PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT

EX-10.21 4 v451694_ex10-21.htm EXHIBIT 10.21

 

Exhibit 10.21

 

PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT

 

June 27, 2016

 

Aegis Capital Corp.

810 Seventh Ave, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10019

 

Re:

Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Placement Agency Agreement ("Agreement") sets forth the terms upon which Aegis Capital Corp., a New York corporation, and a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") (the “Placement Agent”), shall be engaged by Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to act as exclusive Placement Agent in connection with the private placement (the “Offering”) of shares (the “Series A Preferred Shares”) of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), of the Company. Each Series A Preferred Share will (i) have a dividend of 8% per annum payable in shares of Common Stock (as defined below), to be accrued until conversion, (ii) have a liquidation preference of $5.00 per Series A Preferred Share, and thereafter will participate with the Common Stock, as such term is defined below, on an as-converted basis and (iii) be convertible into 10 shares (“Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company at an initial conversion price of $0.50 per Share. The Series A Preferred Shares also will entitle the holders thereof to certain royalty payments, as more fully explained in the Memorandum (as defined below). The Offering will consist of a minimum of 500,000 Series A Preferred Shares ($2,500,000) (the “Minimum Amount”) and a maximum of 1,000,000 Series A Preferred Shares ($5,000,000) (the “Maximum Amount”). In the event the Offering is oversubscribed, the Company and the Placement Agent may, in their mutual discretion, sell up to 600,000 additional Series A Preferred Shares for an additional aggregate purchase price of $3,000,000 (the “Over-allotment”).

 

The purchase price for the Series A Preferred Shares will be $5.00 per Series A Preferred Share (the “Offering Price”), with a minimum investment of $250,000; provided, however, that subscriptions for lesser amounts may be accepted in the Company’s and Placement Agent’s joint discretion. The Placement Agent shall accept subscriptions only from persons or entities who qualify as “accredited investors,” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D (“Regulation D”) as promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). The Series A Preferred Shares will be offered until the earlier of (i) the termination of the Offering as provided herein, (ii) the time that all Series A Preferred Shares offered in the Offering are sold or (iii) August 31, 2016 (“Initial Offering Period”), which date may be extended by the Placement Agent and the Company in their joint discretion until October 31, 2016 (this additional period and the Initial Offering Period shall be referred to as the “Offering Period”). The date on which the Offering expires or is terminated shall be referred to as the “Termination Date.”

 

 

With respect to the Offering, the Company shall provide the Placement Agent, on terms set forth herein, the right to offer and sell all of the Series A Preferred Shares being offered. Purchases of Series A Preferred Shares may be made by the Placement Agent and its officers, directors, employees and affiliates. All such purchases, together with purchases by officers, directors, employees and affiliates of the Company, may be used to satisfy the Minimum Amount. It is understood that no sale shall be regarded as effective unless and until accepted by the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, accept or reject, in whole or in part, any prospective investment in the Series A Preferred Shares or allot to any prospective subscriber less than the number of Series A Preferred Shares that such subscriber desires to purchase.

 

The Offering will be made by the Company solely pursuant to the Memorandum (as defined below), which at all times will be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Company, the Placement Agent and their respective counsel and contain such legends and other information as the Company, the Placement Agent and their respective counsel, may, from time to time, deem necessary and desirable to be set forth therein. “Memorandum” as used in this Agreement means the Company’s Confidential Private Placement Memorandum dated on or about June 27, 2016, inclusive of all annexes, and all amendments, supplements and appendices thereto.

 

1.           Appointment of Placement Agent. On the basis of the representations and warranties provided herein, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Placement Agent is appointed as exclusive Placement Agent for the Company during the Offering Period to assist the Company in finding qualified subscribers for the Offering. The Placement Agent may allow the sale of Series A Preferred Shares through other broker-dealers who are FINRA members and may reallow all or a portion of the Agent Compensation (as defined in Section 3(b) below) it receives to such other broker-dealers. On the basis of such representations and warranties and subject to such terms and conditions, the Placement Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform its services hereunder diligently and in good faith and in a professional and businesslike manner and to use its reasonable efforts to assist the Company in (A) finding subscribers of Series A Preferred Shares who qualify as “accredited investors,” as such term is defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D, and (B) completing the Offering. The Placement Agent has no obligation to purchase any of the Series A Preferred Shares. Unless sooner terminated in accordance with this Agreement, the engagement of the Placement Agent hereunder shall continue until the later of the Termination Date or the Final Closing (as defined below).

 

2.           Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. The representations and warranties of the Company to the Placement Agent contained in this Section 2 are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement.

 

 

(a)          The Memorandum has been prepared by the Company, in conformity with all applicable laws, and is in compliance in all material respects with Regulation D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Act and the requirements of all other rules and regulations (the “Regulations”) of the Commission relating to offerings of the type contemplated by the Offering, and the applicable securities laws and the rules and regulations of those jurisdictions wherein the Placement Agent notifies the Company that the Series A Preferred Shares are to be offered and sold excluding any foreign jurisdictions. The Series A Preferred Shares will be offered and sold pursuant to the registration exemption provided by Regulation D and Section 4(a)(2) of the Act as a transaction not involving a public offering and the requirements of any other applicable state securities laws and the respective rules and regulations thereunder in those United States jurisdictions in which the Placement Agent notifies the Company that the Series A Preferred Shares are being offered for sale. None of the Company, its affiliates, or any person acting on its or their behalf (other than the Placement Agent, its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, in respect of which no representation is made) has taken nor will it take any action that conflicts with the conditions and requirements of, or that would make unavailable with respect to the Offering, the exemption(s) from registration available pursuant to Rule 506 of Regulation D or Section 4(a)(2) of the Act, or knows of any reason why any such exemption would be otherwise unavailable to it. None of the Company, its predecessors or affiliates has been subject to any order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction temporarily, preliminarily or permanently enjoining such person for failing to comply with Rule 503 of Regulation D. The Company has not, for a period of six months prior to the commencement of the offering of Series A Preferred Shares, sold, offered for sale or solicited any offer to buy any of its securities in a manner that would be integrated with the offer and sale of the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Agreement and would cause the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 506 of Regulation D to become unavailable with respect to the offer and sale of the Series A Preferred Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the United States.

 

(b)          The Memorandum does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading: provided, however, the foregoing does not apply to any statements or omissions made solely in reliance on and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent specifically for use in the preparation thereof. To the knowledge of the Company, none of the statements, documents, certificates or other items made, prepared or supplied by the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made. There is no fact which the Company has not disclosed in the Memorandum and of which the Company is aware that materially adversely affects or that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the (i) assets, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise), business or business prospects of the Company or (ii) ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying such estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans) that may have been delivered to the Placement Agent or its representatives or that are contained in the Memorandum, except that such estimates, projections and other forecasts and plans have been prepared in good faith on the basis of assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were believed to be reasonable at the time of such preparation.

