INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT Effective Date: , 2016
Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Effective Date: , 2016
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made as of the Effective Date set forth above, between GEMPHIRE THERAPEUTICS INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), whose address is 43334 Seven Mile Road, Suite 1000, Northville, Michigan 48167, and [INSERT NAME] (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
A. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals as directors, officers, employees and agents.
B. The Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) require that the Company indemnify its directors and executive officers and empowers the Company to indemnify its other officers, employees and agents, as authorized by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), under which the Company is organized, and such Bylaws expressly provide that the indemnification provided therein is not exclusive and contemplates that the Company may enter into separate agreements with its directors, officers and other persons to set forth specific indemnification provisions.
C. Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Company’s governing documents and available insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and the Company has determined that Indemnitee and other directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company may not be willing to serve or continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection.
D. The Company desires and has requested Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, as the case may be, and has proffered this Agreement to Indemnitee as an additional inducement to serve in such capacity.
E. Indemnitee is willing to serve, or to continue to serve, as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, as the case may be, if Indemnitee is furnished the indemnity provided for herein by the Company.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Agent. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “agent” of the Company means any person who: (i) is or was a director, officer, employee or other fiduciary of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company; or (ii) is or was serving at the request or for the convenience of, or representing the interests of, the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, as
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a director, officer, employee or other fiduciary of a foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
(b) Expenses. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “expenses” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, (i) all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’, witness, or other professional fees and related disbursements, other out-of-pocket costs of whatever nature), actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, participation in (including as a witness) or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement, the DGCL or otherwise, and amounts paid in settlement by or on behalf of Indemnitee, (ii) damages, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and any other amounts that Indemnitee becomes legally obligated to pay (including any federal, state or local taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of receipt of reimbursements or advances of expenses under this Agreement) and (iii) the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any costs bond, supersedes bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, whether civil, criminal, arbitrational, administrative or investigative with respect to any proceeding, provided that expenses shall not include any judgments, fines or penalties actually levied against Indemnitee for such individual’s violations of law to the extent Section 10 prohibits the Company from indemnifying the Indemnitee for such amounts. The term “expenses” shall also include reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he is not compensated by the Company or any subsidiary or third party (x) for any period during which Indemnitee is not an agent, in the employment of, or providing services for compensation to, the Company or any subsidiary; and (y) if the rate of compensation and estimated time involved is approved by the directors of the Company who are not parties to any action with respect to which expenses are incurred, for Indemnitee while an agent of, employed by, or providing services for compensation to, the Company or any subsidiary.
(c) Proceedings. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, and whether formal or informal in any case, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or participant (including as a witness) or otherwise by reason of: (i) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or agent of the Company; (ii) any action taken by Indemnitee or any action on Indemnitee’s part while acting as director, officer, employee or agent of the Company; or (iii) the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, and in any such case described above, whether or not serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses may be provided under this Agreement.
(d) Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “subsidiary” means any corporation or limited liability company of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities or equity interests are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company and one or more of its subsidiaries, and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint
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venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(e) Independent Counsel. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “independent counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member) of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5) years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “independent counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(f) Indemnification to the Fullest Extent. For purposes of this Agreement, the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by law” shall include, but not be limited to: (i) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL or such provision thereof; and (ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its directors and officers.
2. AGREEMENT TO SERVE.
(a) Indemnitee will serve, or continue to serve, as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, as the case may be, faithfully and to the best of his or her ability, at the will of such corporation (or under separate agreement, if such agreement exists), in the capacity Indemnitee currently serves as an agent of such corporation, so long as Indemnitee is duly appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bylaws or other applicable charter documents of such corporation, or until such time as Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation in writing; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement is intended as an employment agreement between Indemnitee and the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to create any right to continued employment of Indemnitee with the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any capacity.
(b) The Company acknowledges that it has entered into this Agreement and assumes the obligations imposed on it hereby, in addition to and separate from its obligations to Indemnitee under the Bylaws, to induce Indemnitee to serve, or continue to serve, as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company.
3. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
(a) Indemnification in Third Party Proceedings. Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by law, including the DGCL, as the same may be amended from time to time (but, only to the extent that such amendment permits Indemnitee to broader indemnification rights than the DGCL
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permitted prior to adoption of such amendment), if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to or otherwise involved in (including as a witness) any proceeding, for any and all expenses, actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such proceeding.
(b) Indemnification in Derivative Actions and Direct Actions by the Company. Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by law, including the DGCL, as the same may be amended from time to time (but, only to the extent that such amendment permits Indemnitee to broader indemnification rights than the DGCL permitted prior to adoption of such amendment), if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to or otherwise involved in (including as a witness) any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor, against any and all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement, or appeal of such proceedings.
(c) Indemnification of Related Parties. If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more venture capital funds that has invested in the Company (an “Appointing Stockholder”), (ii) the Appointing Stockholder is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any proceeding, and (iii) the Appointing Stockholder’s involvement in the proceeding is related to Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company, then, to the extent resulting from any claim based on the Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director or other fiduciary of the Company, the Appointing Stockholder will be entitled to indemnification hereunder for reasonable expenses to the same extent as Indemnitee.
