3,500,000 Shares SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES, INC. Common Stock UNDERWRITINGAGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
3,500,000 Shares
SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES, INC.
Common Stock
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
May , 2005
CIBC World Markets Corp.
Thomas Weisel Partners
William Blair & Company
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto
c/o CIBC World Markets Corp.
417 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, New York 10016
Ladies and Gentlemen:
SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”) and the persons and entities listed on Schedule II hereto (the “Selling Stockholders”), propose, subject to the terms and conditions contained herein, to sell to you and the other underwriters named on Schedule I to this Agreement (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as Representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 3,500,000 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, no par value per share (the “Common Stock”). Of the 3,500,000 Firm Shares, 3,000,000 are to be issued and sold by the Company and 500,000 are to be sold by the Selling Stockholders. The respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be purchased by each of the several Underwriters are set forth opposite their names on Schedule I hereto. In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares (the “Company Option Shares”) of Common Stock from the Company and the Selling Stockholders propose to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 75,000 shares (the “Selling Stockholders Option Shares” and together with the Company Option Shares, the “Option Shares”) of Common Stock from the Selling Stockholders for the purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares. The Firm Shares and the Option Shares are collectively called the “Shares.” The Selling Stockholders other than Mr. Barry Plost shall be referred to herein as the “Institutional Selling Stockholders.”
The Company has prepared and filed in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the published rules and regulations thereunder (the “Rules”) adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) on Form S-1 (No. 333-124118), including a preliminary prospectus relating to the Shares, and such amendments thereof as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. Copies of such Registration Statement (including all amendments thereof) and of the related Preliminary Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) have heretofore been delivered by the Company to you. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus included at any time as a part of the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Rules. The term “Registration Statement” as used in this Agreement means the initial registration statement (including all exhibits and financial schedules), as amended at the time and on the date it becomes effective (the “Effective Date”), including the information (if any) contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and deemed to be part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A of the Rules. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Rules (the “462(b) Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the Registration Statement shall also be deemed to include such 462(b) Registration Statement. The term “Prospectus” as used in this Agreement means the prospectus in the form included in the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness or, if Rule 430A of the Rules is relied on, the term Prospectus shall also include the final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules.
The Company and the Selling Stockholders understand that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Shares, as set forth in and pursuant to the Prospectus, as soon after the Effective Date and the date of this Agreement as the Representatives deem advisable. The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby confirm that the Underwriters and dealers have been authorized to distribute or cause to be distributed each Preliminary Prospectus and are authorized to distribute the Prospectus (as from time to time amended or supplemented if the Company furnishes amendments or supplements thereto to the Underwriters).
1. Sale, Purchase, Delivery and Payment for the Shares. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements contained in, and subject to the terms and conditions of, this Agreement:
(a) The Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $ per share (the “Initial Price”), the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter under the column “Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from the Company” on Schedule I to this Agreement, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 9 hereof. The Selling Stockholders agree to sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Selling Stockholders, at the Initial Price, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter under the column “Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from the Selling Stockholders” on Schedule I to this Agreement, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
(b) The Company and the Selling Stockholders hereby grant to the several Underwriters an option to purchase, severally and not jointly, all or any part of the Option Shares at the Initial Price. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by each
Underwriter shall be the same percentage (adjusted by the Representatives to eliminate fractions) of the total number of Option Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Firm Shares. Such option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sales of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before 12:00 p.m. noon, New York City time, on the business day before the Firm Shares Closing Date (as defined below), and from time to time thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, in each case upon written, facsimile or telegraphic notice, or verbal or telephonic notice confirmed by written, facsimile or telegraphic notice, by the Representatives to the Company no later than 12:00 p.m. noon, New York City time, on the business day before the Firm Shares Closing Date or at least two business days before the Option Shares Closing Date (as defined below), as the case may be, setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the time and date (if other than the Firm Shares Closing Date) of such purchase.
(c) Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, the Firm Shares shall be made at the offices of CIBC World Markets Corp., One World Financial Center, New York, New York 10281, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the third business day following the date of this Agreement or at such time on such other date, not later than ten (10) business days after the date of this Agreement, as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives (such time and date of delivery and payment are called the “Firm Shares Closing Date”). In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Shares are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price, and delivery of the certificates, for such Option Shares shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, on each date of delivery as specified in the notice from the Representatives to the Company (such time and date of delivery and payment are called the “Option Shares Closing Date”). The Firm Shares Closing Date and any Option Shares Closing Date are called, individually, a “Closing Date” and, together, the “Closing Dates.”
(d) Payment shall be made to the Company and the Selling Stockholders by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by certified or official bank check or checks payable in New York Clearing House (same day) funds drawn to the order of the Company and to the Selling Stockholders for the shares purchased from the Selling Stockholders, against delivery of the respective certificates to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Shares to be purchased by them.
(e) Certificates evidencing the Shares shall be registered in such names and shall be in such denominations as the Representatives shall request at least two full business days before the Firm Shares Closing Date or, in the case of Option Shares, on the day of notice of exercise of the option as described in Section 1(b) and shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) for the account of such Underwriter. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Shares to be made available for checking and packaging, at such place as is designated by the Representatives, on the full business day before the Firm Shares Closing Date (or the Option Shares Closing Date in the case of the Option Shares).
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Firm Shares Closing Date and as of each Option Shares Closing Date (if any), as follows:
(a) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement complied, and on the date of the Prospectus, the date any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective, the date any supplement or amendment to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission and each Closing Date, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules. The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the Effective Date and the other dates referred to above neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, nor any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading. When any related preliminary prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Rules) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such preliminary prospectus as amended or supplemented complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, other than information omitted pursuant to Rule 430A of the Rules. If applicable, each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the representations and warranties in this paragraph 2(a) shall apply to statements in, or omissions from, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information herein or otherwise furnished in writing by the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters or by the Selling Stockholders for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. With respect to the preceding sentence, the Company acknowledges that the only information furnished in writing by the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is the statements contained in the fourth, tenth and eleventh paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.
(b) The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are threatened under the Securities Act. Any required filing of the Prospectus and any supplement thereto pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules has been or will be made in the manner and within the time period required by such Rule 424(b).
(c) The financial statements of the Company (including all notes and schedules thereto) included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus (other than the pro forma financial statements and related notes thereto) present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the Company at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company for the periods specified; and such financial statements and related schedules and notes thereto, and the unaudited financial information filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that non-year-end financial statements are subject to normal recurring year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles). The summary and selected financial data of the Company included in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein as at the respective dates and for the respective periods specified and have been presented on a basis consistent with the financial statements set forth in the Prospectus and other financial information. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.
(d) There has not occurred any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations or prospects of the Company, from that set forth in the Prospectus (including any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement).
(e) KPMG LLP, whose reports are filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement, are and, during the periods covered by their reports, were independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Rules.
(f) The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of California. The Company has no subsidiary or subsidiaries and does not control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other business organization. The Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or location of the assets or properties owned, leased or licensed by it requires such qualification, except for such jurisdictions where the failure to so qualify individually or in the aggregate would not have a material adverse effect on the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company considered as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and to the Company’s knowledge, no proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing, or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail, such power and authority or qualification.
(g) The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and all necessary authorizations, approvals, consents, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental or regulatory bodies (collectively, the “Permits”), to own, lease and license its assets and properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, all of which are valid and in full force and effect, except where the lack of such Permits, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has fulfilled and performed in all material respects all of its material obligations with respect to such Permits and no event has occurred that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the Company thereunder. Except as may be required under the Securities Act and state and foreign Blue Sky laws and approval by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”), no other Permits are required to enter into, deliver and perform this Agreement and to issue and sell the Shares. All of the descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the legal and governmental procedures and requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) or any foreign, state or local governmental body exercising comparable authority are accurate in all material respects.