 

 

(c)          The Company and its “Subsidiaries” (which for purposes of this Agreement means Matinas BioPharma Inc. and Aquarius Biotechnologies, Inc.), are entities duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are formed, and have the requisite power and authority to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted.  Other than the Subsidiaries, the Company is not a party to any joint venture and does not directly or indirectly own or hold capital stock or an equity or similar interest in any entity. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign entity to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect.  As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, properties, assets, operations, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby and the other Transaction Documents (as defined below) or by the agreements and instruments to be entered into in connection herewith or therewith, or on the authority or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined below).   Except as set forth in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, as defined below, the Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any liens (other than Permitted Encumbrances), and all the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. “Permitted Encumbrances” shall means (a) mechanic’s, materialmen’s, and similar liens, securing payment of sums not yet due and payable and for which an appropriate reserve has been established, (b) liens for taxes not yet delinquent or for taxes that the taxpayer is contesting in good faith through appropriate proceedings and for which an appropriate reserve has been established in the financial statements of such taxpayer, (c) purchase money liens and liens securing rental payments under capital lease arrangements, and (d) other liens arising in the ordinary course of business and not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money.

 

(d)          The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to conduct its business as presently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (as described in the Memorandum or the Company Reports), to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Subscription Agreement substantially in the form of Annex A to the Memorandum (the “Subscription Agreement”, the Certificate of Designations of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of the Company in substantially the form of Annex B to the Memorandum (the “Certificate of Designations”) and the other agreements contemplated hereby (this Agreement, the Subscription Agreement and the Certificate of Designations and the other agreements contemplated hereby that the Company is executing and delivering hereunder are collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents”) and subject to necessary Board approvals, to issue, sell and deliver the Series A Preferred Shares, the Shares of Common Stock underlying the Series A Preferred Shares, the Agent Warrants (as defined in Section 3(b)) and the Agent Warrant Shares (as defined in Section 3(b)). Prior to the First Closing (as defined below in Section 4(e)), each of the Transaction Documents will have been duly authorized. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and constitutes, and each of the other Transaction Documents, upon due execution and delivery, will constitute, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms (i) except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect related to laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, including the effect of statutory and other laws regarding fraudulent conveyances and preferential transfers, and except that no representation is made herein regarding the enforceability of the Company’s obligations to provide indemnification and contribution remedies under the securities laws and (ii) subject to the limitations imposed by general equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

 

(e)          As of the date of the First Closing, the Company will have the authorized and outstanding capital stock as set forth under the heading “Capitalization” in the Memorandum. All outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable. Except as described in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, as of the date of the First Closing: (i) there will be no outstanding options, stock subscription agreements, warrants or other rights permitting or requiring the Company or others to purchase or acquire any shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company or to pay any dividend or make any other distribution in respect thereof; (ii) there will be no securities issued or outstanding which are convertible into or exchangeable for any of the foregoing and there are no contracts, commitments or understandings, whether or not in writing, to issue or grant any such option, warrant, right or convertible or exchangeable security; (iii) no shares of stock or other securities of the Company are reserved for issuance for any purpose; (iv) there will be no voting trusts or other contracts, commitments, understandings, arrangements or restrictions of any kind with respect to the ownership, voting or transfer of shares of stock or other securities of the Company, including, without limitation, any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, proxies or similar rights, and (v) no person holds a right to require the Company to register any of its securities under the Act or to participate in any such registration. As of the date of the First Closing, the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company will conform in all material respects to all statements in relation thereto contained in the Memorandum and the Memorandum describes all material terms and conditions thereof. All issuances by the Company of its securities have been, at the times of their issuance, either subject to an effective registration statement under the Act or exempt from registration under the Act and any applicable state securities laws.

 

(f)          Immediately prior to the First Closing, the Shares of Common Stock underlying the Series A Preferred Shares, the Agent Warrants and the Agent Warrant Shares will have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided in the Transaction Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. No holder of any of the Shares of Common Stock underlying the Series A Preferred Shares, the Agent Warrants or the Agent Warrant Shares will be subject to personal liability solely by reason of being such a holder, and except as described in the Memorandum, none of the Shares of Common Stock underlying the Series A Preferred Shares, the Agent Warrants or the Agent Warrant Shares are subject to preemptive or similar rights of any stockholder or security holder of the Company or an adjustment under the antidilution or exercise rights of any holders of any outstanding shares of capital stock, options, warrants or other rights to acquire any securities of the Company. Immediately prior to the First Closing, a sufficient number of authorized but unissued Shares of Common Stock will have been reserved for issuance upon the conversion of the Series A Preferred Shares and exercise of the Agent Warrants.

 

 

(g)          Except for the royalty rights described in the Memorandum, none of the execution and delivery of or performance by the Company under this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents or the consummation of the transactions herein or therein contemplated conflicts with or violates, or will result in the creation or imposition of, any lien, charge or other encumbrance upon any of the assets of the Company under any agreement or other instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or its assets may be bound, or any term of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company, or any license, permit, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or any of its assets, except in the case of a conflict, violation, lien, charge or other encumbrance (except with respect to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws) which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(h)          No consent, authorization or filing of or with any court or governmental authority is required in connection with the issuance or the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein or in the other Transaction Documents, except for required filings with the Commission and the applicable state securities commissions relating specifically to the Offering (all of which filings will be duly made by, or on behalf of, the Company), other than (1) those which are required to be made after the First Closing (all of which will be duly made on a timely basis) and (2) the filing of the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (which will have been duly made prior to the First Closing).

 

(i)          The Company Reports constitute all of the documents required to be filed by the Company with the Commission, including under Section 13 or subsections (a) or (c) of Section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), through the date of this Agreement. The Company Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder as of their respective filing dates. As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters received from the staff of the Commission with respect to any of the Company Reports. As of their respective dates, the Company Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The “Company Reports” shall mean (a) the Company’s Special Financial Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Rule 15d-2 under the Exchange Act containing Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2013 and (b) all other reports filed by the Company under Section 13 or subsections (a) or (c) of Section 14 of the Exchange Act with the Commission since April 11, 2014 (such reports are collectively referred to herein as the “Company Reports”).

