Underwriting Agreement, dated October 29, 2020

Contract Categories: Business Finance - Underwriting Agreements
EX-1.1 2 d83015dex11.htm EX-1.1 EX-1.1

Exhibit 1.1

1,403,509 Shares

Forte Biosciences, Inc.

Common Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

October 29, 2020

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

as Representative of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

277 Park Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10172

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Forte Biosciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, 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 Representative (the “Representative”), an aggregate of 1,403,509 shares (the “Firm Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”). 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 210,526 shares (the “Company Option Shares”) of Common Stock from the Company for the purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares. The Firm Shares and the Company Option Shares are collectively called the “Shares.”

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 on Form S-3 (No. 333-224880), including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”) relating to common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, and/or warrants of the Company that may be sold from time to time by the Company in accordance with Rule 415 of the Securities Act, and such amendments thereof as may have been required to the date of this Agreement.

The term “Registration Statement” as used in this Agreement means the registration statement, including all exhibits, financial schedules and all documents and information deemed to be part of the Registration Statement by incorporation by reference or otherwise, as amended from time to time, 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, in each case, at the Effective Date (as defined below) pursuant to Rule 430A and 430B of the Rules.


If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Rules relating to the offering of the Shares (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 “Preliminary Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, together with any preliminary prospectus supplement used or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Rules, in the form provided to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments or further supplements to such prospectus, and including, without limitation, the final prospectus supplement, filed pursuant to and within the limits described in Rule 424(b) with the Commission in connection with the proposed sale of the Shares contemplated by this Agreement through the date of such Prospectus Supplement. The term “Effective Date” shall mean each date that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or become effective. Unless otherwise stated herein, any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) and the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, including pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) on or before the date hereof or are so filed hereafter. Any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any such document filed or to be filed under the Exchange Act after the date of the Registration Statement, any such Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Shares, as set forth in and pursuant to the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as soon after the Effective Date and the date of this Agreement as the Representative deems advisable. The Company hereby confirms that the Underwriters and dealers have been authorized to distribute or cause to be distributed each Preliminary Prospectus, and, if applicable, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as hereinafter defined), 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 $26.6475 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” on Schedule I to this Agreement, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof.

(b) The Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase, severally and not jointly, all or any part of the Company Option Shares at a purchase price of $26.6475 per share. The number of Company Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage (adjusted by the Representative to eliminate fractions)

 

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of the total number of Company 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 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 electronic notice, or verbal or telephonic notice confirmed by written, facsimile or electronic notice, by the Representative to the Company no later than 12:00 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 Company Option Shares to be purchased and the time and date (if other than the Firm Shares Closing Date) of such purchase.

(c) The delivery of certificates for the Firm Shares shall be made through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), New York, New York, at the offices of Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., 277 Park Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, New York 10172, at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second 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 Representative (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 Company Option Shares are purchased by the Underwriters, delivery of the certificates, for such Company Option Shares shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, on each date of delivery as specified in the notice from the Representative 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 for the Shares shall be made to the Company 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 against delivery of the Shares for the respective accounts of the Underwriters.

(e) The Shares shall be registered in such names and shall be in such denominations as the Representative shall request at least two full business days before the Firm Shares Closing Date or, in the case of Company 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 Representative through the facilities of DTC for the account of the Underwriters.

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) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company was at the time of the filing of the Registration Statement eligible to use Form S-3. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company is eligible to use Form S-3, including the transaction requirements set forth in General Instruction 1.B.1 of such form. The Company filed with the Commission the Registration Statement on such Form S-3, including a Base Prospectus, for registration under the Securities Act

 

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of the offering and sale of the Shares, and the Company has prepared and used a Preliminary Prospectus in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares. When the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was or is declared effective and as of the date of the most recent amendment to the Registration Statement, it (i) complied or will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will 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. When any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424 of the Rules) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Rules and did not or will 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. 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 the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrival system (“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, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information herein or otherwise furnished in writing by the Representative on behalf of the several Underwriters specifically for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. With respect to the preceding sentence, the Company acknowledges that the only information furnished in writing by the Representative for use in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus is the statements contained in the third and seventh paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriting Information”).

