Description of Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Exhibit 4.6
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
The following summary describes the common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, of Protagenic Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”, “our”, “us”, or “we”), which are the only securities of the Company registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The following is a summary and does not purport to be complete. The summary is subject to and qualified by the provisions of our Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate”), Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), and the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).
Our Certificate authorizes us to issue 100,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
Voting. The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters on which the holders are entitled to vote (or consent pursuant to written consent).
Dividends. The holders of our common stock are entitled to receive, ratably, dividends only if, when and as declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor and after provision is made for each class of capital stock having preference over the common stock.
Liquidation Rights. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share, ratably, in all assets remaining available for distribution after payment of all liabilities and after provision is made for each class of capital stock having preference over the common stock.
Conversion Rights. The holders of our common stock have no conversion rights.
Preemptive and Similar Rights. The holders of our common stock have no preemptive or similar rights.
Redemption/Put Rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. All of the outstanding shares of our common stock are fully-paid and non-assessable.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC is the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.
Dividends
We have never declared or paid dividends. We do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future, but currently intend to retain any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. The payment of dividends if any, on our common stock will rest solely within the discretion of our board of directors and will depend, among other things, upon our earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, and other relevant factors.
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Anti-Takeover Effect of Delaware Law, Certain Charter and Bylaw Provisions
Our Certificate and Bylaws contain provisions that could have the effect of discouraging potential acquisition proposals or tender offers or delaying or preventing a change of control of our company. These provisions are as follows:
| ● | they provide that special meetings of stockholders may be called by the board of directors or at the request in writing by stockholders of record owning at least twenty (20%) percent of the issued and outstanding voting shares of common stock; | |
| ● | they do not include a provision for cumulative voting in the election of directors. Under cumulative voting, a minority stockholder holding a sufficient number of shares may be able to ensure the election of one or more directors. The absence of cumulative voting may have the effect of limiting the ability of minority stockholders to effect changes in our board of directors; | |
| ● | they provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before our annual meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide timely advance notice in writing, and, subject to applicable law, will specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice; and | |
| ● | subject to the limitation prescribed by the DGCL, they authorize our Board of Directors to issue, without stockholder approval, preferred stock in one or more series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each series and any of its qualifications, limitations, or restrictions. Any such issuance could adversely affect the rights and powers of the holders of our common stock. |
We are subject to the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL, an anti-takeover law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in the following prescribed manner:
| ● | prior to the time of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder; |
| ● | upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of shares outstanding (1) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (2) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; and |
| ● | on or subsequent to the time of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. |
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Generally, for purposes of Section 203, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. An “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns or, within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status, owned 15% or more of a corporation’s outstanding voting securities.
Stockholder Action by Written Consent
Our Bylaws provide that any action required by law to be taken at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders or any action which may be taken at such a meeting may be taken without a meeting by written consent of the stockholders in lieu of a meeting.
Choice of Forum
Our Certificate provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; any action asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to the DGCL, our Certificate or our Bylaws; or any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine.
Market for Common Stock
Our common stock trades on the OTCQB Venture Market under the stock symbol “PTIX.”
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