(h) Except as set forth in the Prospectus, the Company owns or possesses rights to use all material patents, patent rights, inventions, trademarks, trademark applications, trade names, service marks, copyrights, copyright applications, licenses, know-how and other similar rights and proprietary knowledge (collectively, “Intangibles”) necessary for the conduct of its business as described in the Prospectus. The Company has not received any written notice of, nor is it aware of, any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intangibles, except as referenced in the Prospectus. To the Company’s knowledge, no action, suit, arbitration or legal, administrative or other proceeding or investigation to which the Company is a party is pending or threatened which involves any Intangibles, except to the extent the Company believes, based on facts of which it is currently aware, that any such action, if brought, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and to the Company’s knowledge, the Intangibles of the Company referred to in the Prospectus do not materially infringe or conflict with any right or valid and enforceable patent of any third party, or any discovery, invention, product or process which is the subject of a patent application filed by any third party, known to the Company. To the Company’s knowledge, it is not subject to any judgment, order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or any U.S. federal, state, local, foreign or other governmental department, commission, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, domestic or foreign, or any arbitrator, except for such orders, writs, injunctions or decrees that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, nor, except as referenced in the Prospectus, has it entered into or is a party to any contract which restricts or impairs the use of any Intangible in a manner which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the use of any of the Intangibles. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intangibles of any other person or entity that are required
to be set forth in the Prospectus and that are not set forth therein. To the Company’s knowledge, none of the Intangibles employed by it has been obtained or is being used by it in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its officers, directors or employees in violation of the contractual rights of any persons. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company is not obligated to pay a royalty, grant a license or provide other consideration to any third party in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and know-how which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no third party, including any academic or governmental organization, possess rights to the Intangibles which, if exercised, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(i) The Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by it, and good and marketable title to all other property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims, security interests and defects, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. All property held under lease by the Company is held by it under valid, existing and enforceable leases, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims, security interests and defects that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any Material Adverse Effect; and (ii) the Company has not sustained any material loss or interference with its assets, businesses or properties (whether owned or leased) from fire, explosion, earthquake, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or any court or legislative or other governmental action, order or decree which would have a Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of the latest balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not, except as described in the Prospectus, (A) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money, except such liabilities or obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (B) entered into any transaction not in the ordinary course of business or (C) declared or paid any dividend or made any distribution on any shares of its stock or redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired or agreed to redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any shares of its capital stock.
(j) There is no document, contract or other agreement required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not described or filed as required by the Securities Act or Rules. Each description of a contract, document or other agreement in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately reflects in all material respects the terms of the underlying contract, document or other agreement. Each contract, document or other agreement described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus or listed in the Exhibits to the Registration Statement is in full force and effect and is valid and enforceable by and against the Company in accordance with its terms (other than that certain Consulting Agreement between the Company and Sam Anderson, dated April 15, 2002 and Amendment to Consulting Agreement between the Company and Sam Anderson, dated December 8, 2003, each of which has terminated by their respective terms). Neither the
Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party to such agreements is in default in the observance or performance of any term or obligation to be performed by it under any such agreement, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute such a default, in any such case which default or event, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. No default exists, and no event has occurred which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a default, in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition, by the Company of any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which Company or its properties or business may be bound or affected which default or event, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(k) The industry and market-related data included in the Registration Statement are based on, or derived from, sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate.
(l) The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its (i) Articles of Incorporation or by-laws or (ii) of any franchise, license, permit, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation, where the consequences of such violation with respect to subsection (ii) only, individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Neither the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares) will give rise to a right to terminate or accelerate the due date of any payment due under, or conflict with or result in the breach of any term or provision of, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would constitute a default) under, or require any consent or waiver under, except for such consents or waivers which have already been obtained and are in full force and effect, or result in the execution or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company, its properties or businesses is bound, or any franchise, license, permit, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company, except where such conflict or default, failure to receive a consent or waiver, or lien, charge or encumbrance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or violate any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or by-laws of the Company.
(n) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as set forth under the caption “Capitalization” in the Prospectus. The certificates evidencing the Shares are in due and proper legal form and have been duly authorized for issuance by the Company. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. There are no statutory preemptive or other similar rights to subscribe for or to purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any such rights pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation or by-laws or any agreement or instrument to or by which the Company is
a party or bound. The Shares, when issued and sold pursuant to this Agreement, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and none of them will be issued in violation of any preemptive or other similar right. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no outstanding option, warrant or other right calling for the issuance of, and there is no commitment, plan or arrangement to issue, any share of stock of the Company or any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, such stock, except for issuances of options and shares of common stock under the Company’s 2001 Stock Incentive Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The Common Stock and the Shares conform in all material respects to all statements in relation thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(o) No holder of any security of the Company has any right, which has not been waived, to have any security owned by such holder included in the Registration Statement or to demand registration of any security owned by such holder for a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement. Each director and executive officer of the Company and each stockholder of the Company listed on Schedule III has delivered to the Representatives his enforceable written lock-up agreement in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A hereto (“Lock-Up Agreement”).
(p) All necessary corporate action has been duly and validly taken by the Company to authorize the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Shares by the Company. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.
(q) The Company is not involved in any pending labor dispute nor, to the knowledge of the Company, is any such dispute threatened, which dispute would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers or contractors which would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not aware of any threatened or pending litigation between the Company and any of its executive officers which, if adversely determined, would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(r) No transaction has occurred between or among the Company and any of its officers or directors or five percent shareholders or any affiliate or affiliates of any such officer or director or five percent shareholder that is required to be described in and is not described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(s) The Company has not taken, nor will it take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which would reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock or any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Shares.
(t) The Company has filed all Federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which are required to be filed through the date hereof, which returns are true and correct in all material respects or has received timely extensions thereof, and has paid all taxes shown on such returns and all assessments received by it to the extent that the same are material and have become due. There are no tax audits or investigations pending, which if adversely determined would have a Material Adverse Effect; nor are there any material proposed additional tax assessments against the Company.
(u) The Shares have been duly authorized for quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“Nasdaq”) National Market System.
(v) The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act or the quotation of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Nasdaq National Market is contemplating terminating such registration or quotation.
(w) The books, records and accounts of the Company accurately and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, the transactions in, and dispositions of, the assets of, and the results of operations of, the Company. 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 authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability, (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 the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in any such certification were complete and correct as of the date made; the Company is otherwise in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and is actively taking steps to comply with other applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act upon the effectiveness of such provisions.
(x) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or the Company’s businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company is in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and the Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied within the two years prior to the date of this Agreement.
(y) There are no affiliations with the NASD among the Company’s officers, directors or, to the best of the knowledge of the Company, any five percent or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement or otherwise disclosed in writing to the Representatives.
(z) (i) The Company is in compliance with all rules, laws and regulation relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of toxic substances and protection of health or the environment (“Environmental Law”) which are applicable to its business, except where such failure to comply would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) the Company has not received any written notice from any governmental authority of an asserted claim under Environmental Laws; (iii) the Company has received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business and is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where failure to receive such permits, licenses or approvals or to comply with such permits, licenses or approvals would not have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) to the Company’s knowledge, no facts currently exist that will require the Company to make future material capital expenditures to comply with Environmental Laws; and (v) to the Company’s knowledge, no property which is or has been owned, leased or occupied by the Company has been designated as a Superfund site pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation of Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 9601, et. seq.) (“CERCLA”) or otherwise designated as a contaminated site under applicable state or local law. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been named as a “potentially responsible party” under CERCLA.
(aa) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company, in the course of which the Company identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(cc) Neither the Company nor any director or officer, nor to the Company’s knowledge any agent or employee of the Company, has directly or indirectly, while acting on behalf of the Company (i) used any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any
unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds; or (iii) violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
(dd) The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, and to the Company’s knowledge, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(ee) Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any person or entity for the purpose of financing the activities of any person that the Company knows is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
(ff) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Company has not sold or issued any shares of Common Stock during the six-month period preceding the date of the Prospectus, including any sales pursuant to Rule 144A under, or Regulations D or S of, the Securities Act, other than shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock options plans or other employee compensation plans or pursuant to outstanding options, rights or warrants.
