SAREPTA THERAPEUTICS, INC. CHANGE IN CONTROL AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.20
SAREPTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
CHANGE IN CONTROL AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
This Change in Control and Severance Agreement (the Agreement) is made and entered into by and between [ ] (the Executive) and Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (the Company), effective as of the latest date set forth by the signatures of the parties hereto below (the Effective Date).
R E C I T A L S
A. It is expected that the Company from time to time will consider the possibility of an acquisition by another company or other change in control. The Board of Directors of the Company (the Board) recognizes that such consideration as well as the possibility of an involuntary termination or reduction in responsibility in connection with a change in control can be a distraction to Executive and can cause Executive to consider alternative employment opportunities. The Board has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to assure that the Company will have the continued dedication and objectivity of Executive, notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of such an event.
B. The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to provide Executive with an incentive to continue Executives employment and to motivate Executive to maximize the value of the Company upon a Change in Control (as defined below).
C. The Board believes that it is imperative to provide Executive with severance benefits upon certain terminations of Executives service to the Company following a Change in Control that enhance Executives financial security and provide incentive and encouragement to Executive to remain with the Company notwithstanding the possibility of such an event.
D. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 6 below.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective as of the Effective Date and terminate upon the date that all obligations of the parties hereto with respect to this Agreement have been satisfied.
2. At-Will Employment. The Company and Executive acknowledge that Executives employment is and shall continue to be at-will, as defined under applicable law. If Executives employment terminates for any reason, Executive shall not be entitled to any payments, benefits, damages, awards or compensation other than as provided by this Agreement.
3. Covered Termination During a Change in Control Period. If Executive experiences a Covered Termination during a Change in Control Period, and if Executive delivers to the Company a general release of claims in a form acceptable to the Company (the Release of Claims) that
becomes effective and irrevocable sixty (60) days following such Covered Termination, then in addition to any accrued but unpaid salary, bonus, vacation and expense reimbursement payable in accordance with applicable law, the Company shall provide Executive with the following:
(a) Severance. Executive shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to twelve (12) months of Executives base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to Executives termination of employment payable in a cash lump sum, less applicable withholdings, as soon as administratively practicable following the date the Release of Claims is not subject to revocation and, in any event, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Covered Termination.
(b) Bonus. Executive shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of Executives annual target bonus assuming achievement of performance goals at one hundred percent (100%) payable in a cash lump sum, less applicable withholdings, as soon as administratively practicable following the date the Release of Claims is not subject to revocation and, in any event, within sixty (60) days following the date of the Covered Termination.
(c) Equity Awards. Each outstanding equity award, including, without limitation, each stock option and restricted stock award, held by Executive shall automatically become vested and, if applicable, exercisable and any forfeiture restrictions or rights of repurchase thereon shall immediately lapse, in each case, with respect to one hundred percent (100%) of shares subject thereto.
(d) Continued Healthcare. If Executive elects to receive continued healthcare coverage pursuant to the provisions of COBRA, the Company shall directly pay, or reimburse Executive for, the premium for Executive and Executives covered dependents through the earlier of (i) the twelve (12) month anniversary of the date of Executives termination of employment and (ii) the date Executive and Executives covered dependents, if any, become eligible for healthcare coverage under another employers plan(s). After the Company ceases to pay premiums pursuant to the preceding sentence, Executive may, if eligible, elect to continue healthcare coverage at Executives expense in accordance the provisions of COBRA.
4. Other Terminations. If Executives service with the Company is terminated by the Company or by Executive for any or no reason other than as a Covered Termination during a Change in Control Period, then Executive shall not be entitled to any benefits hereunder other than accrued but unpaid salary, bonus, vacation and expense reimbursement in accordance with applicable law and to elect any continued healthcare coverage as may be required under COBRA or similar state law.
5. Limitation on Payments. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any payment or distribution Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (Payment) would (a) constitute a parachute payment within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), and (b) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the Excise Tax), then such Payment shall either be (i) delivered in full, or (ii) delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such Payment being subject to the Excise Tax, whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the Excise Tax, results in the receipt by Executive on an after-tax basis, of the largest payment, notwithstanding that all or some portion the Payment may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. The accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the
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Change in Control shall perform the foregoing calculations. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The accounting firm shall provide its calculations to the Company and Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executives right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Company or Executive) or such other time as requested by the Company or Executive. Any good faith determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive. Any reduction in payments and/or benefits pursuant to this Section 5 will occur in the following order: (1) reduction of cash payments; (2) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (3) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (4) reduction of other benefits payable to Executive.