(b) No Misstatement or Omission. As of the Applicable Time (as hereinafter defined), neither (i) the price to the public and the number of shares offered and sold, as indicated on the cover page of the Prospectus and the Statutory Prospectus, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (ii) any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, includes or will include any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements in or omissions in the General Disclosure Package made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriting Information.

As used in this Section 2 and elsewhere in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 8:00 a.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Underwriting Agreement.

“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the Preliminary Prospectus relating to the Shares that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable

 

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Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, each Road Show.

“Road Show” means any electronic road show (including without limitation any “bona fide electronic road show” as defined in Rule 433(h)(5) under the Securities Act).

(c) No Stop Orders. 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 any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Rules, 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 any Preliminary Prospectus and/or 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). Any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules has been or will be made in the manner and within the time period required by such Rules.

(d) Conformity with Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, any documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”), and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents were or are filed with the Commission under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or became or become effective under the Securities Act, as the case may be, conformed or will conform in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable.

(e) Financial Information. The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and Exchange Act, as applicable, as in effect as of the time of filing and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect as of the time of filing (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved; the other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, are accurately and fairly presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis materially consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or

 

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the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required; the Company does not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference thereto), the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus (including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference thereto); and all disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.

(f) Conformity with EDGAR Filing. The Prospectus delivered to the Representative for use in connection with the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(g) Organization. The Company is and will be, duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Company is, and will be, duly licensed or qualified as a foreign corporation for transaction of business and in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such license or qualification, and has all corporate power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct its businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference thereto), except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect or would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the assets, business, operations, earnings, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company taken as a whole, or prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(h) Subsidiaries. Each of the Company’s subsidiaries (each “Subsidiary”) is duly organized and validly existing as a corporation or other entity under the laws of its respective jurisdictions of organization and is in good standing under such laws. Each of the Subsidiaries has requisite corporate or other organizational power to carry on its business as described in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus. Each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification; except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(i) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries are (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the

 

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Company is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company, except, in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no other party under any material contract or other agreement to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is a party is in default in any respect thereunder where such default would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(j) No Material Adverse Effect. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, other than the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization by and among Forte Biosciences, Inc., Forte Subsidiary, Inc., Tocagen Inc. and Telluride Merger Sub, Inc., dated February 19, 2020, as amended, there has not been (i) any Material Adverse Effect, or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse Effect, in or affecting the business, properties, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, or prospects of the Company or its Subsidiaries, (ii) other than the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, any transaction which is material to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (iii) any obligation or liability, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or its Subsidiaries, which is material to the Company or its Subsidiaries, (iv) any material change in the capital stock (other than (A) the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option plans, (B) changes in the number of outstanding Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, (C) as a result of the issuance of Shares, (D) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company, (E) as described in a proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A or a Registration Statement on Form S-4, or (F) otherwise publicly announced) or outstanding long-term indebtedness of the Company or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company, other than in each case above (A) in the ordinary course of business or, (B) as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus (including any document incorporated by reference therein).

(k) Capitalization. The issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, are not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or similar rights. The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus as of the dates referred to therein (other than (i) the grant of additional options or other equity awards under the Company’s existing stock option plans, (ii) changes in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise or conversion of securities exercisable for, or convertible into, Common Stock outstanding on the date hereof, (iii) as a result of the issuance of Shares, or (iv) any repurchases of capital stock of the Company), and such authorized capital stock conforms in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The description of the Common Stock in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects.

 

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(l) S-3 Eligibility. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), the Company met the then applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.

(m) Authorization; Enforceability. The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions in this Agreement may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.

(n) Authorization of Shares. The Shares, when issued and delivered pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, will be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim (other than any pledge, lien, encumbrance, security interest or other claim arising from an act or omission of the Representative), including any statutory or contractual preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights, and will be registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act. The Shares, when issued, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof set forth in or incorporated into the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus.

