Liquidia Corporation 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Exhibit 10.4
LIQUIDIA CORPORATION
2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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LIQUIDIA CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“Liquidia Corporation”), has established the LIQUIDIA CORPORATION 2020 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN, as set forth herein, and as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”). The Plan will come into existence on the Adoption Date; provided, however, that no Award may be granted prior to the closing of the merger transaction between Liquidia Technologies, Inc. and RareGen, LLC (the “Effective Date”). In addition, no Award will be exercised (or, in the case of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, or Other Stock-Based Awards, no Award will be granted) and no Performance Units will be settled unless and until the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of Liquidia Corporation, which approval will be within 12 months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board of Directors of Liquidia Corporation (the “Board”).
On the Effective Date, (i) Liquidia Corporation will assume the Liquidia Technologies, Inc. 2018 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Liquidia 2018 Plan”), the Liquidia Technologies, Inc. 2016 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, and the Liquidia Technologies, Inc. Stock Option Plan (collectively the “Assumed Plans”), and the outstanding awards under each such plan and such awards will remain subject to the same terms and conditions set forth in the Assumed Plans and related agreements.
No awards will be made under Liquidia 2018 Plan on or after the Effective Date.
The Plan is designed to:
Toward these objectives, the Administrator may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, stock units, performance shares, performance units, and other stock-based awards to eligible individuals on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan.
Except as otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement, capitalized words and phrases used in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the glossary at Section 17 of the Plan or as defined the first place such word or phrase appears in the Plan.
Participation in the Plan shall be open to all Eligible Individuals, as may be selected by the Administrator from time to time. The Administrator may also grant Awards to Eligible Individuals in connection with hiring, recruiting or otherwise, prior to the date the individual first performs services for Liquidia Corporation or an Affiliate; provided, however, that such Awards shall not become vested or exercisable and no shares shall be issued to such individual, prior to the date the individual first commences performance of such services.
Participants and holders of Awards shall pay to Liquidia Corporation or its Affiliate, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator for payment of, any Tax Withholding Obligation in respect of Awards granted under the Plan no later than the date of the event creating the tax or social insurance contribution liability. The obligations of Liquidia Corporation under the Plan shall be conditional on such payment or arrangements. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, Tax Withholding Obligations may be settled in whole or in part with shares of Common Stock, including unrestricted outstanding shares surrendered to Liquidia Corporation and unrestricted shares that are part of the Award that gives rise to the Tax Withholding Obligation, having a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender or withholding equal to the statutory minimum amount (or such greater amount permitted under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, for equity-classified awards) required to be withheld for tax or social insurance contribution purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Administrator establishes. Liquidia Corporation or its Affiliate may deduct, to the extent permitted by law, any such Tax Withholding Obligations from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant or holder of an Award.
Implementation of the provisions of this Section 11(a) shall be conditioned upon consummation of the Change in Control.
Awards may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for assumed awards held by employees, officers, or directors of entities who become employees, officers, or directors of Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary as the result of a merger or consolidation of the entity for which they perform services with Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary, or the acquisition by Liquidia Corporation of the assets or stock of the such entity. The terms and conditions of any Awards so granted may vary from the terms and conditions set forth herein to the extent that the Administrator deems appropriate at the time of grant to conform the Awards to the provisions of the assumed awards for which they are substituted and to preserve their intrinsic value as of the date of the merger, consolidation or acquisition transaction. To the extent permitted by applicable law and marketplace or listing rules of the primary securities market or exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or admitted for trading, any available shares under a stockholder-approved plan of an acquired company (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction) may be used for Awards granted pursuant to this Section 12 and, upon such grant, shall not reduce the Share Pool.
