CONSULTING AGREEMENT, DATED AUGUST 1, 2020, BETWEEN THE REGISTRANT AND ELIZABETH YEU-LIN, M.D., AS AMENDED
CONSULTING AGREEMENT, DATED AUGUST 1, 2020, BETWEEN THE REGISTRANT AND XXXXXXXXX XXX-XXX, M.D., AS AMENDED
Effective as of August 1, 2020, Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx (the “Consultant”) and Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), agree as follows:
1.Services; Payment; No Violation of Rights or Obligations. Consultant agrees to undertake and complete the Services (as defined in Exhibit A) in accordance with and on the schedule specified in Exhibit A. As the only consideration due Consultant regarding the subject matter of this Agreement, Company will pay Consultant as (and only as) expressly stated in Exhibit A. Unless otherwise specifically agreed upon by Company in writing (and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement), all activity relating to Services will be performed by and only by Consultant. Consultant agrees that it will not (and will not permit others to) violate any agreement with or rights of any third party or, except as expressly authorized by Company in writing hereafter, use or disclose at any time Consultant’s own or any third party’s confidential information or intellectual property in connection with the Services or otherwise for or on behalf of Company.
2.Ownership; Rights; Proprietary Information; Publicity.
a.Company shall own all right, title and interest (including patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, mask work rights, trademark rights, sui generis database rights and all other intellectual property rights of any sort throughout the world) relating to any and all inventions (whether or not patentable), works of authorship, mask works, designations, designs, know-how, ideas and information made or conceived or reduced to practice, in whole or in part, by or for or on behalf of Consultant during the term of this Agreement that relate to the subject matter of or arise out of or in connection with the Services or any Proprietary Information (as defined below) (collectively, “Inventions”) and Consultant will promptly disclose and provide all Inventions to Company. Consultant hereby makes all assignments necessary to accomplish the foregoing ownership; provided that no assignment is made that extends beyond what would be allowed under California Labor Code Section 2870 (attached as Exhibit B) if Consultant was an employee of Company. Consultant shall assist Company, at Company’s expense, to further evidence, record and perfect such assignments, and to perfect, obtain, maintain, enforce and defend any rights assigned. Consultant hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Company as its agent and attorney-in-fact, coupled with an interest, to act for and on Consultant’s behalf to execute and file any document and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the foregoing with the same legal force and effect as if executed by Consultant and all other creators or owners of the applicable Invention.
b.Consultant agrees that all Inventions and all other business, technical and financial information (including, without limitation, the identity of and information relating to customers or employees) developed, learned or obtained by or for or on behalf of Consultant during the period that Consultant is to be providing the Services that relate to Company or the business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company or in connection with the Services, or that are received by or for Company in confidence, constitute “Proprietary Information.” Consultant shall hold in confidence and not disclose or, except in performing the Services, use any Proprietary Information. However, Consultant shall not be obligated under this paragraph with respect to information Consultant can document is or becomes readily publicly available
without restriction through no fault of Consultant. Upon termination or as otherwise requested by Company, Consultant will promptly provide to Company all items and copies containing or embodying Proprietary Information, except that Consultant may keep its personal copies of its compensation records and this Agreement. Consultant also recognizes and agrees that Consultant has no expectation of privacy with respect to Company’s telecommunications, networking or information processing systems (including, without limitation, stored computer files, email messages and voice messages) and that Consultant’s activity, and any files or messages, on or using any of those systems may be monitored at any time without notice.
c.As additional protection for Proprietary Information, Consultant agrees that during the period over which it is to be providing the Services (i) and for one year thereafter, Consultant will not directly or indirectly encourage or solicit any employee or consultant of Company to leave Company for any reason and (ii) Consultant will not engage in any activity that is in any way competitive with the business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company, and Consultant will not assist any other person or organization in competing or in preparing to compete with any business or demonstrably anticipated business of Company. Without limiting the foregoing, Consultant may perform services for other persons, provided that such services do not represent a conflict of interest or a breach of Consultant’s obligation under this Agreement or otherwise.
d.To the extent allowed by law, Section 2.a and any license granted Company hereunder includes all rights of paternity, integrity, disclosure and withdrawal and any other rights that may be known as or referred to as “moral rights,” “artist’s rights,” “droit moral,” or the like. Furthermore, Consultant agrees that notwithstanding any rights of publicity, privacy or otherwise (whether or not statutory) anywhere in the world, and without any further compensation, Company may and is hereby authorized to (and to allow others to) use Consultant’s name in connection with promotion of its business, products or services. To the extent any of the foregoing is ineffective under applicable law, Consultant hereby provides any and all ratifications and consents necessary to accomplish the purposes of the foregoing to the extent possible. Consultant will confirm any such ratifications and consents from time to time as requested by Company. If any other person is in any way involved in any Services, Consultant will obtain the foregoing ratifications, consents and authorizations from such person for Company’s exclusive benefit.