(o) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or any governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, and the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares as contemplated hereby, except for the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and pursuant to the Registration Statement which has been completed that, and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws or by the by-laws and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or The Nasdaq Capital Market, including any notices that may be required by The Nasdaq Capital Market, in connection with the sale of the Shares by the Representative.

(p) No Preferential Rights. (i) No person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “Person”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company (other than upon the exercise of options or warrants to purchase Common Stock or upon the exercise of options that may be granted from time to time under the Company’s stock option plans), (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal, or any other rights (whether pursuant to a “poison pill” provision or otherwise) to purchase any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company from the Company which have not been duly waived with respect to the offering contemplated hereby, (iii) no Person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Common Stock, and

 

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(iv) no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any Common Stock or shares of any other capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Shares as contemplated thereby or otherwise, except in each case for such rights as have been waived on or prior to the date hereof.

(q) Independent Public Accountant. The Company’s accountants whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with or incorporated into the Commission as part of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission and incorporated into the Registration Statement, are and, during the periods covered by their report, were independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, following due inquiry, the Company’s accountants are not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.

(r) Enforceability of Agreements. All agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Prospectus or Statutory Prospectus, other than such agreements that have expired by their terms or whose termination is disclosed in documents filed by the Company on EDGAR, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification provisions of certain agreements may be limited by federal or state securities laws or public policy considerations in respect thereof, and except for any unenforceability that, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) No Litigation. There are no legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings pending, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or its Subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or its Subsidiaries, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; to the Company’s knowledge, no such actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings, or, to the Company’s knowledge, investigations, that are required under the Securities Act to be described in the Prospectus or Statutory Prospectus that are not described in the Prospectus or Statutory Prospectus, including any Incorporated Document; and (ii) there are no contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not so filed.

 

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(t) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries possess and have obtained all licenses, certificates, consents, orders, approvals, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (the “Permits”), except where the failure to possess, obtain or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not received written notice of any proceeding relating to revocation or modification of any such Permit or has any reason to believe that such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course, except where the failure to obtain any such renewal would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(u) No Material Defaults. The Company and its Subsidiaries have not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(v) Certain Market Activities. Neither the Company, nor any of its directors, officers or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or that has constituted or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

(w) Broker/Dealer Relationships. Neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries nor any related entities (i) are required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual).

(x) Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Representative or legal counsel for the Representative for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(y) Taxes. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and paid all taxes shown thereon through the date hereof, to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith, except where the failure to do so would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as otherwise disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or its Subsidiaries which has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has no knowledge of any federal,

 

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state or other governmental tax deficiency, penalty or assessment which has been asserted or threatened against it which would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(z) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and valid title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and valid title to all personal property described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus as being owned by them that are material to the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and claims, except those that would reasonably be expected to not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Any real property described in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus as being leased by the Company or its Subsidiaries is held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases, except those that would not be reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

(aa) Intellectual Property. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate enforceable rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof; the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict which asserted Intellectual Property rights of others, which infringement or conflict, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would result in a Material Adverse Effect; there are no pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings against the Company or its Subsidiaries challenging the Company’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s patents, patent applications or proprietary information; to the Company’s knowledge, no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ patents, patent applications or any patent to be issued therefrom by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or by any non-contractual obligation, other than by written licenses granted by the Company, except for such right or claim that would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company in or to any Intellectual Property owned, licensed or optioned by the Company or its Subsidiaries which claim, if the subject of an unfavorable decision would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(bb) Environmental Laws. The Company (i) is in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (iii) has not received notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits,

 

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licenses, other approvals or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(cc) Disclosure Controls. The Company maintains systems of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance 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 conformity with GAAP 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 Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus). Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (other than as set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus). The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to the certifying officers by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10- Q, as the case may be, is being prepared.    The Company presented in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the most recent Evaluation Date. Since the filing date of the Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”), there have been no significant changes in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined in Item 307(b) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act) or, to the Company’s knowledge, in other factors that could significantly affect the Company’s internal controls. To the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s “internal controls over financial reporting” and “disclosure controls and procedures” are effective.