It is the intention of Liquidia Corporation that any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code shall comply in all respects with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code to avoid the imposition of any tax or interest or the inclusion of any amount in income pursuant to Section 409A of the Code, and the terms of each such Award shall be construed, administered and deemed amended, if applicable, in a manner consistent with this intention. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither Liquidia Corporation nor any of its Affiliates nor any of its or their directors, officers, employees, agents or other service providers will be liable for any taxes, penalties or interest imposed on any Participant or other person with respect to any amounts paid or payable (whether in cash, shares of Common Stock or other property) under any Award, including any taxes, penalties or interest imposed under or as a result of Section 409A of the Code. Any payments described in an Award that are due within the “short term deferral period” as defined in Section 409A of the Code shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless applicable law requires otherwise. For purposes of any Award, each amount to be paid or benefit to be provided to a Participant that constitutes deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be construed as a separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the payment of Dividend Equivalents under any Award shall be construed as earnings and the time and form of payment of such Dividend Equivalents shall be treated separately from the time and form of payment of the underlying Award. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, with respect to any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, any payments (whether in cash, shares of Common Stock or other property) to be made with respect to the Award that become payable on account of the Participant’s separation from service, within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, while the Participant is a “specified employee” (as determined in accordance with the uniform policy adopted by the Administrator with respect to all of the arrangements subject to Section 409A of the Code maintained by Liquidia
Corporation and its Affiliates) and which would otherwise be paid within six months after the Participant’s separation from service shall be accumulated (without interest) and paid on the first day of the seventh month following the Participant’s separation from service or, if earlier, within 15 days after the appointment of the personal representative or executor of the Participant’s estate following the Participant’s death. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or an Award Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall the Administrator exercise its discretion to accelerate the payment or settlement of an Award where such payment or settlement constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code section 409A unless, and solely to the extent that, such accelerated payment or settlement is permissible under Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-3(j)(4).
Under this Plan, except where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:
“Administrator” means the Compensation Committee, or such other committee(s) of director(s) duly appointed by the Board or the Compensation Committee to administer the Plan or delegated limited authority to
perform administrative actions under the Plan, and having such powers as shall be specified by the Board or the Compensation Committee; provided, however, that at any time the Board may serve as the Administrator in lieu of or in addition to the Compensation Committee or such other committee(s) of director(s) to whom administrative authority has been delegated. With respect to any Award to which Section 16 of the Exchange Act applies, the Administrator shall consist of either the Board or a committee of the Board, which committee shall consist of three or more directors, each of whom is intended to be, to the extent required by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, a “non-employee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act and an “independent director” to the extent required by the rules of the national securities exchange that is the principal trading market for the Common Stock, provided that, with respect to Awards made to a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company, Administrator means the Board. Any member of the Administrator who does not meet the foregoing requirements shall abstain from any decision regarding an Award and shall not be considered a member of the Administrator to the extent required to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act.
“Adoption Date” means the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.
“Affiliate” means any entity, whether now or hereafter existing, which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, Liquidia Corporation or any successor to Liquidia Corporation. For this purpose, “control” (including the correlative meanings of the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean ownership, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting securities issued by such entity, or the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management and policies of such entity, by contract or otherwise.
“Award” means any stock option, stock appreciation right, stock award, stock unit, Performance Share, Performance Unit, and/or Other Stock-Based Award, whether granted under this Plan.
“Award Agreement” means the written document(s), including an electronic writing acceptable to the Administrator, and any notice, addendum or supplement thereto, memorializing the terms and conditions of an Award granted pursuant to the Plan and which shall incorporate the terms of the Plan.
“Board” means the Board of Directors of Liquidia Corporation.
“Cause” means, with respect to a Participant, except as otherwise provided in the relevant Award Agreement (i) the Participant’s plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or conviction of, (A) a felony (or its equivalent in a non-United States jurisdiction) or (B) other conduct of a criminal nature that has or is likely to have a material adverse effect on the reputation or standing in the community of Liquidia Corporation, any of its Affiliates or a successor to Liquidia Corporation or an Affiliate, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, or that legally prohibits the Participant from working for Liquidia Corporation, any of its Subsidiaries or a successor to Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary; (ii) a breach by the Participant of a regulatory rule that adversely affects the Participant’s ability to perform the Participant’s employment duties to Liquidia Corporation, any of its Subsidiaries or a successor to Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary, in any material respect; or (iii) the Participant’s failure, in any material respect, to (A) perform the Participant’s employment duties, (B) comply with the applicable policies of Liquidia Corporation, or of its Subsidiaries, or a successor to Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary, or (C) comply with covenants contained in any contract or Award Agreement to which the Participant is a party; provided, however, that the Participant shall be provided a written notice describing in reasonable detail the facts which are considered to give rise to a breach described in this clause and the Participant shall have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the “Cure Period”) during which the Participant may remedy the condition and, if so remedied, no Cause for Termination of Service shall exist.]