(gg) The Company has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and the regulations thereunder with respect to each “pension plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and each such pension plan in which its employees are eligible to participate is in compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations. No “Reportable Event” (as defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “Pension Plan” (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company could have any material liability.
(hh) Each of the Company, its directors and officers has not distributed and will not distribute prior to the later of (i) the Firm Shares Closing Date, or the Option Shares Closing Date, and (ii) completion of the distribution of the Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement and other materials, if any, permitted by the Securities Act.
(ii) The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term in defined in Rule 13a-14 under the Exchange Act), which (i) are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer by others within the Company, particularly during the periods in which the periodic reports required under the Exchange Act are being prepared; (ii) provide for the periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of such disclosure controls and procedures as required by the Exchange Act; and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the evaluation of its disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the Company’s most recent quarterly report filed with the Commission, the Company is not aware of (i) any significant deficiency in design or operation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data or any material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no changes 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.
(jj) There are no material off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Item 303 of Regulation S-K) that have or are reasonably likely to have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, revenues or expenses, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.
(kk) The Company’s Board of Directors has validly appointed an audit committee whose composition satisfies the requirements of Rule 4350(d)(2) of the Rules of the NASD and the Board of Directors and/or the audit committee has adopted a charter that satisfied the requirements of Rule 4350(d)(1) of the NASD Rules. The audit committee has reviewed the adequacy of its charter within the past twelve months.
(ll) All audit and non-audit services performed by KPMG LLP have been preapproved in accordance with the requirements set forth in Section 10A of the Exchange Act and KPMG LLP has not engaged and as of the date hereof is not engaging in any “prohibited activities” (as defined in Section 10A of the Exchange Act) on behalf of the Company.
(mm) There are no studies or tests conducted by, or on behalf of, or sponsored by the Company, or in which the Company or its products or product candidates have participated, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus or the results of which are required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus which are not so described. Except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has operated and currently is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable FDA rules and regulations.
(nn) The Company holds and is operating in material compliance with such exceptions, permits, licenses, franchises, authorizations and clearances of the FDA and any state, local, or international regulatory agency required, for the conduct of its business as currently conducted (collectively, the “Regulatory Permits”), and all such Regulatory Permits are in full force and effect, subject in each case to such exceptions and qualifications as may be set forth in the Prospectus. The Company has fulfilled and performed all of its material obligations with respect to the Regulatory Permits, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any Regulatory Permit, subject in each case to such exceptions and qualifications as may be set forth in the Prospectus.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Selling Stockholders.
(a) Each of the Selling Stockholders, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants, as to itself, to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Firm Shares Closing Date and, if such Selling Stockholder is selling Option Shares, as of the Option Shares Closing Date (if any), as follows:
(i) Such Selling Stockholder has caused either a DWAC authorization letter to be delivered from such Selling Stockholder or certificate(s) for the number of Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder to be delivered to American Stock Transfer and Trust Company (the “Custodian”), endorsed in blank or with blank stock powers duly executed, with a signature appropriately guaranteed, such certificates to be held in custody by the Custodian for delivery, pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and an agreement dated May , 2005 among the Custodian and the Selling Stockholders substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Custody Agreement”).
(ii) Such Institutional Selling Stockholder has granted an irrevocable power of attorney substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Power of Attorney”) to the person named therein, on behalf of such Institutional Selling Stockholder, to execute and deliver this Agreement and any other document necessary or desirable in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and to deliver the shares to be sold by such Institutional Selling Stockholder pursuant hereto.
(iii) This Agreement, the Custody Agreement, and the Lock-Up Agreement have each been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of each Selling Stockholder and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of each the Selling Stockholder. The Power of Attorney has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of such Institutional Selling Stockholder.
(iv) The execution and delivery by such Selling Stockholder of this Agreement and the performance by such Selling Stockholder of its obligations
under this Agreement, including the sale and delivery of the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder and compliance by each Selling Stockholder with its obligations hereunder, do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or the passage of time or both, (i) violate or contravene any provision of the charter or bylaws or other organizational instrument of such Selling Stockholder, if applicable, (ii) or any applicable law, statute, regulation, or filing or any agreement or other instrument binding upon any Selling Stockholder or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over such Selling Stockholder, (iii) conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any tax, lien, charge or encumbrance upon the shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder or any property or assets of such Selling Stockholder pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which such Selling Stockholder is a party or by which any Selling Stockholder may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of any Selling Stockholder is subject or (iv) require any consent, approval, authorization or order of or registration or filing with any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over it, except (A) such as may be required by the Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares which have been or will be effected in accordance with this Agreement and (B) for clauses (ii) and (iii), as would not result in a material adverse effect with respect to such Selling Stockholder.
(v) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Firm Shares Closing Date and the Option Share Closing Date, if applicable, will have, valid and marketable title to the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder free and clear of any lien, claim, security interest or other encumbrance, including, without limitation, any restriction on transfer, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(vi) Such Selling Stockholder has, and on the Firm Shares Closing Date and the Option Share Closing Date, if applicable, will have, the legal right, power and authority, and any approval required by law, to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Shares to be sold by such Selling Stockholder in the manner provided by this Agreement.
(vii) Upon (a) the delivery of the applicable Shares by such Selling Stockholder to the Underwriters endorsed by the Selling Stockholder (or in blank by an effective endorsement), (b) the Underwriters “gives value” (as provided in Section 8-303 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “Code”)) to such Selling Stockholder, and (c) the Underwriters do not have any notice of any “adverse claim” (as defined in Section 8-102 of the Code) to such Shares, then the Underwriters will be a “protected purchaser” of such Shares (as defined in Section 8-303 of the Code).
(viii) All information relating to each Selling Stockholder furnished in writing by such Selling Stockholder expressly for use in the Registration Statement and Prospectus is, and on each Closing Date will be, true, correct, and
complete, and does not, and on each Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make such information not misleading.
(ix) No Selling Stockholder has taken and no Selling Stockholder will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(x) The representations and warranties of each Selling Stockholder in the Custody Agreement are and on each Closing Date will be, true and correct.
(b) Barry D. Plost, a Selling Stockholder, further represents and warrants to each Underwriter, as to himself, as of the date hereof, as of the Firm Shares Closing Date and, if such Selling Stockholder is selling Option Shares, as of the Option Shares Closing Date (if any), as follows:
(i) The Selling Stockholder has reviewed the Registration Statement and Prospectus and, although such Selling Stockholder has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of all the information contained therein, nothing has come to the attention of such Selling Stockholder that would lead such Selling Stockholder to believe that (i) on the Effective Date, the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein in order to make the statements made therein not misleading and (ii) on the Effective Date the Prospectus contained and, on each Closing Date contains, no untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, misleading.
(ii) The sale of Shares by the Selling Stockholder pursuant to this Agreement is not prompted by such Selling Stockholder’s knowledge of any material information concerning the Company which is not set forth in the Prospectus.
(iii) The Selling Stockholder has no actual knowledge that any representation or warranty of the Company set forth in Section 2 above is untrue or inaccurate in any material respect.
4. Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement are several and not joint. The respective obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares are subject to each of the following terms and conditions:
(a) Notification that the Registration Statement has become effective shall have been received by the Representatives and the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 5(a) of this Agreement.
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been or shall be in effect and no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect and no proceedings for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission, and any requests for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Commission and the Representatives. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A, Rule 430A information previously omitted from the effective Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A shall have been transmitted to the Commission for filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the prescribed time period and the Company shall have provided evidence satisfactory to the Underwriters of such timely filing, or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been promptly filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.