(dd) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Each of the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer of the Company and each former principal financial officer of the Company as applicable) has made all certifications required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with respect to all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it or furnished by it to the Commission during the past 12 months. For purposes of the preceding sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15.

(ee) Finder’s Fees. The Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees, brokerage commissions or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Representative pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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(ff) Labor Disputes. No labor disturbance by or dispute with employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(gg) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company or its Subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, will be, an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(hh) Operations. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial record keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions to which the Company and its Subsidiaries are subject, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company and its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(ii) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements. There are no transactions, arrangements and other relationships between and/or among the Company, and/or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its affiliates and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity (each, an “Off Balance Sheet Transaction”) that would reasonably be expected to affect materially the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources, including those Off Balance Sheet Transactions described in the Commission’s Statement about Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations (Release Nos. 33-8056; 34-45321; FR-61), required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.

(jj) Underwriter Agreements. Other than the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement, dated as of September 4, 2020 by and between the Company and the Representative, the Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.

(kk) ERISA. To the knowledge of the Company, each material employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412

 

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of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code has been incurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, other than, in the case of (i), (ii) and (iii) above, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ll) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) (a “Forward-Looking Statement”) contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith. The Forward-Looking Statements incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (i) except for any Forward-Looking Statement included in any financial statements and notes thereto, are, to the Company’s knowledge, within the coverage of the safe harbor for forward looking statements set forth in Section 27A of the Securities Act, Rule 175(b) under the Securities Act or Rule 3b-6 under the Exchange Act, as applicable, (ii) were made by the Company with a reasonable basis and in good faith and reflect the Company’s good faith commercially reasonable best estimate of the matters described therein as of the respective dates on which such statements were made, and (iii) have been prepared in accordance with Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

(mm) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

(nn) Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry, or are covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company and its Subsidiaries, as applicable, reasonably believes are adequate for the conduct of their business and as is customary for companies of similar size engaged in similar businesses in similar industries.

(oo) No Improper Practices. (i) Neither the Company nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective executive officers has, in the past five years, made any unlawful contributions to any candidate for any political office (or failed fully to disclose any contribution in violation of law) or made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state, municipal, or foreign office or other person charged with similar public or quasi-public duty in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus; (ii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, or any affiliate of any of the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, on the other hand, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iii) no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of the Company or, on the other hand, that is required by the rules of FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus that is not so described; (iv) there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by

 

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the Company to or for the benefit of any of its officers or directors or any of the members of the families of any of them; and (v) the Company has not offered, or caused any placement agent to offer, Common Stock to any person with the intent to influence unlawfully (A) a customer or supplier of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or (B) a trade journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any of its products or services, and, (vi) neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company has made any payment of funds of the Company or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation (including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977), which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus.

(pp) Status Under the Securities Act. The Company was not and is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 at the times specified in Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(qq) No Misstatement or Omission in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 25 below), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus, including any incorporated document deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Representative specifically for use therein.

(rr) No Conflicts. Neither the execution of this Agreement, nor the issuance, offering or sale of the Shares, nor the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms and provisions hereof and thereof will conflict with, or will result in a breach of, any of the terms and provisions of, or has constituted or will constitute a default under, or has resulted in or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any contract or other agreement to which the Company is a party to or to which any of the property or assets of the Company is subject, except such conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges or encumbrances as may have been waived; nor will such action result (x) in any violation of the provisions of the organizational or governing documents of the Company, or (y) in any material violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or of any court or of any federal, state or other regulatory authority or other government body having jurisdiction over the Company, except where such violation would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ss) Compliance with Applicable Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries: (A) are and at all times have been in material compliance with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product under development, manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except for such non-compliance as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) have not received any Form 483 from the

 

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Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “FDA”), notice of adverse finding, warning letter, or other written correspondence or notice from the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”), or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, consents, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits, orders and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”), which would, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; (C) possess all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) have not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from the FDA, the EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any Company product, operation or activity is in material violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA, the EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding against the Company or its Subsidiaries, except as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (E) have not received notice that the FDA, EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any material Authorizations and has no knowledge that the FDA, EMA, or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authority is considering such action, except as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (F) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations except where the failure to file such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were materially complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