“Change in Control” means the first of the following to occur: (i) a Change in Ownership of Liquidia Corporation, (ii) a Change in Effective Control of Liquidia Corporation, or (iii) a Change in the Ownership of Assets of Liquidia Corporation, as described herein and construed in accordance with Code section 409A.
The following rules of construction apply in interpreting the definition of Change in Control:
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto, the Treasury Regulations thereunder and other relevant interpretive guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service or the Treasury Department. Reference to any specific section of the Code shall be deemed to include such regulations and guidance, as well as any successor section, regulations and guidance.
“Common Stock” means shares of common stock of Liquidia Corporation, par value $0.001 per share, and any capital securities into which they are converted.
“Company” means Liquidia Corporation and its Subsidiaries, except where the context otherwise requires. For purposes of determining whether a Change in Control has occurred, Company shall mean only Liquidia Corporation.
“Compensation Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.
“Director Limits” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 5(e) of the Plan.
“Dividend Equivalent” means a right, granted to a Participant, to receive cash, Common Stock, stock Units or other property equal in value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of Common Stock.
“Eligible Individuals” means (i) officers and employees of, and other individuals, including non-employee directors, who are natural persons providing bona fide services to or for, Liquidia Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, provided that such services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for Liquidia Corporation’ securities, and (ii) prospective officers, employees and service providers who have accepted offers of employment or other service relationship from Liquidia Corporation or a Subsidiary.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any successor thereto. Reference to any specific section of the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include such regulations and guidance issued thereunder, as well as any successor section, regulations and guidance.
“Fair Market Value” means, on a per share basis as of any date, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator:
Notwithstanding the preceding, for foreign, federal, state and local income tax reporting purposes and for such other purposes as the Administrator deems appropriate, the Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Administrator in accordance with uniform and nondiscriminatory standards adopted by it from time to time.
“Full Value Award” means an Award that results in Liquidia Corporation transferring the full value of a share of Common Stock under the Award, whether or not an actual share of stock is issued. Full Value Awards shall include, but are not limited to, stock awards, stock units, Performance Shares, Performance Units that are payable in Common Stock, and Other Stock-Based Awards for which Li quidia Corporation transfers the full value of a share of Common Stock under the Award, but shall not include Dividend Equivalents.
“Incentive Stock Option” means any stock option that is designated, in the applicable Award Agreement or the resolutions of the Administrator under which the stock option is granted, as an “incentive stock option” within
the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements to be an “incentive stock option” set forth in Section 422 of the Code.
“Liquidia Corporation” means Liquidia Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
“Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of Liquidia Corporation or any of its Affiliates.
“Nonqualified Option” means any stock option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.
“Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award of Common Stock or any other Award that is valued in whole or in part by reference to, or is otherwise based upon, shares of Common Stock, including without limitation Dividend Equivalents and convertible debentures.
“Participant” means an Eligible Individual to whom one or more Awards are or have been granted pursuant to the Plan and have not been fully settled or cancelled and, following the death of any such person, his successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case may be.
“Performance Award” means a Full Value Award, the grant, vesting, lapse of restrictions or settlement of which is conditioned upon the achievement of performance objectives over a specified Performance Period and includes, without limitation, Performance Shares and Performance Units.
“Performance Goals” means the performance goals established by the Administrator in connection with the grant of Awards based on Performance Metrics or other performance criteria selected by the Administrator.
“Performance Period” means that period established by the Administrator during which any Performance Goals specified by the Administrator with respect to such Award are to be measured.
“Performance Metrics” means criteria established by the Administrator relating to any of the following, as it may apply to an individual, one or more business units, divisions, or Affiliates, or on a company-wide basis, and in absolute terms, relative to a base period, or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies, peer groups, or an index covering multiple companies:
“Performance Shares” means a grant of stock or stock Units the issuance, vesting or payment of which is contingent on performance as measured against predetermined objectives over a specified Performance Period.