(c) The representations and warranties of the Company and the Selling Stockholders contained in this Agreement and in the certificates delivered pursuant to Section 4(d) shall be true and correct when made and on and as of each Closing Date as if made on such date. The Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all the conditions contained in this Agreement required to be performed or satisfied by them at or before such Closing Date.
(d) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date a certificate, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, of the chief executive or chief operating officer and the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company to the effect that: (i) the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company in this Agreement were true and correct when made and are true and correct as of such Closing Date; (ii) the Company has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions contained herein; (iii) they have carefully examined the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, in their opinion (A) as of the Effective Date, the Registration Statement and Prospectus did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not 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, and (B) since the Effective Date no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or otherwise required an amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and, to their knowledge, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending under the Securities Act.
(e) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date a certificate addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, of each Selling Stockholder, to the effect that: (i) the representations, warranties and agreements of each Selling Stockholder in this Agreement were true and correct when made and are true and correct as of such Closing Date; (ii) each Selling Stockholder has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions contained herein; and (iii) each Selling Stockholder has carefully examined the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and, in the opinion of such Selling Stockholder, (A) with respect to the
information relating to such Selling Stockholder, as of the Effective Date, the Registration Statement and Prospectus did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not 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, and (B) since the Effective Date no event has occurred with respect to such Selling Stockholder which should have been set forth in a supplement or otherwise required an amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.
(f) The Representatives shall have received, at the time this Agreement is executed and on each Closing Date a signed letter from KPMG LLP addressed to the Representatives and dated, respectively, the date of this Agreement and each such Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(g) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date from O’Melveny & Myers LLP, counsel for the Company and Barry Plost, as a Selling Stockholder, an opinion, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.
(h) The Representatives shall have received on each Closing Date from Buc & Beardsley LLP, with respect to certain matters related to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “Food and Drug Laws”), an opinion, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit E.
(i) The Representatives shall have received on the Firm Shares Closing Date from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, counsel for the Institutional Selling Stockholders, an opinion as to the Institutional Selling Stockholders, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, in the form of Exhibit F.
(j) All proceedings taken in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares and the Option Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives, and their counsel and the Underwriters shall have received from Cooley Godward LLP a favorable opinion, addressed to the Representatives and dated such Closing Date, with respect to the Shares, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and such other related matters, as the Representatives may reasonably request, and the Company shall have furnished to Cooley Godward LLP such documents as they may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.
(k) The Representatives shall have received copies of the Lock-up Agreements executed by each entity or person listed on Schedule III hereto.
(l) The Shares shall have been approved for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market, subject only to official notice of issuance.
(m) The Company and each Selling Stockholder shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives such further certificates or documents as the Representatives shall have reasonably requested.
5. Covenants of the Company.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
(i) The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any amendments thereto, to become effective as promptly as possible. The Company shall prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by the Rules.
(ii) The Company shall promptly advise the Representatives in writing (A) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall have become effective or any supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (B) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for any additional information, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (D) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company shall not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus unless the Company has furnished the Representatives a copy for its review prior to filing and shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Company shall use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.
(iii) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and the Rules, any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act or the Rules, the Company promptly shall prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (ii) of this Section 5(a), an amendment or supplement which shall correct such statement or omission or an amendment which shall effect such compliance.
(iv) The Company shall make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives as soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days after the end of the 12-month period beginning at the end of the fiscal quarter of the Company during which the Effective Date occurs (or 90 days if such 12-month period coincides with the Company’s fiscal year, and in both instances such date may be later upon the timely filing of an extension for filing pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 12b-25), an earning statement (which need not be audited) of the Company, covering such 12-month period, which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 158 of the Rules.
(v) The Company shall furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including all exhibits thereto and amendments thereof) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and all amendments thereof and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Securities Act or the Rules, as many copies of any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. If applicable, the copies of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and each amendment and supplement thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(vi) The Company shall cooperate with the Representatives and their counsel in endeavoring to qualify the Shares for offer and sale in connection with the offering under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and shall maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith, as a condition thereof, to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation as doing business in any jurisdiction.
(vii) The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and the Rules or the Exchange Act, will file all reports and other documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
(viii) Without the prior written consent of CIBC World Markets Corp., for a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement (the “Company Lock-Up Period”), the Company shall not issue, sell or register with the Commission (other than on Form S-8 or on any successor form), or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any equity securities of the Company (or any securities convertible into, exercisable for or exchangeable for equity securities of the Company), except for the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement, the issuance of options to purchase Common Stock pursuant to the
Company’s 2001 Stock Incentive Plan, the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options granted under the Company’s 2001 Stock Incentive Plan, and the issuance of rights to purchase shares of the Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the Company Lock-Up Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (y) prior to the expiration of the Company Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day period, the above restrictions imposed in this Section 5(viii) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event; provided, however, that this sentence shall not apply if the research published or distributed on the Company is compliant under Rule 139 of the Securities Act and the Company’s securities are actively traded as defined in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.
(ix) On or before completion of this offering, the Company shall make all filings required under applicable securities laws and by the Nasdaq National Market (including any required registration under the Exchange Act).
(x) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will issue no press release or other communications directly or indirectly and hold no press conference with respect to the Company, the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of any of them, or the offering of the Shares without the prior written consent of the Representatives unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representatives, such press release or communication is required by law.
(xi) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares in the manner set forth under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.
(b) The Company agrees to pay, or reimburse if paid by the Representatives, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses incident to the public offering of the Shares and the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement including those relating to: (i) the preparation, printing, filing and distribution of the Registration Statement including all exhibits thereto, each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the printing, filing and distribution of this Agreement; (ii) the preparation and delivery of certificates for the Shares to the Underwriters; (iii) the registration or qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various jurisdictions referred to in Section 5(a)(vi), including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such registration and qualification and the preparation, printing, distribution and shipment of preliminary and supplementary Blue Sky memoranda; (iv) the furnishing (including costs of shipping and mailing) to the Representatives and to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to the Prospectus, and of the several documents required by this Section to be so furnished, as may be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares by the Underwriters or by dealers to whom Shares may be sold; (v) the filing fees of the NASD in connection with its review of the terms of the public offering and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such review; (vi) inclusion of the Shares for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market; and (vii) all transfer taxes, if any, with respect to the sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company to the Underwriters. Subject to the provisions of Section 8, the Underwriters agree to pay, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, all costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Underwriters under this Agreement not payable by the Company pursuant to the preceding sentence, including, without limitation, the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.
(c) The Company will pay all expenses (other than any underwriters’ discounts, commissions and fees) incident to the performance of the Selling Stockholders’ respective obligations under, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement, including (i) any stamp duties, capital duties and stock transfer taxes, if any, payable upon the sale of the Shares to the Underwriters, and their transfer between the Underwriters pursuant to an agreement between such Underwriters, and (ii) the fees and disbursements of their respective counsel.
6. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities, joint or several (including any reasonable investigation, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that such indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising from the sale of the Shares to any person by such Underwriter if such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was made in such preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by the Representatives on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for use therein; provided further that with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any preliminary prospectus, the indemnity, hold harmless and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 6(a)
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Shares concerned, to the extent that a Prospectus relating to such Shares was required to be delivered by such Underwriter under the Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such person, a copy of the Prospectus if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Each of the Selling Stockholders agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities to which they, or any of them, may become subject under the Securities Act, or other Federal or state law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that such indemnity shall inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or any person controlling such Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities arising from the sale of the Shares to any person by such Underwriter only if such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission was made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by such Selling Stockholder specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any such Selling Stockholder consists of the information about such Selling Stockholder under the caption “Principal and Selling Stockholders” in the Prospectus; provided further that with respect to any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement in or omission or alleged omission from any preliminary prospectus, the indemnity, hold harmless and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section 6(b) shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter from whom the person asserting such losses, claims, damages or liabilities purchased the Shares concerned, to the extent that a Prospectus relating to such Shares was required to be delivered by such Underwriter under the Act in connection with such purchase and any such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Underwriter results from the fact that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of such Shares to such person, a copy of the Prospectus if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter; and provided further that the liability under this Section 6(b) of each Selling Stockholder shall be limited to an amount equal to the aggregate net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, received by such Selling Stockholder from the sale of the Shares sold by such Selling Stockholder hereunder.