(tt) Clinical Studies. All animal and other preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by the Company or on behalf of the Company were, and, if still pending are, to the Company’s knowledge, being conducted in all material respects in compliance with all Applicable Laws and in accordance with experimental protocols, procedures and controls generally used by qualified experts in the preclinical study and clinical trials of new drugs and biologics as applied to comparable products to those being developed by the Company, except in each case where failure to comply would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the descriptions of the results of such preclinical studies and clinical trials contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus are accurate in all material respects, and, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has no knowledge of any other clinical trials or preclinical studies, the results of which reasonably call into question the clinical trial or preclinical study results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus when viewed in the context in which such results are described; and the Company has not received any written notices or correspondence from the FDA, the EMA, or any other domestic or foreign governmental agency requiring the termination or suspension of any preclinical studies or clinical trials conducted by or

 

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on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(uu) Compliance Program. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken such steps as are reasonable and appropriate to comply in all material respects with applicable regulatory guidelines (including, without limitation, those administered by the FDA, the EMA, and any other foreign, federal, state or local governmental or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company and its Subsidiaries and performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA or EMA); except where such noncompliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(vv) OFAC. (i) To the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company ( the “Entity”) nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative of the Entity, is a government, individual, or entity (in this paragraph (vv), “Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is: (a) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union (“EU”), Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions. (ii) The Entity represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, knowingly use the proceeds of the offering, or knowingly lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person: (a)    to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (b) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise). (iii) The Entity represents and covenants that, except as detailed in the Prospectus, for the past five years, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not knowingly engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(ww) Stock Transfer Taxes. All material stock transfer or other taxes (other than income taxes) which are required to be paid by the Company in connection with the sale and transfer of the Shares to be sold hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been fully complied with by the Company in all material respects.

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Representative pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company, as applicable, to the Representative as to the matters set forth therein.

3. 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:

 

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(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective, and the Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 4(a) of this Agreement, and any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with such rule.

(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules), 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 Representative. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430B, Rule 430B information previously omitted from the effective Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B 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 430B.

(c) The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement and in the certificates delivered pursuant to Section 3(d) shall be true and correct when made and on and as of each Closing Date as if made on such date. The Company 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 Representative shall have received on each Closing Date a certificate, addressed to the Representative and dated as of 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, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, and any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and, in their opinion (A) as of the Effective Date, the Registration Statement and Prospectus did not include, and as of the Applicable Time, neither (i) the General Disclosure Package, nor (ii) any individual Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included, 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, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus; (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 and (v) there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect.

(e) The Representative shall have received: (i) simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, a signed letter from the Auditor addressed to the Representative and

 

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dated the date of this Agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, 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 General Disclosure Package, and (ii) on each Closing Date, a signed letter from the Auditor addressed to the Representative and dated the date of such Closing Date(s), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, 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.

(f) The Representative shall have received on each Closing Date from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, counsel for the Company, an opinion and a negative assurance letter, addressed to the Representative and dated as of such Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(g) Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati shall have furnished to the Underwriters an opinion, as intellectual property counsel to the Company, addressed to the Representative and dated as of the Closing Date, as applicable, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(h) The Representative shall have received on each Closing Date from Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., counsel for the Representative, an opinion, addressed to the Representative and dated as of such Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative.

(i) All proceedings taken in connection with the sale of the Firm Shares and the Company Option Shares as herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative, and their counsel.

(j) The Representative shall have received copies of the Lock-up Agreements executed by each entity or person listed on Schedule II hereto.

(k) The Company shall have filed a Notification: Listing of Additional Shares with The Nasdaq Capital Market and received no objection thereto.