 

 

(j)          The audited financial statements and unaudited interim financial statements of the Company included in the Company Reports and/or the Memorandum (collectively, the “Company Financial Statements”), present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of the dates specified and the results of operations for the periods covered thereby. Such Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated, except that the unaudited financial statements omit full notes, and except for normal year end adjustments. Except as set forth in such Financial Statements or otherwise disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, the Company has no known material liabilities of any kind, whether accrued, absolute or contingent, or otherwise, and subsequent to the date of the Memorandum and prior to the date of the First Closing it shall not enter into any material transactions or commitments without promptly thereafter notifying the Placement Agent in writing of any such material transaction or commitment. The other financial and statistical information with respect to the Company and any pro forma information and related notes included in the Memorandum present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein on a basis consistent with the Financial Statements of the Company included in the Company Reports and/or the Memorandum. The Company does not know of any facts, circumstances or conditions which could materially adversely affect its operations, earnings or prospects that have not been fully disclosed in the Company Reports or the Memorandum.

 

(k)          Except as disclosed in the Memorandum, since the date of the Company’ most recent financial statements contained in the Memorandum, there has been no Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Memorandum, since the date of the Company’s most recent financial statements contained in the Memorandum, the Company has not (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $75,000 outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) had capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $75,000. The Company has not taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any bankruptcy law nor does the Company have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so.

 

 

(l)          Except as disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, the Company (i) has no outstanding Indebtedness (as defined below) in excess of $75,000, (ii) is not a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument would result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) is not in violation of any term of or in default under any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement: (x) “Indebtedness” of any Person means without duplication, (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services including (without limitation) “Capital Leases” (as defined under GAAP) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with GAAP, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or other encumbrance upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) except for obligations owed to service providers of the Company in connection with this Offering, all Contingent Obligations (as defined below) in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above of at least $75,000; (y) “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto; and (z) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization and a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(m)         The conduct of business by the Company as presently and proposed to be conducted is not subject to continuing oversight, supervision, regulation or examination by any governmental official or body of the United States, or any other jurisdiction wherein the Company conducts or proposes to conduct such business, except as described in the Memorandum or the Company Reports. The Company has obtained all material licenses, permits and other governmental authorizations necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted. The Company has not received any notice of any violation of, or noncompliance with, any federal, state, local or foreign laws, ordinances, regulations and orders (including, without limitation, those relating to environmental protection, occupational safety and health, securities laws, equal employment opportunity, consumer protection, credit reporting, “truth-in-lending”, and warranties and trade practices) applicable to its business, the violation of, or noncompliance with, would have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company knows of no facts or set of circumstances which could give rise to such a notice.

 

(n)          No default by the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party, exists in the due performance under any material agreement to which the Company is a party or to which any of its assets is subject (collectively, the “Company Agreements”). The Company Agreements disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports are the only material agreements to which the Company is bound or by which its assets are subject, are accurately described in the Memorandum or the Company Reports and are in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms, subject to any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and to general equitable principles and the availability of specific performance.

 

 

(o)          The Company owns all right, title and interest in, or possesses adequate and enforceable rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, rights, licenses, franchises, trade secrets, confidential information, processes and formulations necessary for the conduct of its business as now conducted (collectively, the “Intangibles”). To the knowledge of the Company, the Company has not infringed upon the rights of others with respect to the Intangibles and, except as disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, the Company has not received notice that it has or may have infringed or is infringing upon the rights of others with respect to the Intangibles, or any written notice of conflict with the asserted rights of others with respect to the Intangibles. To the knowledge of the Company, no others have infringed upon the rights of the Company with respect to the Intangibles. Except as set forth in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, none of the Company’ Intangibles have expired or terminated, or are expected to expire or terminate, within three years from the date of this Agreement.

 

(p)          The Company is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement nor does it employ any member of a union. No executive officer of the Company (as defined in Rule 501(f) of the Act) has notified the Company that such officer intends to leave the Company or otherwise terminate such officer's employment with the Company. No executive officer of the Company, to the knowledge of the Company, is in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company is in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q)          Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Memorandum, the Company has operated its business in the ordinary course and, except as may otherwise be set forth in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, there has been no: (i) Material Adverse Effect; (ii) transaction otherwise than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; (iii) issuance of any securities (debt or equity) or any rights to acquire any such securities other than pursuant to equity incentive plans approved by its Board of Directors; (iv) damage, loss or destruction, whether or not covered by insurance, with respect to any asset or property of the Company; or (v) agreement to permit any of the foregoing.

 

(r)          Except as set forth in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, there are no actions, suits, claims, hearings or proceedings pending before any court or governmental authority or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company, or involving its assets or any of its officers or directors (in their capacity as such) which, if determined adversely to the Company or such officer or director, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or adversely affect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement (as hereinafter defined) or the enforceability thereof.

 

(s)          The Company is not: (i) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws; (ii) in default of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or to which any of its assets may be subject, the default of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) in violation of any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company, the violation of which would have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company and specifically naming the Company, which violation or violations individually, or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(t)          Except as disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, as of the date of this Agreement, no current or former stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of any such person is presently, directly or indirectly through his affiliation with any other person or entity, a party to any loan from the Company or any other transaction (other than as an employee) with the Company providing for the furnishing of services by, or rental of any personal property from, or otherwise requiring cash payments to any such person.

 

(u)          Except as disclosed in the Memorandum or the Company Reports, the Company has filed, on a timely basis, each federal, state, local and foreign tax return, report and declarations that were required to be filed, or has requested an extension therefor and has paid all taxes and all related assessments, charges, penalties and interest to the extent that the same have become due. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim. The Company has not executed a waiver with respect to the statute of limitations relating to the assessment or collection of any foreign, federal, state or local tax. To the Company’ knowledge, none of the Company’ tax returns is presently being audited by any taxing authority. No liens have been filed and no claims are being asserted by or against the Company with respect to any taxes (other than liens for taxes not yet due and payable). The Company has not received notice of assessment or proposed assessment of any taxes claimed to be owed by it or any other Person on its behalf. The Company is not a party to any tax sharing or tax indemnity agreement or any other agreement of a similar nature that remains in effect. The Company has complied in all material respects with all applicable legal requirements relating to the payment and withholding of taxes and, within the time and in the manner prescribed by law, has withheld from wages, fees and other payments and paid over to the proper governmental or regulatory authorities all amounts required.

 

(v)         Neither the Company, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other Person acting on behalf of the Company has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.

 

(w)          The Company is not obligated to pay, and has not obligated the Placement Agent to pay, a finder’s or origination fee in connection with the Offering (other than to the Placement Agent), and hereby agrees to indemnify the Placement Agent from any such claim made by any other person as more fully set forth in Section 8 hereof. The Company has not offered for sale or solicited offers to purchase the Series A Preferred Shares except for negotiations with the Placement Agent.