(d) Fund Indemnitors. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Indemnitee has or may have in the future certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses and/or insurance provided by entities and/or organizations other than the Company (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitors”). In the event that the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any proceeding to the extent resulting from any claim based on the Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director or other fiduciary of the Company, then the Company shall (i) be an indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the same expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) be required to advance reasonable expenses incurred by Indemnitee, and (iii) be liable for the full amount of all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement and any provision of the Bylaws or the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Fund Indemnitors. The Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. No advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of
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Indemnitee against the Company. The Fund Indemnitors are third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section.
(e) Contribution. Whether or not the indemnification provided in this Section 3 is available, in respect of any proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), the Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount of any judgment or settlement of such proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have against Indemnitee. The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee. Without diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth in this Section 3, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or settlement in any threatened, pending or completed proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), the Company shall contribute to the amount of expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction from which such proceeding arose; provided, however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further adjusted by reference to the relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other equitable considerations which the law may require to be considered. The relative fault of the Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company, other than Indemnitee, who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive.
4. INDEMNIFICATION OF EXPENSES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTY. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, including the dismissal of any action without prejudice, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the investigation, defense or appeal of such proceeding.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of a proceeding, but is precluded by applicable law or the specific terms of this Agreement to indemnification for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
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6. ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall advance the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any proceeding, and such advancement shall be made promptly following request therefor, but in any event no later than twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice) and upon request of the Company, an undertaking to repay the advancement of expenses if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. Advances shall be unsecured, interest free and without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the expenses. Advances shall include any and all expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee pursuing an action to enforce Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement, or otherwise, and this right of advancement, including expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. Indemnitee acknowledges that the execution and delivery of this Agreement shall constitute an undertaking providing that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent required by law, repay the advance if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company, and that no other undertaking with respect to the foregoing shall be required. The right to advances under this Section shall continue until final disposition of any proceeding, including any appeal therein. This Section 6 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 10(b).
7. NOTICE AND OTHER INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURES.
(a) Notification of Proceeding. Indemnitee will notify the Company in writing promptly upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement.
(b) Request for Indemnification and Indemnification Payments. Indemnitee shall notify the Company promptly in writing upon receiving notice of any demand, judgment or other requirement for payment that Indemnitee reasonably believes to be subject to indemnification under the terms of this Agreement, and shall request payment thereof by the Company. Indemnification payments requested by Indemnitee under Section 3 hereof shall be made by the Company no later than sixty (60) days after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. Claims for advancement of expenses shall be made under the provisions of Section 6 herein.
(c) Application for Enforcement. In the event the Company fails to make timely payments as set forth in Sections 6 or 7(b) above, Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to
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indemnification or advancement of expenses pursuant to this Agreement. In such an enforcement hearing or proceeding, the burden of proof shall be on the Company to prove that indemnification or advancement of expenses to Indemnitee is not required under this Agreement or permitted by applicable law. Any determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors, stockholders or independent counsel) that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, shall not be a defense by the Company to the action nor create any presumption that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder.
(d) Indemnification of Certain Expenses. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all expenses incurred in connection with any hearing or proceeding under this Section 7 unless the Company prevails in such hearing or proceeding on the merits in all material respects.
8. ASSUMPTION OF DEFENSE. In the event the Company shall be requested by Indemnitee to pay the expenses of any proceeding, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, or to participate to the extent permissible in such proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee. Upon assumption of the defense by the Company and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in such proceeding at Indemnitee’s sole cost and expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Indemnitee’s counsel delivers a written notice to the Company stating that such counsel has reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel or otherwise actively pursued the defense of such proceeding within a reasonable time, then in any such event the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel to defend such proceeding shall be subject to the indemnification and advancement of expenses provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any action, suit or proceeding brought by or on behalf of the Company or as to which Indemnitee shall have initiated in accordance with Section 10(b).
9. Insurance.
(a) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any subsidiary (“D&O Insurance”), Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(b) In the event of a change of control of the Company or the Company dissolving or liquidating (including being placed into receivership or entering the federal
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bankruptcy process and the like), the Company shall maintain in force any and all insurance policies then maintained by the Company in providing insurance in respect of Indemnitee (directors’ and officers’ liability, fiduciary, employment practices or otherwise) for a period of at least six years thereafter (a “Tail Policy”). Such coverage shall be placed by the Company’s incumbent broker. If such coverage is not placed with the incumbent insurance carriers using the policies that were in place at the time of the change of control or insolvency event, the Tail Policy shall be substantially comparable in scope and amount as the expiring policies, and the insurance carriers for the Tail Policy shall have an AM Best rating that is the same or better than the AM Best ratings of the expiring policies.