(l) The Representative shall be reasonably satisfied that since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there shall not have been any material change in the capital stock of the Company or any material change in the indebtedness (other than in the ordinary course of business) of the Company, (ii) except as set forth or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, no material oral or written agreement or other transaction shall have been entered into by the Company that is not in the ordinary course of business or that could reasonably be expected to result in a material reduction in the future earnings of the Company, (iii) no loss or damage (whether or not insured) to the property of the Company shall have been sustained that had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (iv) no legal or governmental action, suit or proceeding affecting the Company or any of its properties that is material to the

 

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Company or that affects or could reasonably be expected to affect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been instituted or threatened, and (v) there shall not have been any material change in the assets, properties, condition (financial or otherwise), or in the results of operations, business affairs or business prospects of the Company or its subsidiaries considered as a whole that makes it impractical or inadvisable in the Representative’s judgment to proceed with the purchase or offering of the Shares as contemplated hereby.

(m) On the Firm Shares Closing Date, FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and agreements in connection with the offering of the Shares.

(n) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representative such further certificates or documents as the Representative shall have reasonably requested.

4. Covenants and other Agreements of the Company and the Underwriters.

(a) The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

(i) The Company will use its best 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 Representative 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. The Company will file with the Commission all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses in the time and manner required under Rules 433(d) or 163(b)(2), as the case may be.

(ii) The Company shall promptly advise the Representative 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 any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules, 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 or any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus unless the Company has furnished the Representative a copy for its review prior to filing and shall not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representative reasonably object. The Company shall use

 

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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 (or, in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act and 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 4(a), an amendment or supplement which shall correct such statement or omission or an amendment which shall effect such compliance.

(iv) If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or would omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at the subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Representative and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(v) The Company shall furnish to the Representative 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, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto as the Representative may reasonably request. If applicable, the copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus 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 Representative 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 Representative 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

 

21


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 (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Rules) 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 the Representative, for a period of 90 days after the date of this Agreement (“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 (i) the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement, (ii) the issuance of shares pursuant to the Company’s existing equity incentive plan or bonus plan as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to the conversion of securities or the exercise of warrants, which securities or warrants are outstanding on the date hereof and described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (iv) adoption of a new equity incentive plan, and filing a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register the offer and sale of securities to be issued pursuant to such new equity incentive plan, and issue securities pursuant to such new equity incentive plan (including, without limitation, the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or other securities issued pursuant to such new equity incentive plan), provided that (1) such new equity incentive plan satisfies the transaction requirements of General Instruction A.1 of Form S-8 under the Securities Act and (2) that this clause (iv) shall not be available unless each recipient of shares of Common Stock, or securities exchangeable or exercisable for or convertible into Common Stock, pursuant to such new equity incentive plan shall be contractually prohibited from selling, offering, disposing of or otherwise transferring any such shares or securities during the remainder of the Lock-Up Period.

(ix) On or before completion of this offering, the Company shall make all filings required under applicable securities laws and by The Nasdaq Stock 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 Representative unless in the judgment of the Company and its counsel, and after notification to the Representative, such press release or communication is required by law.

 

22


(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 Representative, 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, reproduction filing and distribution of the Registration Statement including all exhibits thereto, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, all amendments and supplements thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein, and the printing, filing and distribution of this Agreement; (ii) the preparation and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters; (iii) the furnishing (including costs of shipping and mailing) to the Representative and to the Underwriters of copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments or supplements to the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and of the several documents required by this Section 4 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; (iv) inclusion of the Shares for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market; (v) all transfer taxes, if any, with respect to the sale and delivery of the Shares by the Company to the Underwriters; and (vi) all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses incident to the offering and the performance of the obligations of the Representative under this Agreement (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters) not to exceed $100,000 in the aggregate (without the Company’s prior approval which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), excluding (x) 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 4(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 and (y) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such review. 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 acknowledges and agrees that each of the Underwriters has acted and is acting solely in the capacity of a principal in an arm’s length transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor, agent or fiduciary to the Company or any other person. Additionally, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters have not and will not advise the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company has its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company or any other person with respect thereto, whether arising prior to or after the date hereof. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions have been and will be performed solely for the benefit of the

 

23


Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary duty to the company or any other person in connection with any such transaction or the process leading thereto.

