INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.3
This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of December 15, 2009 by and
between Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly held
corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection
through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions
against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in
order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an
ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and
its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a
customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business
enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance
may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same
time, directors, officers, and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are
being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other
things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the business enterprise
itself. The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (the
“Charter”) and the By-Laws of the Company (the “By-Laws”) require indemnification
of the officers and directors of the Company in certain instances. Indemnitee may also be entitled
to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(“DGCL”). The Charter, the By-Laws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification
provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be
entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect
to indemnification;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased
the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining
such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the
Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection
in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate
itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from
undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided
in the Charter, the By-Laws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not
be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee
thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is concerned that the protection available under the Charter, the By-Laws
and insurance may not be adequate in the present circumstances, and in consideration of serving as
a director desires to be assured of adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to
serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional
service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein, the
Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director of the
Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any
other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the
Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This
Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its
subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall
continue in force after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director of the Company.
Section 2. Definitions
As used in this Agreement:
(a) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership or joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at
the request of the Company.
(b) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who either is not or
was not a party to the Proceeding, or affiliated with a party to the Proceeding, in respect of
which indemnification is being sought by the Indemnitee, or is not the Indemnitee.
(c) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at
the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(d) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs,
transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and
binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or
expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise
participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with
any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for,
and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes bond, or other appeal
- 2 -
bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by
Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(e) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member)
of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor
in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter
material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under
this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any
other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the
applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in
representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under
this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent
Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims,
liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant
hereto.
(f) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative
hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of
the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature,
in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of any
action on his part while acting as director of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, in each
case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for
which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this
Agreement; except one initiated by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under this Agreement.
Section 3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened
to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee
shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any
claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a
criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or
is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the
Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Xxxxxxx 0,
- 0 -
Xxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xx indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him
or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if
Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this
Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally
adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware
Court of Chancery (the “Delaware Court”) or any court in which the Proceeding was brought
shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such
expenses as the Delaware Court or such other court shall deem proper.
Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party
to or a participant in and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.
If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against (a) all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him
or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter and (b) any
claim, issue or matter related to any such successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For
purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in
such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful
result as to such claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a
witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all
Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Additional Indemnification.
(a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, the Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be
made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure
a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding.
(b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted
by law” shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) to the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or
contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any
amendment to or replacement of the DGCL; and
- 4 -
(ii) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the
DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may
indemnify its officers and directors.
Section 8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the
contrary, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in
connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance
policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under
any insurance policy or other indemnity provision;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by
Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) for which payment is prohibited by applicable law.
Section 9. Advances of Expenses. The Company shall advance, to the extent not
prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding, and such
advancement shall be made within thirty (30) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement
or statements requesting such advances (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in
connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any
references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any
privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice) from time to time,
whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and
interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the expenses
and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other
provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred
pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and
forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. The Indemnitee shall qualify
for advances upon the execution and delivery to the Company of this Agreement which shall
constitute an undertaking providing that the Indemnitee undertakes to the fullest extent permitted
by law to repay the advance if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee
is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 9 shall not apply to any claim made
by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 8.
Section 10. Procedure for Notification and Defense of Claim. To obtain
indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request
therefor. The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
Section 11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a), a
determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s
- 5 -
entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by Independent Counsel in a written
opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee and, if it is so determined
that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10)
days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Independent Counsel making such
determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to
such counsel upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not
privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee
and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees
and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Independent Counsel shall be
borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to
indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless
therefrom.