6. Definition of Terms. The following terms referred to in this Agreement shall have the following meanings:
(a) Cause. Cause means (i) an act of dishonesty made by Executive in connection with Executives responsibilities as an employee; (ii) Executives conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any crime involving fraud, embezzlement or any other act of moral turpitude; (iii) Executives gross misconduct; (iv) Executives unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom Executive owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of Executives relationship with the Company; (v) Executives willful breach of any obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company; or (vi) Executives continued failure to perform his or her employment duties after Executive has received a written demand of performance from the Company which specifically sets forth the factual basis for the Companys belief that Executive has not substantially performed his or her duties and has failed to cure such non-performance to the Companys satisfaction within ten (10) business days after receiving such notice.
(b) Change in Control. Change in Control means the occurrence of any of the following events:
i. | Change in Ownership of the Company. A change in the ownership of the Company which occurs on the date that any one person, or more than one person acting as a group (Person), acquires ownership of the stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such Person, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (i), the acquisition of additional stock by any one Person, who is considered to own more than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of the stock of the Company will not be considered a Change in Control; or |
ii. | Change in Effective Control of the Company. If the Company has a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, a change in the effective control of the Company which occurs on the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12) month period by members of the Board whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election. For purposes of this subsection (ii), if any Person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same Person will not be considered a Change in Control; or |
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iii. | Change in Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Companys Assets. A change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Companys assets which occurs on the date that any Person acquires (or has acquired during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market value equal to or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (iii), the following will not constitute a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Companys assets: (A) a transfer to an entity that is controlled by the Companys shareholders immediately after the transfer, or (B) a transfer of assets by the Company to: (1) a shareholder of the Company (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Companys stock, (2) an entity, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company, (3) a Person, that owns, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting power of all the outstanding stock of the Company, or (4) an entity, at least fifty percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in this subsection (iii)(B)(3). For purposes of this subsection (iii), gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company, or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities associated with such assets. |
For purposes of this definition, persons will be considered to be acting as a group if they are owners of a corporation that enters into a merger, consolidation, purchase or acquisition of stock, or similar business transaction with the Company.
Further and for the avoidance of doubt, a transaction shall not constitute a Change in Control if: (i) its sole purpose is to change the state of the Companys incorporation, or (ii) its sole purpose is to create a holding company that shall be owned in substantially the same proportions by the persons who held the Companys securities immediately before such transaction.
(c) Change in Control Period. Change in Control Period means the twelve (12) month period of time commencing upon a Change in Control.
(d) Constructive Termination. Constructive Termination means Executives resignation from employment with the Company within ninety (90) days after the occurrence of one or more of the following conditions without Participants consent: (i) a material diminution in Executives authority, duties, or responsibilities; (ii) a material diminution in Executives base salary, other than a diminution ratably applied to other senior executives of the Company; (iii) a material change in the geographic location at which Executive must perform Executives services hereunder (which shall in no event include a relocation of Executives office which results in an increased commuting distance from Executives home to the office of less than thirty (30) miles); or (iv) any other action or inaction that constitutes a material breach of this any written agreement or covenant between Executive and the Company by the Company; and which, in the case of any of the foregoing, continues uncured by the Company beyond thirty (30) days after Executive has provided the Company written notice that Executive believes in good faith that such condition giving rise to such claim of Constructive Termination has occurred. Any such notice shall be provided to the Company within thirty (30) days following the initial occurrence of the condition or event giving rise to Constructive Termination.
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(e) Covered Termination. Covered Termination shall mean Executives Constructive Termination or the termination of Executives employment by the Company other than for Cause.
7. Successors.
(a) Companys Successors. Any successor to the Company (whether direct or indirect and whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, liquidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the Companys business and/or assets shall assume the obligations under this Agreement and agree expressly to perform the obligations under this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent as the Company would be required to perform such obligations in the absence of a succession. For all purposes under this Agreement, the term Company shall include any successor to the Companys business and/or assets which executes and delivers the assumption agreement described in this Section 7(a) or which becomes bound by the terms of this Agreement by operation of law.
(b) Executives Successors. The terms of this Agreement and all rights of Executive hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, Executives personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees.
8. Notices. Notices and all other communications contemplated by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when personally delivered or one day following mailing via Federal Express or similar overnight courier service. In the case of Executive, mailed notices shall be addressed to Executive at Executives home address that the Company has on file for Executive. In the case of the Company, mailed notices shall be addressed to its corporate headquarters, and all notices shall be directed to the attention of its Chief Financial Officer and the Vice President of Human Resources.