(d) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Company and the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. The Company represents that is has satisfied and agrees that it will satisfy the conditions set forth in Rule 433 of the Rules to avoid a requirement to file with the Commission any Road Show.

5. Indemnification.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its officers and employees 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 any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer-information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules, any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky application or other information or other documents executed by the Company filed in any state or other jurisdiction to qualify any or all of the Shares under the securities laws thereof (any such application, document or information being hereinafter referred to as a “Blue Sky Application”) 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, the Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or such amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Blue Sky Application in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriting Information. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each director of the Company,

 

24


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, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriting Information, provided, however, that the obligation of each Underwriter to indemnify the Company (including any controlling person, director or officer thereof) shall be limited to the amount of the underwriting discount and commissions applicable to the Shares to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder.

(c) Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 5 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 5, 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 Section 5(a) or 5(b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Section 5(c) 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 5. 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 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 has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying 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), (iii) a conflict or potential conflict of interest exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party), or (iv) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or 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.

 

25


6. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in Section 5(a) or 5(b) 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 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. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 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 6, (i) no Underwriter (except as may be provided in any agreement among Underwriters) shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter. 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 6, 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 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. 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 6, 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 6. No party shall be liable for contribution with respect to any action, suit, proceeding or claim settled without its written consent. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

7. Termination.

 

26


(a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Shares to be purchased on a Closing Date by the Representative by notifying the Company at any time at or before a Closing Date in the reasonable discretion of the Representative 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 reasonable opinion of the Representative, 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 reasonable judgment of the Representative, 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 acts of terrorism 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 Representative, 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 Stock 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, FINRA, or any other governmental or regulatory authority; (iv) a banking moratorium has been declared by any state or Federal authority; or (v) in the reasonable judgment of the Representative, 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, a 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 and its subsidiaries 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, the Company shall not be under any liability to any Underwriter, and no Underwriter shall be under any liability to the Company, except that (y) if this Agreement is terminated by the Representative or the Underwriters because of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company 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 or to the other Underwriters for damages occasioned by its failure or refusal.

8. 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 Representative 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 Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 36-hour period, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 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 Representative and the Company

 

27


as provided above, the aggregate number of Shares which remains unpurchased on such Closing Date does not exceed one-eleventh 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 Representative or the Company 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 Representative 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, to sell the Company 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, and without liability on the part of the Company, except as provided in Sections 4(b), 5, 6 and 7. The provisions of this Section 8 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 8 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Shares.

9. Miscellaneous. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company 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 any of their respective officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Sections 5 and 6 hereof, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares. In addition, the provisions of Sections 4(b), 5, 6 and 7 shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

This Agreement has been and is made for the benefit of the Underwriters and the Company 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.

 

28


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 Representative, c/o Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., 277 Park Avenue, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10172, Attention: General Counsel, and to Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., 666 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Attention: Ivan K. Blumenthal, Esq., Facsimile: 212 ###-###-####, and (b) if to the Company, to its agent for service as such agent’s address appears on the cover page of the Registration Statement with copies to Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, 12235 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130, Attention: Dan Koeppen, Esq., Telephone: (858) 350-2300, Email: ***@***.

The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement.

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.]

 

29


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. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail which contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.

Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among us.

 

Very truly yours,

FORTE BIOSCIENCES, INC.

By:

 

/s/ Paul Wagner, Ph.D.

 

Name: Paul Wagner, Ph.D.

 

Title:   Chief Executive Officer

 

Confirmed:

LADENBURG THALMANN & CO. INC.

Acting severally on behalf of itself and

as Representative of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I annexed hereto.

By:

 

LADENBURG THALMANN & CO. INC.

By:

 

/s/ Vlad Ivanov

 

Name: Vlad Ivanov

 

Title: Managing Director


SCHEDULE I

 

Name

   Number of
Firm Shares
to be Purchased
 

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

     449,123  

Truist Securities, Inc.