(c) Each Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Selling Stockholders and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Selling Stockholders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each director of the Company, and each officer of the Company who signs the Registration Statement, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such party may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the 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 each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation of each Underwriter to indemnify the Company or the Selling Stockholders (including any controlling person, director or officer thereof) shall be limited to the net proceeds received by the Company from such Underwriter.
(d) Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, suit or proceeding, enclosing a copy of all papers served. No indemnification provided for in Sections 6(a), 6(b) or 6(c) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 6(d) if the party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was prejudiced by the failure to give such notice but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party of any such action, suit or proceeding shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under this Section. In case any such action, suit or proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and the approval by the indemnified party of such counsel, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses, except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof. The indemnified party shall have the right to employ its counsel in any such action, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the employment of counsel by such indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying parties, (ii) the indemnified party shall have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it
which are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party and presents a conflict of interest between the indemnifying party and indemnified party (in which case the indemnifying parties shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (iii) the indemnifying parties shall not have employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after notice of the commencement thereof, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying parties. An indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any action, suit, and proceeding or claim effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
7. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Sections 6(a), 6(b) or 6(c) is due in accordance with its terms but for any reason is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect to any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (including any investigation, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claims asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by any person entitled hereunder to contribution from any person who may be liable for contribution) incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or, if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Stockholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Contribution by Selling Stockholders pursuant to this Section 7 shall only be based on relative fault. The Company, the Selling Stockholders and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, (i) no Underwriter (except as may be provided in the Agreement Among Underwriters) shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of damages which such underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission; and (ii) no Selling Stockholder shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the aggregate net proceeds of the sale of Shares received by such Selling Stockholder. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company or such Selling Stockholder within the meaning of the Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company or such Selling Stockholder, as the case may be. Any party entitled to contribution will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action, suit or proceeding against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made against another party or parties under this Section 7, notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought shall not relieve the party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have hereunder or otherwise than under this Section 7. No party shall be liable for contribution with respect to any action, suit, proceeding or claim settled without its written consent. The Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.
8. Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Shares to be purchased on a Closing Date by the Representatives by notifying the Company and the Selling Stockholders at any time at or before a Closing Date in the absolute discretion of the Representatives if: (i) there has occurred any material adverse change in the securities markets or any event, act or occurrence that has materially disrupted, or in the opinion of the Representatives, will in the future materially disrupt, the securities markets or there shall be such a material adverse change in general financial, political or economic conditions or the effect of international conditions on the financial markets in the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares or enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares; (ii) there has occurred any outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, inadvisable or impracticable to market the Shares or enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares; (iii) trading in the Shares or any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange, Inc. or the Nasdaq National Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or any other governmental or regulatory authority; or (iv) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or Federal authority; or (v) in the judgment of the Representatives, there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the assets, properties, condition, financial or otherwise, or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company considered as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business.
(b) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to any of its provisions, neither the Company nor the Selling Stockholders shall be under any liability to any Underwriter, and no Underwriter shall be under any liability to the Company or a Selling Stockholder, except that (y) if this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives or the Underwriters because of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of their counsel) incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Shares or in contemplation of performing their obligations hereunder and (z) no Underwriter who shall have failed or refused to purchase the Shares agreed to be purchased by it under this Agreement, without some reason sufficient hereunder to justify cancellation or termination of its obligations under this Agreement, shall be relieved of liability to the Company, the Selling Stockholders or to the other Underwriters for damages occasioned by its failure or refusal.
9. Substitution of Underwriters. If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase on any Closing Date the Shares agreed to be purchased hereunder on such Closing Date, the Representatives shall have the right, within 36 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase such Shares on the terms contained herein. If, however, the Representatives shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided above, the aggregate number of Shares which remains unpurchased on such Closing Date does not exceed one-tenth of the aggregate number of all the Shares that all the Underwriters are obligated to purchase on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such date and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. In any such case, either the Representatives or the Company and the Selling Stockholders shall have the right to postpone the applicable Closing Date for a period of not more than seven days in order to effect any necessary changes and arrangements (including any necessary amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any other documents), and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the opinion of the Company and the Underwriters and their counsel may thereby be made necessary.
If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Company as provided above, the aggregate number of such Shares which remains unpurchased exceeds 10% of the aggregate number of all the Shares to be purchased at such date, then this Agreement, or, with respect to a Closing Date which occurs after the Firm Shares Closing Date, the obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase and of the Company or the Selling Stockholders, as the case may be, to sell the Option Shares to be purchased and sold on such date, shall terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter to the Company or the Selling Stockholders, and without liability on the part of the Company or the Selling Stockholders, except as provided in Sections 5(b), 6, 7 and 8. The provisions of this Section 9 shall not in any way affect the liability of any defaulting Underwriter to the Company or the nondefaulting Underwriters arising out of such default. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 9 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.
10. Miscellaneous. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company, Selling Stockholders and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or the Selling Stockholders or any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 hereof, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares. In addition, the provisions of Sections 5(b), 6, 7 and 8 shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.
This Agreement has been and is made for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Stockholders and their respective successors and assigns, and, to the extent expressed herein, for the benefit of persons controlling any of the Underwriters, or the Company, and directors and officers of the Company, and their respective successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include any purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter merely because of such purchase.
All notices and communications hereunder shall be in writing and mailed or delivered or by telephone or telegraph if subsequently confirmed in writing, (a) if to the Representatives, c/o CIBC World Markets Corp., 417 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10016 Attention: Michael Fekete, with a copy to Cooley Godward LLP, Five Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto, California 94306, Attention: Laura A. Berezin, Esq. and (b) if to the Company or Barry Plost, as a Selling Stockholder, to the Company’s agent for service as such agent’s address appears on the cover page of the Registration Statement with a copy to O’Melveny & Myers LLP, 610 Newport Center Dr., 17th Floor, Newport Beach, California 92660, Attention: David Krinsky, Esq., and (c) if to the Institutional Selling Stockholders, to Institutional Management Partners, Ltd., One Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10020, Attention: Robert Cresci, with a copy to Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Ave., 44th Floor, New York, New York 10019, Attention: William J. Grant, Esq.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among us.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| SERACARE LIFE SCIENCES, INC. | ||
| By |
| |
| Name | ||
| Title: | ||
| ROBERT CRESCI, as attorney-in-fact for the Institutional Selling Stockholders | ||
| By |
| |
| BARRY PLOST, as a Selling Stockholder | ||
| By |
| |
| Confirmed: | ||
| CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP. | ||
|
| ||
| Acting severally on behalf of itself and as representative of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I annexed hereto. | ||
| By CIBC WORLD MARKETS CORP. | ||
| By |
| |
| Title: | ||
SCHEDULE I
| Name | Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from the Company | Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased from the Selling Stockholders | ||
| CIBC World Markets Corp. | ||||
| Thomas Weisel Partners | ||||
| William Blair & Company | ||||
| Total | 3,000,000 | 500,000 | ||
Sch I - 1
SCHEDULE II
| Name of Selling Stockholders | Number of Firm Shares to Be Sold | |
| Barry D. Plost | 200,000 | |
| Declaration of Trust for the Defined Benefit Plans of ZENECA Holdings, Inc. | 35,040 | |
| The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation | 24,000 | |
| Delaware State Employees’ Retirement Fund | 189,000 | |
| Declaration of Trust for the Defined Benefit Plans of ICI American Holdings, Inc. | 51,960 | |
| Total | 500,000 |
Sch II - 1
SCHEDULE III
Lock-up Signatories
Barry Plost
Michael F. Crowley, Jr.