 

 

(x)          Until the earlier of (i) the Termination Date and (ii) the Final Closing (as hereinafter defined), the Company will not issue any press release, grant any interview, or otherwise communicate with the media in any manner whatsoever with respect to the Offering without the Placement Agent’s prior consent, which consent will not unreasonably be withheld, delayed or conditioned.

 

(y)          Neither the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares by the Company nor its use of the proceeds thereof will violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company is not (a) a person whose property or interests in property are blocked pursuant to Section 1 of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)) or (b) a person who engages in any dealings or transactions, or be otherwise associated, with any such person. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act of 2001 (signed into law October 26, 2001).

 

(z)          The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

(aa)        None of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the Offering, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale of the securities in the Offering (each, a "Company Covered Person" and, together, "Company Covered Persons") is subject to any of the "Bad Actor" disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a "Disqualification Event”). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Company Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Placement Agent a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.

 

(bb)       The Company is not aware of any person (other than a Placement Agent Covered Person (as defined below)) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

 

(cc)        The Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent in writing of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Company Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Company Covered Person.

 

(dd)       The Company has established, maintains and evaluates “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within time periods specified by the Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure, (ii) have been evaluated for effectiveness as of the end of the last fiscal period covered by the Company Reports; and (iii) as of the end of the last fiscal period covered by the Company Reports, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective at the reasonable assurance level to perform the functions for which they were established. There are no significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data to management and the Board of Directors of the Company. The Company is not aware of any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting; and since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal control over financial reporting or in other factors that  have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 

(ee)        Subject to the exemptions available to the Company as an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, the Company, and to its knowledge, all of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission. Subject to the phase-in rules available to the Company as a newly public company, each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the Commission. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

 

(ff)         No representation or warranty contained in Section 2 of this Agreement contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements herein not misleading in the context of such representations and warranties.

 

2A.        Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Placement Agent. The Placement Agent hereby represents and warrants to the Company that the following representations and warranties are true and correct as of the date of this Agreement:

 

(a)          The Placement Agent is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York and has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out and perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement.

 

(b)          This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Placement Agent, and upon due execution and delivery by the Company, this Agreement will be a valid and binding agreement of the Placement Agent enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by principles of public policy and, as to enforceability, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditor’s rights from time to time in effect and subject to general equity principles.

 

(c)          The Placement Agent is a member of FINRA and is registered as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act, and under the securities acts of each state into which it is making offers or sales of the Series A Preferred Shares. None of the Placement Agent or its affiliates, or any person acting on behalf of the foregoing (other than the Company, its affiliates or any person acting on its behalf, in respect of which no representation is made) has taken nor will it take any action that conflicts with the conditions and requirements of, or that would make unavailable with respect to the Offering, the exemption(s) from registration available pursuant to Rule 506 of Regulation D or Section 4(a)(2) of the Act, or knows of any reason why any such exemption would be otherwise unavailable to it.

 

(d)          The Placement Agent represents that neither it, nor to its knowledge any of its directors, executive officers, general partners, managing members or other officers participating in the Offering (each, a "Placement Agent Covered Person" and, together, "Placement Agent Covered Persons"), is subject to any Disqualification Event, except for a Disqualification Event (i) contemplated by Rule 506(d)(2) of the Securities Act and (ii) a description of which has been furnished in writing to the Company prior to the date hereof.

 

(e)          The Placement Agent represents that it is not aware of any person (other than any Placement Agent Covered Person) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any Series A Preferred Shares. Placement Agent will promptly notify the Company of any agreement entered into between such Placement Agent and such person in connection with such sale. 

 

(f)          The Placement Agent will notify the Company promptly in writing of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Placement Agent Covered Person not previously disclosed to the Company in accordance with Section 2A(d) of this Agreement and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Placement Agent Covered Person.

 

 

(g)          As to Placement Agent only, the Memorandum does not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading: provided, however, the foregoing does not apply to any statements or omissions made solely in reliance on and in conformity with written information furnished to Placement Agent by the Company specifically for use in the preparation thereof.

 

(h)          There are no actions, suits, claims, hearings or proceedings pending before any court or governmental authority or, to the knowledge of Placement Agent, threatened, against Placement Agent or involving its assets or to the knowledge of Placement Agent, any of its officers or directors (in their capacity as such) which, if determined adversely to Placement Agent or such officer or director, could reasonably be expected to adversely affect Placement Agent’s ability to perform its obligations hereunder.

 

3.           Placement Agent Compensation.

 

(a)          In connection with the Offering, the Company will pay at each Closing a cash fee (the “Agent Cash Fee”) to the Placement Agent equal to 10% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares consummated at such Closing.

 

(b)          As additional compensation at the Final Closing the Company will issue to the Placement Agent (or its designee(s)) for nominal consideration, warrants (the “Agent Warrants;” the Agent Cash Fee and Agent Warrants are sometimes referred to herein collectively as “Agent Compensation”) to purchase Shares of Common Stock (the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Agent Warrants are hereinafter referred to as the “Agent Warrant Shares”). The Agent Warrants shall be exercisable for that number of Shares of Common Stock equaling 10% of the number of Shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of all of the Series A Preferred Shares sold in the Offering, at an exercise price of $0.50 per Agent Warrant Share. The Agent’s Warrants shall be exercisable until the date that is five (5) years after the Final Closing, shall contain immediate cashless exercise provisions and shall not be callable by the Company.

 

(c)          At each Closing, the Company will pay the Placement Agent a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 3% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares consummated at such Closing (the “Agent Expense Allowance”). The Placement Agent will not bear any of the Company’s legal, accounting, printing or other expenses in connection with any transaction contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Agent Expense Allowance otherwise payable to the Placement Agent at the First Closing shall be offset by the $15,000 the Company previously advanced to legal counsel for the Placement Agent.