10. EXCEPTIONS.
(a) Certain Matters. Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee on account of any proceeding with respect to (i) remuneration paid to Indemnitee if it is determined by final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that such remuneration was in violation of law; (ii) a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction rendered against Indemnitee for disgorgement or repayment of profits made from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company against Indemnitee or in connection with a settlement by or on behalf of Indemnitee to the extent it is acknowledged by Indemnitee and the Company that such amount paid in settlement resulted from Indemnitee’s conduct from which Indemnitee received monetary personal profit, pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other provisions of any federal, state or local statute or rules and regulations thereunder; (iii) a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction that Indemnitee’s conduct was in bad faith, knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest or constituted willful misconduct (but only to the extent of such specific determination); or (iv) on account of conduct that is established by a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction as constituting a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, a final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction may be reached in either the underlying proceeding or action in connection with which indemnification is sought or a separate proceeding or action to establish rights and liabilities under this Agreement. The termination of any proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that such Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith to the extent Indemnitee relied in good faith on (i) the records or books of account of the company, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to Indemnitee by agents of the Company in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Company or its board of directors or counsel selected by any committee of the board of directors or (iv) information or records given or reports made to the Company by an independent certified public accountant, an appraiser, investment banker or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Company or its board of directors or any committee of the board of directors.
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(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify or advance expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other agents and not by way of defense, except (i) with respect to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or under any other agreement, provision in the Bylaws or Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, or (ii) with respect to any other proceeding initiated by Indemnitee that is either approved by the Board of Directors or Indemnitee’s participation is required by applicable law. However, indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board of Directors determines it to be appropriate.
(c) Unauthorized Settlements. Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding effected without the Company’s written consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold consent to any proposed settlement; provided, however, that the Company may in any event decline to consent to (or to otherwise admit or agree to any liability for indemnification hereunder in respect of) any proposed settlement if the Company is also a party in such proceeding and determines in good faith that such settlement is not in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
(d) Securities Act Liabilities. Indemnitee acknowledges that paragraph (h) of Item 512 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), currently generally requires the Company to undertake in connection with any registration statement filed under the Act to submit the issue of the enforceability of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement in connection with any liability under the Act on public policy grounds to a court of appropriate jurisdiction and to be governed by any final adjudication of such issue.
11. NON-EXCLUSIVITY AND SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS.
(a) The provisions for indemnification and advancement of expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under any provision of applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other agreements, both as to action in Indemnitee’s official capacity and Indemnitee’s action as an agent of the Company, in any court in which a proceeding is brought, and Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after Indemnitee has ceased acting as an agent of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of Indemnitee. The obligations and duties of the Company to Indemnitee under this Agreement shall be binding on the Company and its successors and assigns until terminated in accordance with its terms. The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(b) No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her corporate status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in the DGCL, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of expenses than would be afforded currently under the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, by Indemnitee shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy by Indemnitee.
(c) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee and the Company irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that each of the Company and the Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, they shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which they may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that they shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required by the Delaware Court of Chancery, and they hereby waive any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.
12. TERM.
(a) This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (i) five (5) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director and/or officer, employee or agent of the Company; or (ii) one (1) year after the final termination of any proceeding, including any appeal then pending, in respect to which Indemnitee was granted rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder.
(b) No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against an Indemnitee or an Indemnitee’s estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of five (5) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such five-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.
13. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee,
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who, at the request and expense of the Company, shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
14. INFORMATION SHARING. If the Indemnitee is the subject of or is implicated in any way during an investigation, whether formal or informal, the Company shall notify the Indemnitee of such investigation and shall share with Indemnitee any information it has turned over to any third parties concerning the investigation (“Shared Information”). By executing this agreement, Indemnitee agrees that such Shared Information is material non-public information that Indemnitee is obligated to hold in confidence and may not disclose publicly; provided, however, that Indemnitee is permitted to use the Shared Information and to disclose such Shared Information to Indemnitee’s legal counsel and third parties solely in connection with defending Indemnitee from legal liability.
15. INTERPRETATION OF AGREEMENT. It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law.
16. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of the Agreement (including without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable and to give effect to Section 15 hereof.
17. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. No supplement, modification, amendment, or cancellation of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
18. NOTICE. Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice or demand which, by the provisions hereof, is required or which may be given to or served upon the parties hereto shall be in writing and, if by telegram, telecopy or telex, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered when sent, if by overnight delivery, courier or personal delivery, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered upon actual delivery and, if mailed, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered three (3) business days after deposit in the United States mail, as registered or certified mail, with proper postage prepaid and addressed to the party or parties to be notified at the addresses set forth on the signature page of this Agreement (or such other address(es) as a party may designate for itself by like notice). If to the Company, notices and demands shall be delivered to the attention of the Secretary of the Company.
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19. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware.
20. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart need be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
21. HEADINGS. The headings of the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction hereof.
22. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings and negotiations, written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement, including but not limited to any Indemnity Agreement previously entered into between the Company and the Indemnitee; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, the DGCL and any other applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, and does not diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE
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The parties hereto have executed this INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT as of the date first above written.
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| GEMPHIRE THERAPEUTICS INC. | |
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SIGNATURE PAGE TO INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