Jerry L. Burdick
Thomas Lawlor
Samuel Anderson
Robert Cresci
Ezzat Jallad
Dr. Bernard Kasten
Dr. Nelson Teng
Pecks Management Partners, Ltd.
Sch III - 1
Exhibit A
FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
April , 2005
CIBC World Markets Corp.
Thomas Weisel Partners
William Blair & Company
As Representative of the Several Underwriters
c/o CIBC World Markets Corp.
300 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
| Re: | Public Offering of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, a holder of common stock (“Common Stock”), or rights to acquire Common Stock, of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”) understands that you, as Representative of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company, providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of shares of Common Stock of the Company. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.
In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering of the Common Stock, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees for the benefit of the Company, you and the other Underwriters that, without the prior written consent of CIBC World Markets Corp. on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not commencing on the date of the filing of the preliminary prospectus relating to the Public Offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) through and including the period ending 90 days (the “Lock-Up Period”) after the date of the final prospectus relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), directly or indirectly (1) offer, assign, pledge, encumber, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock owned either of record or beneficially (as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) by the undersigned on the date hereof or hereafter acquired (collectively, the “Securities”) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in
A - 1
clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other Securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing. In addition, the undersigned agrees that, without the prior written consent of CIBC World Markets Corp. on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, commencing on the date of the filing of the preliminary prospectus relating to the Public Offering with the Commission through and including the period ending 90 days after the date of the Prospectus, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any Security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The foregoing shall not apply to (a) Securities to be transferred by gift, will or intestacy, (b) the sale of the Securities to be sold pursuant to the Prospectus, (c) Securities transferred to any custodian or trustee for the account of the undersigned or such undersigned’s immediate family or (d) Securities transferred to partners, members, shareholders or affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned; provided that for clauses (a), (c) and (d), any transferee agrees in writing to be bound by the terms hereof. “Immediate family” as used herein shall mean any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs; or (y) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 90-day period; the restrictions imposed in this Letter Agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event; provided, however, that this sentence shall not apply if the research published or distributed on the Company is compliant under Rule 139 of the Securities Act and the Company’s securities are actively traded as defined in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by June 30, 2005, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.
A - 2
The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Offering, understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.
This lock-up agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
| Very truly yours, |
|
|
| (Name of Stockholder - Please Print) |
|
|
| (Signature) |
|
|
| (Name of Signatory if Stockholder is an entity - Please Print) |
|
|
| (Title of Signatory if Stockholder is an entity - Please Print) |
| Address: |
|
|
|
|
A - 3
Exhibit B
FORM OF CUSTODY AGREEMENT
for sale of shares of common stock of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc.
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Custodian”)
40 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
Ladies and Gentlemen:
There are delivered to you herewith one or more certificates, in negotiable and proper deliverable form, together with stock powers from the owners of each of the certificates with signatures guaranteed by (i) an “eligible guarantor institution” (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee “medallion” program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or (ii) the Secretary of the Company, representing not less than the number of shares of Common Stock, no par value (“Common Stock”), of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”), set forth at the end of this letter on the page entitled “CERTIFICATE(S) DEPOSITED.” The certificate(s) are to be held by you as Custodian for the account of the undersigned and are to be disposed of by you in accordance with this Custody Agreement (this “Custody Agreement”).
If the undersigned is (i) acting as trustee or in any fiduciary or representative capacity, the undersigned has also delivered duly certified copies of each trust agreement, will, letters testamentary or other instrument pursuant to which the undersigned is authorized to act as a Selling Stockholder (as defined herein); (ii) a corporation, the undersigned has also delivered duly certified resolutions of its board of directors authorizing it to enter into this Custody Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement (as defined herein) and the Power of Attorney (as defined herein) and duly certified copies of such corporation’s by-laws, certificate of incorporation or other organizational documents; or (iii) a partnership, the undersigned has also delivered extracts of any applicable provisions of its partnership agreement (and applicable provisions of the organizational documents or partnership agreement(s) of the general partner(s) of such partnership) authorizing such partnership to enter into this Custody Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement and the Power of Attorney.
The undersigned agrees to deliver such additional documentation as you, the Attorney (as defined herein), the Company or the Representatives (as defined herein) or any of their respective counsel may reasonably request to effectuate or confirm compliance with any of the provisions hereof or of the Power of Attorney or the Underwriting Agreement, all of the foregoing to be in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the party requesting such documentation.
Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Custody Agreement, the undersigned has executed a power of attorney (the “Power of Attorney”) irrevocably appointing Robert Cresci, with full power and authority to act alone in any matter thereunder and with full
B - 1
power of substitution, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned (the “Attorney”), with full power and authority in the name of, for and on behalf of, the undersigned with respect to all matters arising in connection with the sale of the Common Stock by the undersigned including, but not limited to entering into and performing an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company, certain stockholders of the Company including the undersigned (the “Selling Stockholders”), CIBC World Markets Corp., Thomas Weisel Partners and William Blair & Company, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters to be named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”). The total number of shares of Common Stock to be sold by the undersigned to the Underwriters and set forth opposite the name of the undersigned in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the “Shares.”
You are authorized and directed to hold the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder in your custody and, subject to the instructions of the Attorney, (i) to take all necessary action to cause the Shares to be transferred on the books of the Company into such names as the Representatives, on behalf of the several Underwriters, shall have instructed, including surrendering the certificate(s) representing the Shares to the transfer agent for the Common Stock for cancellation, in exchange for new certificate(s) for shares of Common Stock registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives shall have instructed; (ii) to deliver such new certificate(s) to the Representatives, for the accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment for such Shares at the purchase price per Share specified in the Underwriting Agreement and to give receipt for such payment; (iii) to deposit the same to your account as Custodian and draw upon such account to pay such transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters (“Transfer Taxes”) as you may be instructed to pay by the Attorney; (iv) to transmit to the undersigned in the manner set forth under “Manner of Payment” below, within 24 hours of receiving instructions from the Attorney to do so, the excess, if any (the “Net Proceeds”), of the amount received by you as payment for the Shares over the Transfer Taxes, if any. The amount of such Net Proceeds is to be paid in the manner requested by the undersigned at the end of this Custody Agreement or in such manner as you, in accordance with the terms hereof, shall deem appropriate. Upon receipt of instructions from the Attorney, you shall also return to the undersigned, new certificate(s) representing the excess, if any, of the number of shares of Common Stock represented by the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder over the number of Shares sold by the undersigned to the Underwriters.
Under the terms of the Power of Attorney, the authority conferred thereby is granted and conferred subject to and in consideration of the interests of the Attorney, the several Underwriters, the Company and the other Selling Stockholders (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) and is irrevocable and not subject to withdrawal or termination by any act of the undersigned or by operation of law, whether by the death or incapacity of the undersigned (or either or any of the undersigned) or by the occurrence of any other event or events (including, without limitation, the termination of any trust or estate for which the undersigned is acting as fiduciary or fiduciaries, the death or incapacity of one or more trustees, guardians, executors or administrators under such trust or estate or the merger, consolidation, dissolution or liquidation of any corporation or partnership) (any of the foregoing being hereinafter referred to as an “Event”). Accordingly, the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder and this Custody Agreement and your authority hereunder are subject to and in consideration of the interests of the
B - 2
several Underwriters, the Company, the Attorney and the other Selling Stockholders, and this Custody Agreement and your authority hereunder, prior to June 30, 2005 are irrevocable and are not subject to withdrawal or termination by the occurrence of any Event. If an Event shall occur after the execution hereof but before the delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, then certificate(s) representing such Shares will be delivered by you to the Underwriters on behalf of the undersigned in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement and this Custody Agreement and any actions taken by you pursuant to this Custody Agreement shall be as valid as if such Event had not occurred, regardless of whether or not you, the Attorney, the Underwriters or any one of them, shall have received notice of such Event.