 

 

(d)          Effective as of the First Closing, the Company shall also pay and issue to the Placement Agent the Agent Compensation calculated according to the percentages set forth in Sections 3(a) and (b) of this Agreement, if any person or entity contacted by the Placement Agent and provided with a Memorandum during the Offering Period (other than existing stockholders of the Company) and with whom the Placement Agent has discussions regarding a potential investment in the Offering, invests in the Company (other than through open market purchases or securities purchased in any underwritten public offering) and irrespective of whether such potential investor purchased Series A Preferred Shares in the Offering (the “Tail Investors”) at any time prior to the earlier of the date that is twelve (12) months after the Termination Date or the Final Closing, whichever is applicable. The names of Tail Investors shall be provided in writing by the Placement Agent to the Company upon written request within 10 days following the Termination Date or the Final Closing, as the case may be (the “Tail Investor List”); provided, that such Tail Investor List shall only include persons or entities that actually received a copy of the Memorandum and shall not include existing stockholders of the Company and any other investors set forth in a schedule to the Finder’s Agreement (as defined below). The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Tail Investor List is proprietary to the Placement Agent, shall be maintained in strict confidence by the Company and those persons/entities on such list shall not be contacted by the Company without the Placement Agent’s prior written consent; provided, however, that such restrictions shall not apply to ordinary course stockholder communications by the Company to its stockholders, including those Tail Investors that are stockholders of the Company. In the event the Placement Agent exercises its ROFR with respect to an offering pursuant to the provisions of Section 3(e), the specific compensation terms to the Placement Agent that are negotiated in such offering shall govern and the provisions of this Section 3(d) will not be operative with respect to such offering.

 

(e)          Effective as of the First Closing, the Company hereby grants to the Placement Agent, for a period of twelve (12) months following the Final Closing (the “ROFR Term”), the irrevocable preferential right of first refusal to act as lead placement agent or underwriter for any proposed private placement or public offering of the Company’s securities (equity or debt, but excluding any institutional bank debt and any securities sold directly to investors without the assistance of a registered broker-dealer). In that regard, it is understood that if the Company determines to pursue a financing during the ROFR Term in which a third party placement agent or underwriter will be engaged, the Company shall promptly provide the Placement Agent with a written notice of such intention and statement of terms (the “Notice”). If, within ten (10) business days of the receipt of the Notice, the Company does not accept in writing such offer to act as lead placement agent or underwriter with respect to such offering upon the terms proposed, then the Company shall be entitled to engage a placement agent or underwriter other than the Placement Agent; provided that the terms of the compensation to be paid to such other placement agent or underwriter are not materially less favorable to the Company than the terms included in the Notice. In the event the Placement Agent fails to exercise these preferential rights in any situation, the Section 3(e) shall terminate. The Company represents and warrants that no other person has any right to participate in any offer, sale or distribution of the Company’s securities to which the Placement Agent’s preferential rights shall apply.

 

 

(f)          At the First Closing, the Company and the Placement Agent shall enter into a non-exclusive Finder’s Fee Agreement (the “Finder’s Agreement”), which will provide that, during the three (3) year period following the later of the Termination Date or the First Closing, if the Company or any of its affiliates shall enter into any of the transactions enumerated in the Finder’s Agreement (such transactions to include business combinations, joint ventures, license agreements and related transactions) with any party introduced to the Company by the Placement Agent, then the Company shall pay or cause to be paid to the Placement Agent a cash finder’s fee (the “Finder’s Fee”) payable in cash at the closing of such transaction, equal to 5% of the first $1 million of consideration paid by or to the Company, plus 4% of the next $1 million of consideration paid by or to the Company, plus 3% of the next $5 million of the consideration paid by or to the Company, plus 2.5% of any consideration paid by or to the Company in excess of $7 million; provided, however, that the Placement Agent will not be entitled to a Finder's Fee for a transaction entered into with any party with whom the Company had a pre-existing relationship prior to the date of the specific introduction (including situations where the Company had previously been introduced to such party by someone other than the Placement Agent or a party with whom the Company had already commenced discussions).

 

4.           Subscription and Closing Procedures.

 

(a)          The Company shall cause to be delivered to the Placement Agent copies of the Memorandum and has consented, and hereby consents, to the use of such copies for the purposes permitted by the Act and applicable securities laws and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and hereby authorizes the Placement Agent and its agents and employees to use the Memorandum in connection with the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares until the earlier of (i) the Termination Date or (ii) the Final Closing, and no person or entity is or will be authorized to give any information or make any representations other than those contained in the Memorandum or to use any offering materials other than those contained in the Memorandum in connection with the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares.

 

(b)          The Company shall make available to the Placement Agent and its representatives such information as may be reasonably requested in making a reasonable investigation of the Company and their respective affairs and shall provide access to such employees during normal business hours as shall be reasonably requested by the Placement Agent.

 

(c)          Each prospective purchaser will be required to complete and execute an original signature page for the Subscription Agreement (the “Subscription Documents”), which will be forwarded or delivered to the Placement Agent at the Placement Agent’s offices at the address set forth in Section 12 hereof, together with the subscriber’s wire transfer to the Escrow Agent (as defined below) of the full amount of the purchase price for the number of Series A Preferred Shares desired to be purchased, subject to the Placement Agent’s right to approve acceptance of a check by the Escrow Agent in lieu of a wire transfer.

 

(d)          All funds for subscriptions received from the Offering by the Placement Agent, if any, will be promptly forwarded to the Escrow Agent for deposit into a non-interest bearing escrow account (the “Escrow Account”) established for such purpose with Signature Bank (the “Escrow Agent”). All such funds for subscriptions will be held in the Escrow Account pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement among the Company, the Placement Agent and the Escrow Agent. The Company will pay all reasonable fees related to the establishment and maintenance of the Escrow Account. The Company will either accept or reject, for any or no reason, the Subscription Documents in a timely fashion and at each Closing the Company will countersign the Subscription Documents and provide duplicate copies of such documents to the Placement Agent for distribution to the subscribers. The Company, or the Placement Agent on the Company’s behalf, will promptly return to subscribers incomplete, improperly completed, improperly executed and rejected subscriptions and give written notice thereof to the Placement Agent upon such return.

 

 

(e)          If subscriptions for at least the Minimum Amount have been accepted prior to the Termination Date, as to which the funds therefor have been collected by the Escrow Agent and all of the conditions set forth elsewhere in this Agreement are fulfilled, a closing shall be held promptly with respect to Series A Preferred Shares sold (the “First Closing”). Thereafter remaining Series A Preferred Shares will continue to be offered and sold until the Termination Date and additional closings (each a “Closing”) (the date on which a Closing occurs is sometimes referred to as a “Closing Date”) may from time to time be conducted at times mutually agreed to between the Placement Agent and the Company with respect to additional Series A Preferred Shares sold, with the final closing (“Final Closing”) to occur within 10 days after the earlier of the Termination Date and the date on which the all Series A Preferred Shares has been fully subscribed for. Delivery of payment for the accepted subscriptions for Series A Preferred Shares from funds held in the Escrow Account will be made at each Closing against delivery of the Series A Preferred Shares by the Company. Executed certificates for the Series A Preferred Shares will be in such authorized denominations and, with respect to investors located by the Placement Agent, will be registered in such names as the Placement Agent may request and will be made available to the Placement Agent for checking and packaging at the Placement Agent’s office at each Closing or within ten (10) business days following a Closing. At the final Closing or within ten (10) business days thereafter, the Agent Warrants will be issued in such quantities and names as the Placement Agent may request.