     407,018  

Chardan Capital Markets LLC

     407,018  

Brookline Capital Markets, a division of Arcadia Securities, LLC

     140,350  

Total

     1,403,509  

 

Sch. I - 1


SCHEDULE II

Lock-up Signatories

 

   

Paul A. Wagner, Ph.D.

 

   

Antony Riley

 

   

Thomas E. Darcy

 

   

Lawrence Eichenfield, M.D.

 

   

Steven Kornfeld

 

   

Patricia Walker

 

   

Donald A. Williams

 

Sch. II - 1


SCHEDULE III

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

None.

 

Sch. III - 1


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

____________, 2020

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

as Representative of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

277 Park Avenue, 26th Floor

New York, NY 10172

 

  Re:

Public Offering of Forte Biosciences, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, a holder of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), or rights to acquire Common Stock, of Forte Biosciences, Inc. (the “Company”), understands that Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. (the “Representative”), as Representative of the several Underwriters, proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company, providing for the public offering (the “Offering”) by the several underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”), of Common Stock (the “Securities”) pursuant to the effective registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333- 224880).

In consideration of the Representative’s agreement to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees for the benefit of the Company, the Representative and the other Underwriters that, without the prior written consent of the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, from the date hereof through the period ending 90 days (the “Lock-Up Period”) following the date of the Underwriting Agreement, directly or indirectly, unless otherwise provided herein, (1) offer, pledge, assign, 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 Common Stock 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 (the “Exchange Act”)) by the undersigned on the date hereof or hereafter acquired (the “Lock-Up Securities”) or (2) enter into any swap, hedge or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in 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 the Representative, it will not, during the Lock-Up Period, make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Common Stock

 

Ex. A - 1


or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock. The foregoing shall not apply to (a) the Lock-Up Securities to be transferred as a bona fide gift or gifts (provided that any donee thereof agrees in writing to be bound by the terms hereof), (b) the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities (1) to any immediate family member (provided that any such recipient agrees in writing to be bound by the terms hereof) or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (2) to a charity or educational institution, (3) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (A) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned or (B) to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned (provided that any such transfer in this clause (3) shall not involve a disposition for value), (4) if the undersigned is a trust, to the beneficiary of such trust, (5) by testate succession or intestate succession, (6) by operation of law or by an order of a court or regulatory agency, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, (7) pursuant to any contract, instruction or plan that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act established prior to the date of this agreement (the “Letter Agreement”), or (8) to a nominee or custodian of a person or entity to whom a disposition or transfer would be permissible under clauses (1)-(7) above; provided, in the case of clauses (1)-(8), that the transferee agrees in writing with the Underwriters and the Company to be bound by the terms of this Letter Agreement, (c) transfers of Common Stock or Company stock options to the Company, and (d) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period and no public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act regarding the establishment of such plan is required or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company.

Additionally, and subject to the conditions in this paragraph, the undersigned may also transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative if any such transfers are made by the undersigned: (i) to satisfy tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with the vesting or exercise of equity awards outstanding as of the date of the preliminary prospectus by the undersigned pursuant to the Company’s equity compensation plans and arrangements; or (ii) pursuant to the conversion or sale of, or an offer to purchase, all or substantially all of the outstanding Common Stock, whether pursuant to a merger, tender offer or otherwise; provided, however, that in the case of any transfer described in clause (i) of this paragraph, it shall be a condition to the transfer that if the undersigned is required to file a report under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, the undersigned shall include a statement in such report to the effect that such transfer is being made for tax withholding obligations; and provided further that in the case of any conversion or sale described in clause (ii) of this paragraph, in the event that such transaction is abandoned, the Lock-Up Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions hereunder.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the Lock-Up 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.

 

Ex. A - 2


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 (i) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective by November 30, 2020, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Securities to be sold thereunder, or (iii) the Company provides five (5) business days prior written notice to the Representative that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned, whether or not participating in the Offering, understands that the Representative is entering into the Underwriting Agreement and that the Underwriters are proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

[Signature page follows.]

 

Ex. A - 3


This Letter 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 (other than New York General Obligations Law § 5-1401).

 

Very truly yours,

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

Ex. A - 4