Until payment of the purchase price for the Shares has been made to you by or for the account of the several Underwriters, the undersigned shall remain the owner of all shares of Common Stock represented by the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder and shall have the right to vote such shares and all other securities, if any, represented by such certificate(s) and to receive all dividends and distributions thereon, except the right to retain custody and dispose of such shares, which is subject to the rights of the Custodian under this Custody Agreement, the Attorney under the Power of Attorney and the Underwriters under the Underwriting Agreement. The Underwriters shall not acquire the power or the right to direct the investment of the Shares by virtue of this Custody Agreement until the consideration therefor is paid pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
You shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or instruction respecting this Custody Agreement given to you by the Attorney. The Attorney has the authority to instruct you on irregularities or discrepancies in the certificates representing shares of Common Stock and any accompanying documents.
In taking any action requested or directed by the Representatives under the terms of this Custody Agreement, you will be entitled to rely upon a writing signed by a Vice President, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Counsel, Assistant General Counsel or General Counsel of CIBC World Markets Corp.
It is understood that you assume no responsibility or liability to any person other than to deal with the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder and the proceeds from the sale of all or a portion of the securities represented thereby in accordance with the provisions of this Custody Agreement. The undersigned agrees to indemnify you for and to hold you free from and harmless against any and all loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred by you arising out of or in connection with acting as Custodian hereunder, as well as the cost and expense of defending against any claim of liability hereunder, which is not due to your own gross negligence or willful misconduct.
The representations and warranties of the undersigned set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, insofar as they relate to the undersigned as a Selling Stockholder, are hereby incorporated by reference herein and the undersigned represents and warrants that such representations and warranties are true and correct on the date hereof as if made on the date hereof. The representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, as well as those contained in the Underwriting Agreement, insofar as they relate to the undersigned as a Selling Stockholder, are made for the benefit of, and may be relied upon by, you, the other Selling
B - 3
Stockholders, the Attorney, the Company, Company counsel, the Underwriters and Underwriter counsel and their representatives, agents and counsel. These representations, warranties and agreements shall remain operative and in full force and effect, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares, regardless of (i) any investigation, or statement as to the results thereof, made by or on behalf of any of the persons listed in the preceding sentence, (ii) acceptance of the Shares and payment for them under the Underwriting Agreement and (iii) termination of this Custody Agreement.
This Custody Agreement shall be binding upon the undersigned and the heirs, legal representatives, distributees, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
This Custody Agreement may be signed in counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
This Custody Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
Please acknowledge your acceptance hereof as Custodian, and receipt of the certificate(s) deposited with you hereunder, by executing and returning the enclosed copy hereof to the undersigned in care of Robert Cresci.
Dated: May , 2005
| Very truly yours, | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
B - 4
| Print Name(s) and Address of Selling Stockholder(s) and Name and Title of any Person Signing as Agent or Fiduciary: | ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
| Taxpayer I.D.: |
| |
| Telephone: |
| |
B - 5
Instruction: If you are an individual and are married, your spouse is required to complete this form:
SPOUSAL CONSENT
I am the spouse of . On behalf of myself, my heirs and legatees, I hereby join in and consent to the terms of the foregoing Custody Agreement and agree to the sale of the shares of Common Stock of , registered in the name of my spouse or otherwise registered, which my spouse proposes to sell pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement (as defined therein).
Dated: , 2005
|
|
| (Signature of Spouse) |
B - 6
Instruction: Complete each column as to certificate(s) to be deposited with the Custodian.
CERTIFICATE(S) DEPOSITED
| Stock | Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock To Be Sold from Certificate | |
| Certificate | ||
| No. |
| TOTAL: |
B - 7
PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION
To: American Stock Transfer & Trust Company
In connection with the sale by the undersigned of shares of common stock of Seracare Life Sciences, Inc. (the “Company,” which term shall include any successor to the Company) in a public offering, the undersigned hereby authorizes American Stock Transfer & Trust Company as custodian (the “Custodian”) to pay the undersigned the proceeds from such sale, less applicable deductions, in the following manner:
CHECK DESIRED MANNER OF PAYMENT
AND COMPLETE INFORMATION
| ¨ | Cashier’s check. | |||||
| Address: |
| |||||
|
| ||||||
|
| ||||||
| ¨ | Wire transfer of funds. | |||||
| Bank: |
| |||||
| ABA number: |
| |||||
| Bank address: |
| |||||
|
| ||||||
| Account number: |
| |||||
| Name on account: |
| |||||
The undersigned authorizes the Custodian to deduct from the proceeds of sale of the undersigned’s common stock any costs incurred in connection with carrying out the foregoing instructions.
| By: |
| |
| (Signature) | ||
| Name: |
| |
| (Please Print) | ||
| Title: |
| |
| Date: |
| |
B - 8
CUSTODIAN’S ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND RECEIPT
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Custodian, acknowledges acceptance of the duties of the Custodian under the foregoing Custody Agreement and receipt of the certificate(s) referred therein.
Dated: May , 2005
| American Stock Transfer & Trust Company | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
DO NOT DETACH FROM CUSTODY AGREEMENT
B - 9
Exhibit C
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS’
IRREVOCABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY
for sale of shares of common stock of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc.
Robert Cresci
c/o Pecks Management Partners, Ltd.
One Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10020
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned stockholder and certain other holders of common stock of SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”), (such holders and the undersigned being hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as the “Selling Stockholders”), propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company, CIBC World Markets Corp., Thomas Weisel Partners and William Blair & Company, as representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several underwriters to be named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”). The Selling Stockholders propose to sell to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement certain authorized and issued shares of the common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) owned by them. It is understood that at this time there is no commitment on the part of the Underwriters to purchase any shares of Common Stock and no assurance that the Underwriting Agreement will be entered into by the Company or the Underwriters.
The undersigned hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints Robert Cresci with full power and authority to act alone in any matter hereunder and with full power of substitution, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned (the “Attorney”), with full power and authority in the name of, for and on behalf of, the undersigned with respect to all matters arising in connection with the sale of Common Stock by the undersigned including, but not limited to, the power and authority on behalf of the undersigned to take any and all of the following actions:
1. To sell, assign, transfer and deliver to the several Underwriters up to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth on the signature page hereof such shares of Common Stock to be represented by certificate(s) deposited by the undersigned pursuant to the Custody Agreement (the “Custody Agreement”) between the undersigned and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Custodian (the “Custodian”), at a purchase price per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, to be paid by the Underwriters, as the Attorney, in his sole discretion, shall determine, but at the same price per share at which the Company and all other Selling Stockholders (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) sell Common Stock to the Underwriters;
2. To determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be sold by the undersigned to the Underwriters, which numbers shall be no greater but may be fewer than the
C - 1
corresponding numbers set forth on the signature page hereof (such total number of shares of Common Stock as is finally determined by the Attorney and set forth opposite the name of the undersigned in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement is hereinafter referred to as the “Shares”);
3. To execute, deliver and perform the Underwriting Agreement in customary form with such customary representations, warranties and covenant as the Attorney, in his sole discretion, may deem appropriate, with full power to make such amendments to the Underwriting Agreement as the Attorney, in his sole discretion, may deem advisable;
4. On behalf of the undersigned, to make the representations and warranties and enter into the agreements contained in the Underwriting Agreement and which agreement the undersigned expressly acknowledges contains indemnification obligations of the undersigned as set forth in Section 6 of the Underwriting Agreement;
5. (a) To instruct the Custodian on all matters pertaining to the sale of the Shares and the delivery of certificates therefor, including: (i) the transfer of the Shares on the books of the Company in order to effect the sale of the Shares (including designating the name or names in which new certificate(s) for Shares are to be issued and the denominations thereof), (ii) the delivery to or for the account of the Underwriters of the certificate(s) for the Shares against receipt by the Custodian of the purchase price to be paid therefor, (iii) the payment, out of the proceeds (net of underwriting discounts and commissions) from the sale of the Shares by the undersigned to the Underwriters, of any expense incurred in accordance with paragraph 6 which is not payable by the Company and any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters (“Transfer Taxes”) and (iv) the transmission to the undersigned of the proceeds, if any, from the sale of the Shares (after deducting all amounts payable by the undersigned pursuant to clause (iii) above) and the return to the undersigned, of new certificate(s) representing the excess, if any, of the number of shares of Common Stock represented by certificate(s) deposited with the Custodian over the number of Shares sold to the Underwriters; and (b) to amend the Custody Agreement and any related documents in such manner as the Attorney may determine to be not materially adverse to the undersigned.