 

(f)          If Subscription Documents for the Minimum Amount have not been received and accepted by the Company on or before the Termination Date for any reason, the Offering will be terminated, no Series A Preferred Shares will be sold, and the Escrow Agent will, at the request of the Placement Agent, cause all monies received from subscribers for the Series A Preferred Shares to be promptly returned to such subscribers without interest, penalty, expense or deduction.

 

5.           Further Covenants. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that:

 

(a)          Except upon prior written notice to the Placement Agent, the Company shall not, at any time prior to the Final Closing, knowingly take any action which would cause any of the representations and warranties made by it in this Agreement not to be complete and correct in all material respects on and as of each Closing Date with the same force and effect as if such representations and warranties had been made on and as of each such date (except to the extent any representation or warranty relates to an earlier date).

 

 

(b)          If, at any time prior to the Final Closing, any event shall occur that causes a Material Adverse Effect, as a result of which it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Memorandum so that the representations and warranties herein remain true and correct in all material respects, or in case it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Memorandum to comply with Regulation D or any other applicable securities laws or regulations, the Company will promptly notify the Placement Agent and shall, at its sole cost, prepare and furnish to the Placement Agent copies of appropriate amendments and/or supplements in such quantities as the Placement Agent may reasonably request. The Company will not at any time before the Final Closing prepare or use any amendment or supplement to the Memorandum of which the Placement Agent will not previously have been advised and furnished with a copy, or which is not in compliance in all material respects with the Act and other applicable securities laws. As soon as the Company is advised thereof, the Company will advise the Placement Agent and its counsel, and confirm the advice in writing, of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Memorandum, or the suspension of any exemption for such qualification or registration thereof for offering in any jurisdiction, or of the institution or threatened institution of any proceedings for any of such purposes, and the Company will use their reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as reasonably possible the lifting thereof.

 

(c)          The Company shall comply with the Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, all applicable state securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder in the states in which the Company’s counsel has advised the Placement Agent and the Company that the Series A Preferred Shares are qualified or registered for sale or exempt from such qualification or registration, so as to permit the continuance of the sales of the Series A Preferred Shares, and will file or cause to be filed with the Commission, and shall promptly thereafter forward or cause to be forwarded to the Placement Agent, any and all reports on Form D as are required.

 

(d)          The Company shall use best efforts to qualify the Series A Preferred Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as may be mutually agreed to by the Company and the Placement Agent, and the Company will make or cause to be made such applications and furnish information as may be required for such purposes, provided that the Company will not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction or execute a general consent to service of process. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such statements and reports as are or may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as the Placement Agent may reasonably request with respect to the Offering.

 

(e)          The Company shall place a legend on the certificates representing the Series A Preferred Shares and the Agent Warrants that the securities evidenced thereby have not been registered under the Act or applicable state securities laws, setting forth or referring to the applicable restrictions on transferability and sale of such securities under the Act and applicable state laws.

 

(f)          The Company shall apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares for the purposes substantially as described under the “Use of Proceeds” section of the Memorandum. Except as set forth in the Memorandum, the Company shall not use any of the net proceeds of the Offering to repay indebtedness to officers (other than accrued salaries incurred in the ordinary course of business), directors or stockholders of the Company without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent.

 

 

(g)          During the Offering Period, the Company shall afford each prospective purchaser of Series A Preferred Shares the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from an officer of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the Offering and the opportunity to obtain such other additional information necessary to verify the accuracy of the Memorandum to the extent the Company possesses such information or can acquire it without unreasonable expense.

 

(h)          Except with the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, the Company shall not, at any time prior to the earlier of the Final Closing or the Termination Date, except as contemplated by the Memorandum (i) engage in or commit to engage in any transaction outside the ordinary course of business as described in the Memorandum, (ii) issue, agree to issue or set aside for issuance any securities (debt or equity) or any rights to acquire any such securities, (iii) incur, outside the ordinary course of business, any material indebtedness, (iv) dispose of any material assets, (v) make any material acquisition or (vi) change its business or operations.

 

(i)          The Company shall pay all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and printing of all necessary offering documents and instruments related to the Offering and the issuance of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Agent Warrants and will also pay the Company's own expenses for accounting fees, legal fees and other costs involved with the Offering. The Company will provide at its own expense such quantities of the Memorandum and other documents and instruments relating to the Offering as the Placement Agent may reasonably request. All Blue Sky filings shall be prepared by the Company’s counsel at the Company’s expense. Further, as promptly as practicable after the Final Closing, the Company shall prepare, at its own expense, velobound "closing binders" relating to the Offering and will distribute one such binder to each of the Placement Agent and its counsel.

 

(j)          Until the earlier of the Termination Date or the Final Closing, neither the Company nor any person or entity acting on such persons’ behalf will negotiate with any other placement agent or underwriter with respect to a private or public offering of such entity’s debt or equity securities. Neither the Company nor any person or entity acting on such persons’ behalf will, until the earlier of the Termination Date or the Final Closing, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, offer for sale to, or solicit offers to subscribe for Series A Preferred Shares from, or otherwise approach or negotiate in respect thereof with, any other person.

 

 

6.           Conditions of Placement Agent’s Obligations. The obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder to effect a Closing are subject to the fulfillment, at or before each Closing, of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)          Each of the representations and warranties made by the Company qualified as to materiality shall be true and correct at all times prior to and on each Closing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and the representations and warranties made by the Company not qualified as to materiality shall be true and correct in all material respects at all times prior to and on each Closing Date, except to the extent any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.

 

(b)          The Company shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all agreements, covenants and conditions required to be performed and complied with by it at or before the Closing.

 

(c)          The Memorandum did not, and as of the date of any amendment or supplement 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 light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(d)          No order suspending the use of the Memorandum or enjoining the Offering or sale of the Series A Preferred Shares shall have been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose or a similar purpose shall have been initiated or pending, or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, be contemplated or threatened.

 

(e)          The Placement Agent shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, certifying as to the fulfillment of the conditions set forth in subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) above.

