, or combination thereof, forward, swap or any other derivative transaction or instrument, however described or defined) which is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale, loan, pledge or other disposition (whether by the undersigned or someone other than the undersigned), or transfer of any of the economic consequences of ownership, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, of any shares of Common Stock or Derivative Instruments, whether any such transaction or arrangement (or instrument provided for thereunder) would be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise (any such sale, loan, pledge or other disposition, or transfer of economic consequences described in clause (i) or (ii), a Transfer) or (iii) otherwise publicly announce any intention to engage in or cause any action or activity described in clause (i) above or transaction or arrangement described in clause (ii) above. The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned is not, and has not caused or directed any of its affiliates to be or become, currently a party to any agreement or arrangement that provides for, is designed to or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in any Transfer during the Lock-Up Period. For the avoidance of doubt, the undersigned agrees that the foregoing provisions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or other Shares the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering.
If the undersigned is not a natural person, the undersigned represents and warrants that no single natural person, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)), other than a natural person, entity or group (as described above) that has executed a Lock-Up Agreement in substantially the same form as this Lock-Up Agreement, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the common equity interests, or 50% or more of the voting power, in the undersigned.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer or otherwise dispose of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock or Derivative Instruments:
(i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees thereof agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions on transfer set forth herein; |
(ii) | to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family (as defined below) of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions on transfer set forth herein; provided that any filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act reporting a change in beneficial ownership shall indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the applicable circumstances described in this clause, and provided further that any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value and that no other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily by the undersigned in connection with such transfer; |
(iii) | in connection with the sale of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock acquired in the Public Offering if the undersigned is not an officer or director of the Company; |
(iv) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned, or to any investment fund or other entity controlled or managed by or under common control with the undersigned or affiliates of the undersigned, or (B) as part of a distribution, transfer or disposition without consideration by the undersigned to its stockholders, partners, members, beneficiaries or other equity holders; provided, however, that in the case of any transfer or disposition contemplated by clauses (A) or (B) above, it shall be a condition to the transfer or disposition that the transferee execute an agreement stating that the transferee is receiving and holding such securities subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein and there shall be no further transfer of such securities except in accordance with this Lock-Up Agreement; |
(v) | to the Company in connection with the exercise or settlement of options, warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock in accordance with their terms (including, in each case, by way of net exercise and/or to cover withholding tax obligations in connection with such exercise or settlement) pursuant to an employee benefit plan, option, warrant or other right disclosed in the final prospectus for the Public Offering, provided that any such shares issued upon exercise or settlement of such option, warrant or other right (in the case of a net exercise or tax withholding transaction, after giving effect to the settlement of such net exercise or tax withholding transaction) shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein; provided further that any filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act reporting a change in beneficial ownership shall indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the applicable circumstances described in this clause, and no other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily by the undersigned in connection with such transfer; |
(vi) | by will or intestacy, provided that the legatee, heir or other transferee, as the case may be, agrees to be bound in writing by the restrictions on transfer set forth herein, provided that any filing made pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall include a footnote noting the circumstances described in this clause and no other public announcement shall be required or voluntarily made in connection with such transfer; |
(vii) | to any immediate family (as defined below) member, provided that such family member agrees to be bound by the restrictions on transfer set forth herein, provided that any filing made pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act shall include a footnote noting the |
circumstances described in this clause and no other public announcement shall be required or voluntarily made in connection with such transfer; |
(viii) | pursuant to a court order or a settlement agreement related to the distribution of assets in connection with the dissolution of a marriage, domestic partnership or civil union, provided that such transferee agrees to be bound by the restrictions on transfer set forth herein and provided further that any required filing under Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall indicate in the footnotes thereto that the filing relates to the circumstances described in this clause and no other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily by the undersigned in connection with such transfer or disposition; |
(ix) | to the Company pursuant to agreements under which the Company has (A) the option to repurchase such securities or (B) a right of first refusal with respect to transfers of such securities upon termination of service of the undersigned; |
(x) | with the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters; and |
(xi) | in connection with the sale of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock acquired in open market transactions after the Public Offering. |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, with respect to clauses (i), (iii), (iv), (ix)(B) and (xi) above, it shall be a condition to such transfer that no filing under the Exchange Act (including, without limitation, Section 16(a) thereof) nor any other public filing or disclosure of such transfer by or on behalf of the undersigned, reporting a change in beneficial ownership, shall be required or voluntarily made until after the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, and in the case of clauses (ii), (iv), (vi) and (vii), any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value; provided that any required Schedule 13G (or 13G/A) or 13F (or 13F/A) filing may be made, provided that such filing clearly indicates in the footnotes thereto an explanation of the type of transaction giving rise to the change in ownership.