6. To incur or authorize the incurrence of any necessary or appropriate expense in connection with the sale of the Shares and to determine the amount of any Transfer Taxes;
7. To take any and all steps deemed necessary or desirable by the Attorney in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the securities or “blue sky” laws of various states and jurisdictions, including, without limitation, the giving, making or filing of such undertakings, consents to service of process and representations and agreements and the taking of such other steps as the Attorney may deem necessary or desirable;
8. To retain legal counsel to represent the undersigned in connection with any and all matters referred to herein (which counsel may, but need not be, counsel for the Company);
C - 2
9. To make, execute, acknowledge and deliver all such other contracts, stock powers, orders, receipts, notices, instructions, certificates, letters and other writings, including, without limitation, communications with the Securities and Exchange Commission state securities commissions and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”), and in general to do all things and to take all actions which the Attorney, in his sole discretion, may consider necessary or desirable in connection with the sale of Shares to the Underwriters and the public offering thereof, as fully as could the undersigned if personally present and acting;
10. If necessary, to endorse (in blank or otherwise) on behalf of the undersigned the certificate(s) representing the Shares, or a stock power or powers attached to such certificate(s); and
11. To sign such other certificates, documents and agreements and take any and all other actions as the Attorney may deem necessary or desirable in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Custody Agreement and this Power of Attorney.
The Attorney is hereby empowered to determine in his sole discretion the time or times when, the purpose for and the manner in which any power herein conferred upon him shall be exercised, and the conditions, provisions or covenants of any instrument or document which may be executed by him pursuant hereto.
The undersigned acknowledges receipt of a copy of Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-124118) (the “Registration Statement”) relating to the offering of the Shares and the other shares of Common Stock (together, the “Offered Shares”) to be sold by the Selling Stockholders and a copy of the draft form of the Underwriting Agreement. The undersigned has reviewed the Registration Statement and the form of the Underwriting Agreement and understands the obligations and agreements of the undersigned set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. All representations and warranties of the undersigned in the Underwriting Agreement with respect to the undersigned will be true and correct as of the date of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Dates (as determined in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement). All such representations and warranties will, as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, survive the termination of the Underwriting Agreement and the delivery of and payment for the Shares.
Upon the execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Attorney on behalf of the Selling Stockholders, the undersigned agrees to be bound by and to perform each and every covenant and agreement contained therein of the undersigned as a Selling Stockholder.
The undersigned agrees, if so requested, to provide an opinion of counsel, addressed to O’Melveny & Myers LLP, which opinion shall expressly permit reliance thereon by O’Melveny & Myers LLP, setting forth such matters as O’Melveny & Myers LLP may reasonably request in rendering its opinion pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and such other documentation as the Attorney, the Company, the Representatives or any of their respective counsel may request to effectuate any of the provisions hereof or of the Underwriting Agreement, all of the foregoing to be in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the party requesting such documentation.
C - 3
This Power of Attorney and all authority conferred hereby are granted and conferred subject to and in consideration of the interests of the Attorney, the several Underwriters, the Company and the other Selling Stockholders who may become parties to the Underwriting Agreement, and for the purposes of completing the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and this Power of Attorney.
This Power of Attorney is an agency coupled with an interest and all authority conferred hereby shall be irrevocable, and shall not be withdrawn or terminated by any act of the undersigned or by operation of law, whether by the death or incapacity of the undersigned (or either or any of the undersigned) or by the occurrence of any other event or events (including, without limitation, the termination of any trust or estate for which the undersigned is acting as a fiduciary or fiduciaries, the death or incapacity of one or more trustees, guardians, executors or administrators under such trust or estate or the merger, consolidation, dissolution or liquidation of any corporation or partnership) (any of the foregoing being hereinafter referred to as an “Event”). If an Event shall occur after the execution hereof but before completion of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement or this Power of Attorney, then certificate(s) representing the Shares will be delivered to the Underwriters by or on behalf of the undersigned in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement and the Custody Agreement and any actions taken hereunder by the Attorney shall be as valid as if such Event had not occurred regardless of whether or not the Custodian, the Attorney, the Underwriters, or any one of them, shall have received notice of such Event.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (a) the Underwriting Agreement shall not be entered into and the transactions contemplated thereby shall not be consummated prior to June 30, 2005 or (b) the Representatives determine in good faith on or before June 30, 2005 that they will abandon efforts to pursue the offering of the Offered Shares and notify the Company of such in writing, then from and after such date the undersigned shall have the power to revoke all authority hereby conferred by giving notice on or promptly after such date to the Attorney-in-Fact, with a copy to the Custodian, that this Power of Attorney has been terminated; subject, however, to all lawful action done or performed by the Attorney-in-Fact pursuant to this Power of Attorney prior to the actual receipt of such notice.
It is understood that the Attorney assumes no responsibility or liability to any person other than to deal with the certificate(s) for shares of Common Stock deposited with the Custodian pursuant to the Custody Agreement and the proceeds from the sale of the Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof. The Attorney makes no representations with respect to and shall have no responsibility for the Registration Statement or the Prospectus nor, except as herein expressly provided, for any aspect of the offering of Common Stock, and the Attorney shall not be liable for any error of judgment or for any act done or omitted or for any mistake of fact or law except for the Attorney’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The undersigned agrees to indemnify the Attorney for and to hold the Attorney free from and harmless against any and all loss, claim, damage, liability or expense incurred by or on behalf of the Attorney arising out of or in connection with acting as Attorney under this Power of Attorney, as well as the cost and expense of defending against any claim of liability hereunder,
C - 4
which is not due to the Attorney’s own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The undersigned agrees that the Attorney may consult with counsel of his choice (which may but need not be counsel for the Company) and the Attorney shall have full and complete authorization and protection for any action taken or suffered by the Attorney, or any of them hereunder, in good faith and in accordance with the opinion of such counsel.
It is understood that the purchase price per share of Common Stock to be paid in connection with the offering contemplated by the Prospectus and the Underwriting Agreement could be higher or lower than the price per share of Common Stock as of the date hereof.
It is understood that the Attorney shall serve entirely without compensation.
This Power of Attorney shall be binding upon the undersigned and the heirs, legal representatives, distributees, successors and assigns of the undersigned.
This Power of Attorney shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
C - 5
Witness the due execution of the foregoing Power of Attorney as of the date written below.
| Maximum Number of Shares of Common Stock to be Sold by Selling Stockholders(s): |
|
|
| Very truly yours, | ||
| By: |
| |
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| DATED: , | ||
| Print Name and Address of Selling Stockholder(s) and Name and Title of any Person Signing as Agent or Fiduciary: | ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
|
| ||
| Telephone: ( ) |
| |
| Facsimile: ( ) |
| |
C - 6
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
| State of | ) | |
| ) ss. | ||
| County of | ) |
On this the day of before me personally appeared who acknowledged the signing of the foregoing instrument and that the same is the free act and deed of such person (and if such person is signing on behalf of a corporation, partnership or trust that the same is the free act and deed of such corporation, partnership or trust and that such person is duly authorized to sign the foregoing instrument).
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
| Notary’s Signature |
C - 7