(b) The Independent Counsel shall be selected by a majority vote of the Board’s Disinterested
Directors, whether or not such majority constitutes a quorum, or, if there are no Disinterested
Directors, and upon application of either the Indemnitee or the Company, by the Delaware Court or
any court in which the Proceeding was brought. If the selection is made by the Board’s
Disinterested Directors, the Indemnitee may, within ten (10) days after written notice of such
selection, deliver to the Company a written objection to such selection; provided,
however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent
Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2
of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent
Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so
selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a
court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after the
submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) hereof,
no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Indemnitee or the
Company may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall
have been made by the Indemnitee to the selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment
as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall
designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so
appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement
of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, Independent
Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to
the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
Section 12. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
Independent Counsel making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in
accordance with Section 10(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to
overcome that presumption in connection with the making by the Independent Counsel of any
determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company or of Independent
Counsel to have made a determination prior to the
- 6 -
commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the
circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual
determination by the Company or by Independent Counsel that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has
not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment,
order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself
adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee
did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had
reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
(c) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted
in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise,
including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the
Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or
the Board or counsel selected by any committee of the Board or on information or records given or
reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser,
investment banker or other expert selected with the reasonable care by the Company or the Board or
any committee of the Board. The provisions of this Section 12(c) shall not be deemed to be
exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to
have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(d) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or
employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right
to indemnification under this Agreement.
(e) The Company shall not be liable to indemnify the Indemnitee under this Agreement for any
amounts paid in settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent. The Company
shall not settle any Proceeding in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on or
disclosure or payment obligation with respect to or damage the reputation of the Indemnitee without
the Indemnitee’s written consent. Neither the Company nor the Indemnitee will unreasonably
withhold or delay its or his consent to any proposed settlement; provided, that the Indemnitee may
withhold consent to any proposed settlement that does not provide a complete and unconditional
release of the Indemnitee.
Section 13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 13(e), in the event that: (i) a determination is made pursuant to
Section 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement,
(iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section
11(a) of this Agreement within ninety (90) days after receipt by the Company of the request for
indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made
- 7 -
pursuant to Section 5 or 6 or the last sentence of Section 11(a) of this Agreement within ten
(10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) payment of
indemnification pursuant to Section 3, 4 or 7 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days
after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee
shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his entitlement to such indemnification or
advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration
to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an
award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to
commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 13(a); provided, however, that
the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce
his rights under Section 5 of this Agreement. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to
seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this
Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or
arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo
trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that
adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section
13 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or
advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any
judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, absent: (i) a
misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make
Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for
indemnification; or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration
commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are
not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such
arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within
ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefore) advance, to the extent
not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection
with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advance of Expenses from the Company
under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained
by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to
entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final
disposition of the Proceeding.
Section 14. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
- 8 -
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this
Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be
entitled under applicable law, the Charter, the By-laws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a
resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of
any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in
respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such
amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or
judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be
afforded currently under the Charter, By-laws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties
hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such
change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or
remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right
and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The
assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the
concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing
liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other
Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their
terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or
agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant
to the terms hereof, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the
Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee,
all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the
extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers
required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents
as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts
otherwise indemnifiable (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) hereunder if and to the
extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy,
contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is
or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be
reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of
Expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise.
- 9 -
Section 15. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate
upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as
a director of the Company or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any Proceeding then
pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of
Expenses hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13 of this
Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and
assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 16. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be
held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation,
each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any
way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by
law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform
to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to
the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each
portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to
give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
Section 17. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and
assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director
of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in
serving as a director of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to
the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and
implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided,
however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Charter, the
By-laws and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or
abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
Section 18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of
the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in
writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information
or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or
advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall
not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement
or otherwise.
- 10 -
Section 20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (a) delivered by
hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been
directed, (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business
day after the date on which it is so mailed, (c) mailed by reputable overnight courier and
receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or
(d) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of oral confirmation that such transmission has
been received:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at such address as Indemnitee shall provide to the Company.
(b) If to the Company to: Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 000 XxxxxxxxxXxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company.
Section 21. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if
the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason
whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount
incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to
be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an
indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in
light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect: (i) the relative benefits
received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving
cause to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors,
officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or
transaction(s).
Section 22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal
relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with
respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the
Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (i) agree that any action or
proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the
Delaware Court, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any
court in any other country; (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware
Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement;
(iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State
of Delaware, The Corporation Trust Company, Wilmington, Delaware as its agent in the State of
Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action
or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such
party personally within the State of Delaware; (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of
any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to
make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought
in an improper or inconvenient forum.
- 11 -
Section 23. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party
against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this
Agreement.
Section 24. Miscellaneous. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to
affect the construction thereof.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]
- 12 -
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year
first above written.
JAVELIN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |||
INDEMNITEE: |
||||
By: | Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||
- 13 -