“Performance Units” means a grant of dollar-denominated Units the value, vesting or payment of which is contingent on performance against predetermined objectives over a specified Performance Period.
“Plan” means this Liquidia Corporation 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as set forth herein and as it may be amended from time to time.
“Restricted Stock” means an Award of shares of Common Stock to a Participant that may be subject to certain transferability and other restrictions and to a risk of forfeiture (including by reason of not satisfying certain Performance Goals).
“Restricted Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant to receive shares of Common Stock or cash at the end of a specified deferral period, which right may be conditioned on the satisfaction of certain requirements (including the satisfaction of certain Performance Goals).
“Restriction Period” means, with respect to Full Value Awards, the period commencing on the date of grant of such Award to which vesting or transferability and other restrictions and a risk of forfeiture apply and ending upon the expiration of the applicable vesting conditions, transferability and other restrictions and lapse of risk of forfeiture and/or the achievement of the applicable Performance Goals (it being understood that the Administrator may provide that vesting shall occur and/or restrictions shall lapse with respect to portions of the applicable Award during the Restriction Period.
“Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity in an unbroken chain of corporations or other entities beginning with Liquidia Corporation if each of the corporations or other entities, or group of commonly controlled corporations or other entities, other than the last corporation or other entity in the unbroken chain then owns stock or other equity interests possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or other equity interests in one of the other corporations or other entities in such chain or otherwise has the power to direct the management and policies of the entity by contract or by means of appointing a majority of the members of the board or other body that controls the affairs of the entity; provided, however, that solely for purposes of determining whether a Participant has a Termination of Service that is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code or whether an Eligible Individual is eligible to be granted an Award that in the hands of such Eligible Individual would constitute a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code , a “Subsidiary” of a corporation or other entity means all other entities with which such corporation or other entity would be considered a single employer under Sections 414(b) or 414(c) of the Code.
“Tax Withholding Obligation” means any federal, state, local or foreign (non-United States) income, employment or other tax or social insurance contribution required by applicable law to be withheld in respect of Awards.
“Termination of Service” means the termination of the Participant’s employment, or performance of services for, Liquidia Corporation and its Subsidiaries. Temporary absences from employment because of illness, vacation or leave of absence and transfers among Liquidia Corporation and its Subsidiaries shall not be considered Terminations of Service. With respect to any Award that constitutes a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, “Termination of Service” shall mean a “separation from service” as defined under Section 409A of the Code to the extent required by Section 409A of the Code to avoid the imposition of any tax or interest or the inclusion of any amount in income pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. A Participant has a separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code if the Participant terminates employment with Liquidia Corporation and all Subsidiaries for any reason. A Participant will generally be treated as having terminated employment with Liquidia Corporation and all Subsidiaries as of a certain date if the Participant and the entity that employs the Participant reasonably anticipate that the Participant will perform no further services for Liquidia Corporation or any Subsidiary after such date or that the level of bona fide services that the Participant will perform after such date (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) will permanently decrease to no more than 20 percent (20%) of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding 36-month period (or the full period of services if the Participant has been providing services for fewer than 36 months); provided, however, that the
employment relationship is treated as continuing while the Participant is on military leave, sick leave or other bona fide leave of absence if the period of leave does not exceed six months or, if longer, so long as the Participant retains the right to reemployment with Liquidia Corporation or any Subsidiary.
“Total and Permanent Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, except as otherwise provided in the relevant Award Agreement, that a Participant is (i) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to last until the Participant’s death or result in death, or (ii) determined to be totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or other governmental or quasi-governmental body that administers a comparable social insurance program outside of the United States in which the Participant participates and which conditions the right to receive benefits under such program on the Participant being unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to last until the Participant’s death or result in death. The Administrator shall have sole authority to determine whether a Participant has suffered a Total and Permanent Disability and may require such medical or other evidence as it deems necessary to judge the nature and permanency of the Participant’s condition.
“Unit” means a bookkeeping entry used by Liquidia Corporation to record and account for the grant of the following types of Awards until such time as the Award is paid, cancelled, forfeited or terminated, as the case may be: stock units, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units, and Performance Shares that are expressed in terms of units of Common Stock.
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