9. Confidentiality; Non-Solicitation.
(a) Confidentiality. While Executive is employed by the Company, and thereafter, Executive shall not directly or indirectly disclose or make available to any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever, any Confidential Information (as defined below). Upon termination of Executives employment with the Company, all Confidential Information in Executives possession that is in written or other tangible form (together with all copies or duplicates thereof, including computer files) shall be returned to the Company and shall not be retained by Executive or furnished to any third party, in any form except as provided herein; provided, however, that Executive shall not be obligated to treat as confidential, or return to the Company copies of any Confidential Information that (i) was publicly known at the time of disclosure to Executive, (ii) becomes publicly known or available thereafter other than by any means in violation of this Agreement or any other duty owed to the Company by any person or entity, or (iii) is lawfully disclosed to Executive by a third party. For purposes of this Agreement, the term Confidential Information shall mean information disclosed to Executive or known by Executive as a consequence of or through his or her relationship with the Company, about the customers, employees, business methods, public relations methods, organization, procedures or finances, including, without limitation, information of or relating to customer lists, of the Company and its affiliates. In addition, Executive shall continue to be subject to any and all confidentiality and intellectual proeprty agreements between Executive and the Company, including, without limitation, the Confidential Proprietary Rights and Non-Disclosure Agreement, (collectively, the Confidential Information Agreements).
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(b) Non-Solicitation. In addition to each Executives obligations under the Confidential Information Agreements, Executive shall not for a period of one (1) year following Executives termination of employment for any reason, either on Executives own account or jointly with or as a manager, agent, officer, employee, consultant, partner, joint venturer, owner or stockholder or otherwise on behalf of any other person, firm or corporation, directly or indirectly solicit or attempt to solicit away from the Company any of its officers or employees or offer employment to any person who is an officer or employee of the Company; provided, however, that a general advertisement to which an employee of the Company responds shall in no event be deemed to result in a breach of this Section 9(b). Executive also agrees not to harass or disparage the Company or its employees, clients, directors or agents or divert or attempt to divert any actual or potential business of the Company.
(c) Survival of Provisions. The provisions of this Section 9 shall survive the termination or expiration of the applicable Executives employment with the Company and shall be fully enforceable thereafter. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 9 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.
10. Dispute Resolution. To ensure the timely and economical resolution of disputes that arise in connection with this Agreement, Executive and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action arising from or relating to the enforcement, breach, performance or interpretation of this Agreement, Executives employment, or the termination of Executives employment, shall be resolved to the fullest extent permitted by law by final, binding and confidential arbitration, by a single arbitrator, in Seattle, Washington, conducted by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (JAMS) under the applicable JAMS employment rules. By agreeing to this arbitration procedure, both Executive and the Company waive the right to resolve any such dispute through a trial by jury or judge or administrative proceeding. The arbitrator shall: (i) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of the dispute and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (ii) issue a written arbitration decision, to include the arbitrators essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award. The arbitrator shall be authorized to award any or all remedies that Executive or the Company would be entitled to seek in a court of law. The Company shall pay all JAMS arbitration fees in excess of the amount of court fees that would be required if the dispute were decided in a court of law. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to prevent either Executive or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive and the Company each have the right to resolve any issue or dispute over intellectual property rights by Court action instead of arbitration.
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11. Miscellaneous Provisions.
(a) Section 409A.
(i) Separation from Service. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, no amount deemed deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be payable pursuant to Section 3 unless Executives termination of employment constitutes a separation from service with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder (Separation from Service) and, except as provided under Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement, any such amount shall not be paid, or in the case of installments, commence payment, until the sixtieth (60th) day following Executives Separation from Service. Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the sixty (60) day period immediately following Executives Separation from Service but for the preceding sentence shall be paid to Executive on the sixtieth (60th) day following Executives Separation from Service and the remaining payments shall be made as provided in this Agreement.
(ii) Specified Employee. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed at the time of his separation from service to be a specified employee for purposes of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of the benefits to which Executive is entitled under this Agreement is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such portion of Executives benefits shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earlier of (a) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of the Executives Separation from Service or (b) the date of Executives death. Upon the first business day following the expiration of the applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Section 11(a)(ii) shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due under this Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.
(iii) Expense Reimbursements. To the extent that any reimbursements payable pursuant to this Agreement are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, any such reimbursements payable to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid to Executive no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and Executives right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
(b) Waiver. No provision of this Agreement shall be modified, waived or discharged unless the modification, waiver or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed by Executive and by an authorized officer of the Company (other than Executive). No waiver by either party of any breach of, or of compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement by the other party shall be considered a waiver of any other condition or provision or of the same condition or provision at another time.
(c) Whole Agreement. This Agreement and the Confidential Information Agreements represent the entire understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior arrangements and understandings regarding same, including, without limitation, any accelerated vesting provisions of Executives offer letter agreement, employment agreement and/or stock option agreement.
(d) Choice of Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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(e) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof, which shall remain in full force and effect.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
(Signature page follows)
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in the case of the Company by its duly authorized officer, as of the day and year set forth below.
SAREPTA THERAPEUTICS, INC. | ||
By: |
Title: | ||
Date: |
EXECUTIVE | ||
[ ] | ||
Date: |
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