For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, civil union or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.
Furthermore, this Lock-Up Agreement shall not restrict any sale, disposal or transfer of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock or Derivative Instruments to a bona fide third party pursuant to a tender offer for securities of the Company or any merger, consolidation or other business combination involving a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company occurring after the settlement of the Public Offering, that, in each case, has been approved by the board of directors of the Company; provided that all of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock and Derivative Instruments subject to this Lock-Up Agreement that are not so transferred, sold, tendered or otherwise disposed of remain subject to this Lock-Up Agreement; and provided, further, that it shall be a condition of transfer, sale, tender or other disposition that if such tender offer or other transaction is not completed, any of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock and Derivative Instruments subject to this Lock-Up Agreement shall remain subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth herein. For the purposes of this paragraph, Change of Control means the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction, the result of which is that any person (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company or its subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of the total voting power of the voting share capital of the Company.
Additionally, the undersigned may establish a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of the Undersigneds shares of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for any transfers of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period and no filing under the Exchange Act nor any other public filing or disclosure of such trading plan shall be made during the Lock-Up Period.
The undersigned now has, and, except as contemplated above, for the duration of this Lock-Up Agreement will have, good and marketable title to the undersigneds shares of Common Stock, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims whatsoever. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Companys transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigneds shares of Common Stock except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions. During the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned hereby waives any and all notice requirements and rights with respect to the registration of securities pursuant to any agreement, understanding or anything otherwise setting forth the terms of any security of the Company held by the undersigned, including any registration rights agreement or investors rights agreement to which the undersigned and the Company may be party.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Lock-Up Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this Lock-Up Agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigneds heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
This Lock-Up Agreement may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com or www.echosign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not provided any recommendation or investment or other advice to the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Shares, this Lock-Up Agreement or the subject matter hereof nor have the Underwriters solicited any action from the undersigned with respect to the Public Offering of the Shares, and the undersigned has consulted their own legal, accounting, financial, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent deemed appropriate. The undersigned further acknowledges and agrees that, although the Underwriters may provide certain Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS disclosures or other related documentation to the undersigned in connection with the Public Offering, the Underwriters are not making a recommendation to the undersigned to participate in the Public Offering or sell any Shares at the price determined in the Public Offering, and nothing set forth in such disclosures or documentation is intended to suggest that any Underwriter is making such a recommendation.
This Lock-Up Agreement (and for the avoidance of doubt, the Lock-Up Period described herein) and related restrictions shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the Company advising the Representatives in writing prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement that it has determined not to proceed with the Public Offering, (ii) the termination of the Underwriting Agreement before the sale of any Shares to the Underwriters, (iii) the registration statement filed with the SEC with respect to the Public Offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement is withdrawn or (iv) June 30, 2021, in the event the closing of the Public Offering shall not have occurred on or before such date; provided, however, that the Company may, by written notice to the undersigned prior to such date, extend such date for a period of up to an additional 90 days.
[Signature Page Follows]
Very truly yours,
IF AN INDIVIDUAL: | IF AN ENTITY: | |||||||
By: |
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(duly authorized signature) | (please print complete name of entity) | |||||||
Name: |
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(please print full name) | (duly authorized signature) | |||||||
Name: |
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(please print full name) | ||||||||
Title: |
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(please print full title) |
ANNEX II
Form of Press Release
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
[Date]
Design Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company) announced today that Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, SVB Leerink LLC, and Piper Sandler & Co., the joint book-running managers in the Companys recent public sale of shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Companys common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on , 20 , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.