 

(f)          The Company shall have delivered to the Placement Agent: (i) a certified charter document (including the Certificate of Designations) and good standing certificate of each of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries, each dated as of a date within 10 days prior to the Closing Date from the secretary of state of its jurisdiction of incorporation; and (ii) resolutions of the Company's Board of Directors approving this Agreement and the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and the Memorandum, certified by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

 

(g)          At each Closing, the Company shall pay and/or issue to the Placement Agent the Agent Compensation and Agent Expense Allowance earned in such Closing.

 

(h)          The Company shall deliver to the Placement Agent a signed opinion of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, counsel to the Company, as of each Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.

 

(i)          All proceedings taken at or prior to the Closing in connection with the authorization, issuance and sale of the Series A Preferred Shares and the Agent Warrants will be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and its counsel, and such counsel shall have been furnished with all such documents, certificates and opinions as it may reasonably request upon reasonable prior notice in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

 

7.           Conditions of the Company’s Obligations. The obligations of the Company to effect a Closing are subject to the fulfillment, at or before each Closing, of the condition that each of the representations and warranties made by Placement Agent herein are true and correct as of each Closing Date.

 

8.           Indemnification.

 

(a)          The Company will: (i) indemnify and hold harmless the Placement Agent, its agents and their respective officers, directors, employees, selected dealers and each person, if any, who controls the Placement Agent within the meaning of the Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and such selected dealers (each an “Indemnitee” or a "Placement Agent Party") against, and pay or reimburse each Indemnitee for, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses whatsoever (or actions or proceedings or investigations in respect thereof), joint or several (which will, for all purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys’ fees, including appeals), to which any Indemnitee may become subject (x) under the Act or otherwise, in connection with the offer and sale of the Series A Preferred Shares and (y) as a result of the breach of any representation, warranty or covenant made by the Company herein, regardless of whether such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses shall result from any claim by any Indemnitee or by any third party; and (ii) reimburse each Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, action, proceeding or investigation; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such claim, damage or liability is finally judicially determined to have resulted exclusively from (A) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact made in the Memorandum, or an omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent specifically for use in the Memorandum or (B) any violations by the Placement Agent of the Act or state securities laws which does not result from a violation thereof by the Company, or any of its affiliates. In addition to the foregoing agreement to indemnify and reimburse, the Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses whatsoever (or actions or proceedings or investigations in respect thereof), joint or several (which shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees, including appeals) to which any Indemnitee may become subject insofar as such costs, expenses, losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon the claim of any person or entity that he or it is entitled to broker’s or finder’s fees from any Indemnitee in connection with the Offering, other than fees due to the Placement Agent. The foregoing indemnity agreements will be in addition to any liability the Company may otherwise have.

 

 

(b)          The Placement Agent will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors, and each person, if any, who controls such entity Section 15 of the Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act against, and pay or reimburse any such person for, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses whatsoever (or actions, proceedings or investigations in respect thereof) to which the Company or any such person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, whether such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses shall result from any claim of the Company or any such person who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act or by any third party, but only to the extent that such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Memorandum made in reliance upon and in conformity with information contained in the Memorandum relating to the Placement Agent, or an 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 either case, if made or omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent, specifically for use in the preparation thereof or (ii) any violations by the Placement Agent of the Act or state securities laws which does not result from a violation thereof by the Company, or any of its affiliates. The Placement Agent will reimburse the Company or any such person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action, proceeding or investigation to which such indemnity obligation applies. The foregoing indemnity agreements are in addition to any liability which the Placement Agent may otherwise have. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event (except in the event of gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Placement Agent and only to the extent found in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction) shall the Placement Agent’s indemnification obligation hereunder exceed the amount of the Agent’s Cash Fee actually received by it.

 

(c)          Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, claim, proceeding or investigation (the “Action”), such indemnified party, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, will notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under this Section 8 unless the indemnifying party has been substantially prejudiced by such omission. The indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party, to assume the defense thereof subject to the provisions herein stated, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party. The indemnified party will have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel will not be at the expense of the indemnifying party if the indemnifying party has assumed the defense of the Action with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, provided, however, that if the indemnified party shall be requested by the indemnifying party to participate in the defense thereof or shall have concluded in good faith and specifically notified the indemnifying party either that there may be specific defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or that such Action involves or could have a material adverse effect upon it with respect to matters beyond the scope of the indemnity agreements contained in this Agreement, then the counsel representing it, to the extent made necessary by such defenses, shall have the right to direct such defenses of such Action on its behalf and in such case the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel in connection with any such participation or defenses shall be paid by the indemnifying party. No settlement of any Action against an indemnified party will be made without the consent of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned in light of all factors of importance to such party, and no indemnifying party shall be liable to indemnify any person for any settlement of any such claim effected without such indemnifying party’s consent.

 

 

9.           Contribution. To provide for just and equitable contribution, if: (i) an indemnified party makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section 8 hereof and it is finally determined, by a judgment, order or decree not subject to further appeal that such claims for indemnification may not be enforced, even though this Agreement expressly provides for indemnification in such case; or (ii) any indemnified or indemnifying party seeks contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act, or otherwise, 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 Placement Agent on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (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 Placement Agent 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 Agent Cash Fees received by the Placement Agent. The relative fault, in the case of an untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission will be determined by, among other things, whether such statement, alleged statement, omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Placement Agent, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement, alleged statement, omission or alleged omission. The Company and the Placement Agent agree that it would be unjust and inequitable if the respective obligations of the Company and the Placement Agent for contribution were determined by pro rata allocation of the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses or by any other method or allocation that does not reflect the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 9. No person guilty of a fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 10(f) of the Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who is not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9, each person, if any, who controls the Placement Agent within the meaning of the Act will have the same rights to contribution as the Placement Agent, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions of this Section 9. Anything in this Section 9 to the contrary notwithstanding, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to the settlement of any claim or action effected without its written consent. This Section 9 is intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available.

 

10.         Termination.

 

(a)          The Offering may be terminated by the Placement Agent at any time prior to the expiration of the Offering Period in the event that: (i) any of the representations, warranties or covenants of the Company contained herein or in the Memorandum shall prove to have been false or misleading in any material respect when actually made; (ii) the Company shall have failed to perform any of its material obligations hereunder or under any other Transaction Document or any other transaction document; (iii) there shall occur any event that could reasonably be expected to result in an Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the Placement Agent determines that it is reasonably likely that any of the conditions to Closing set forth herein will not, or cannot, be satisfied. In the event of a termination by the Placement Agent under Section 10(a)(iv) that occurs prior to the First Closing, the Placement Agent shall not be entitled to any further compensation pursuant to these termination provisions, except that the provisions of Section 3(d) shall survive in full force and effect.

 

 

(b)          This Offering may be terminated by the Company at any time prior to the expiration of the Offering Period (i) in the event that the Placement Agent shall have failed to perform any of its material obligations hereunder or (ii) on account of the Placement Agent’s fraud, illegal or willful misconduct or gross negligence. In the event of any such termination pursuant to this Section 10(b), the Placement Agent shall not be entitled to any further compensation pursuant to these termination provisions.

 

(c)          Intentionally omitted.

 

(d)          This Offering may be terminated upon mutual agreement of the Company and the Placement Agent at any time prior to the expiration of the Offering Period. In addition, upon the expiration of the Offering Period, the Offering shall terminate without any further action of the parties hereto. If the Offering is terminated pursuant to this Section 10(d), then in cases in which no Closing had been theretofore consummated, each party shall pay its own respective expenses, provided that the $15,000 previously advanced to the Placement Agent’s counsel toward the Expense Allowance shall not be refunded to the Company.

 

(e)          Before any termination by the Placement Agent under Section 10(a) or by the Company under Section 10(b) shall become effective, the terminating party shall give written notice to the other party of its intention to terminate the Offering (the “Termination Notice”). The Termination Notice shall specify the grounds for the proposed termination. If the specified grounds for termination, or their resulting adverse effect on the transactions contemplated hereby, are curable, then the other party shall have ten (10) days from the Termination Notice within which to remove such grounds or to eliminate all of their material adverse effects on the transactions contemplated hereby; otherwise, the Offering shall terminate.

 

(f)          Upon any termination pursuant to this Section 10, the Placement Agent and the Company will instruct Escrow Agent to cause all monies received with respect to the subscriptions for Series A Preferred Shares not accepted by the Company to be promptly returned to such subscribers without interest, penalty or deduction.

 

11.         Survival.

 

(a)          The obligations of the parties to pay any costs and expenses hereunder and to provide indemnification and contribution as provided herein shall survive any termination hereunder. In addition, the provisions of Sections 8 through 16 shall survive the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares or any termination of the Offering hereunder.

 

 

(b)          The respective indemnities, covenants, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Placement Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of, and regardless of any access to information by, the Company or the Placement Agent, or any of their officers or directors or any controlling person thereof, and will survive the sale of the Series A Preferred Shares or any termination of the Offering hereunder for a period of four years from the earlier to occur of the Final Closing or the termination of the Offering.

 

12.         Notices. All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made as of the date delivered personally, or the date mailed if mailed by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like changes of address which shall be effective upon receipt) or sent by facsimile transmission, with confirmation received, if sent to the Placement Agent, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed and confirmed to Aegis Capital Corp., 810 Seventh Ave, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Adam K. Stern, telefax number ###-###-####, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: Meister Seelig & Fein LLP, 125 Park Avenue, 7^th Floor, New York, NY 10017, Attn: Kenneth S. Goodwin, Esq., telefax number (646)  ###-###-####, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed and confirmed to Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc., 1545 Route 206 South, Suite 302, Bedminster, NJ 07921, Attn: Roelof Rongen, President & CEO, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to: Lowenstein Sandler LLP, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Attn: Steven M. Skolnick, Esq., telefax number ###-###-####.

 

13.         Governing Law, Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made and delivered in New York City and shall be governed as to validity, interpretation, construction, affect and in all other respects by the internal laws of the State of New York. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE, CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RELATING TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE TERMINATION OR VALIDITY HEREOF, ANY ALLEGED BREACH OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE ENGAGEMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (ANY OF THE FOREGOING, A “CLAIM”) SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE JUDICIAL ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION SERVICES, INC (“JAMS”), OR ITS SUCCESSOR, IN NEW YORK, FOR FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION IN FRONT OF A PANEL OF THREE ARBITRATORS WITH JAMS IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK UNDER THE JAMS COMPREHENSIVE ARBITRATION RULES AND PROCEDURES (WITH EACH OF THE SELLING AGENT AND THE COMPANY CHOOSING ONE ARBITRATOR, AND THE CHOSEN ARBITRATORS CHOOSING THE THIRD ARBITRATOR).  THE ARBITRATORS SHALL, IN THEIR AWARD, ALLOCATE ALL OF THE COSTS OF THE ARBITRATION, INCLUDING THE FEES OF THE ARBITRATORS AND THE REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES OF THE PREVAILING PARTY, AGAINST THE PARTY WHO DID NOT PREVAIL.  THE AWARD IN THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE FINAL AND BINDING.  THE ARBITRATION SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT, 9 U.S.C. SEC. 1-16, AND THE JUDGMENT UPON THE AWARD RENDERED BY THE ARBITRATORS MAY BE ENTERED BY ANY COURT HAVING JURISDICTION THEREOF.  THE COMPANY AND THE PLACEMENT AGENT AGREE AND CONSENT TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE OF PROCESS AND VENUE IN ANY FEDERAL OR STATE COURT WITHIN THE STATE AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY ACTION BROUGHT TO ENFORCE AN AWARD IN ARBITRATION.

 

 

14.         Miscellaneous. No provision of this Agreement may be changed or terminated except by a writing signed by the party or parties to be charged therewith. Unless expressly so provided, no party to this Agreement will be liable for the performance of any other party’s obligations hereunder. Either party hereto may waive compliance by the other with any of the terms, provisions and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that any such waiver shall be in writing specifically setting forth those provisions waived thereby. No such waiver shall be deemed to constitute or imply waiver of any other term, provision or condition of this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement to any other person or entity without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

15.         Entire Agreement; Severability. This Agreement together with any other agreement referred to herein supersedes all prior understandings and written or oral agreements between the parties with respect to the Offering and the subject matter hereof. If any portion of this Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable, then so far as is reasonable and possible (i) the remainder of this Agreement shall be considered valid and enforceable and (ii) effect shall be given to the intent manifested by the portion held invalid or unenforceable.

 

16.         Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which may be executed by less than all of the parties and shall be deemed to be an original instrument which shall be enforceable against the parties actually executing such counterparts and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of the original Agreement for all purposes. Signatures of the parties transmitted by facsimile shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

 

[Signatures on following page.]

 

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of the agreement among the Company and the Placement Agent, kindly sign and return this Agreement, whereupon it will become a binding agreement between the Company and the Placement Agent in accordance with its terms.

 

	MATINAS BIOPHARMA HOLDINGS, INC.
	By:	/s/ Roelof Rongen
	Name:	Roelof Rongen
	Title:	Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted and agreed to this

27th day of June, 2016:

 

AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.

 

By:	/s/ Adam K. Stern
Name:	Adam K. Stern
Title:	Head of Private Equity Banking