e.If any part of the Services or Inventions or information provided hereunder is based on, incorporates, or is an improvement or derivative of, or cannot be reasonably and fully made, used, reproduced, distributed and otherwise exploited without using or violating technology or intellectual property rights owned by or licensed to Consultant (or any person involved in the Services) and not assigned hereunder, Consultant hereby grants Company and its successors a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable right and license to exploit and exercise all such technology and intellectual property rights in support of Company’s exercise or exploitation of the Services, Inventions, other work or information performed or provided hereunder, or any assigned rights (including any modifications, improvements and derivatives of any of them).
3.Warranties and Other Obligations. Consultant represents, warrants and covenants that: (i) the Services will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner
and that none of such Services nor any part of this Agreement is or will be inconsistent with any obligation Consultant may have to others; (ii) all work under this Agreement shall be Consultant’s original work and none of the Services or Inventions nor any development, use, production, distribution or exploitation thereof will infringe, misappropriate or violate any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity (including, without limitation, Consultant); (iii) Consultant has the full right to allow it to provide Company with the assignments and rights provided for herein (and has written enforceable agreements with all persons necessary to give it the rights to do the foregoing and otherwise fully perform this Agreement); (iv) Consultant shall comply with all applicable laws and Company safety rules in the course of performing the Services; and (v) if Consultant’s work requires a license, Consultant has obtained that license and the license is in full force and effect.
4.Termination. Either party may terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause, upon ten (10) days’ notice. Sections 2 (subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2.c) through 9 of this Agreement and any remedies for breach of this Agreement shall survive any termination or expiration. Company may communicate the obligations contained in this Agreement to any other (or potential) client or employer of Consultant.
5.Relationship of the Parties; Independent Contractor; No Employee Benefits. Notwithstanding any provision hereof, Consultant is an independent contractor and is not an employee, agent, partner or joint venturer of Company and shall not bind nor attempt to bind Company to any contract. Consultant shall accept any directions issued by Company pertaining to the goals to be attained and the results to be achieved by Consultant, but Consultant shall be solely responsible for the manner and hours in which the Services are performed under this Agreement. Consultant shall not be eligible to participate in any of Company’s employee benefit plans, fringe benefit programs, group insurance arrangements or similar programs. Company shall not provide workers’ compensation, disability insurance, Social Security or unemployment compensation coverage or any other statutory benefit to Consultant. Consultant shall comply at Consultant’s expense with all applicable provisions of workers’ compensation laws, unemployment compensation laws, federal Social Security law, the Fair Labor Standards Act, federal, state and local income tax laws, and all other applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and codes relating to terms and conditions of employment required to be fulfilled by employers or independent contractors. Consultant will ensure that its employees, contractors and others involved in the Services, if any, are bound in writing to the foregoing, and to all of Consultant’s obligations under any provision of this Agreement, for Company’s benefit and Consultant will be responsible for any noncompliance by them. Consultant agrees to indemnify Company from any and all claims, damages, liability, settlement, attorneys’ fees and expenses, as incurred, on account of the foregoing or any breach of this Agreement or any other action or inaction by or for or on behalf of Consultant.
6.Assignment. This Agreement and the services contemplated hereunder are personal to Consultant and Consultant shall not have the right or ability to assign, transfer or subcontract any rights or obligations under this Agreement without the written consent of Company. Any attempt to do so shall be void. Company may fully assign and transfer this Agreement in whole or part.
7.Notice. All notices under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when personally delivered, or three days after being sent by prepaid certified or registered
U.S. mail to the address of the party to be noticed as set forth herein or to such other address as such party last provided to the other by written notice.
8.Miscellaneous. Any breach of Section 2 or 3 will cause irreparable harm to Company for which damages would not be an adequate remedy, and therefore, Company will be entitled to injunctive relief with respect thereto in addition to any other remedies. The failure of either party to enforce its rights under this Agreement at any time for any period shall not be construed as a waiver of such rights. No changes, additions, modifications or waivers to this Agreement will be effective unless in writing and signed by both parties. In the event that any provision of this Agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this Agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof. In any action or proceeding to enforce rights under this Agreement, the prevailing party will be entitled to recover costs and attorneys’ fees. Headings herein are for convenience of reference only and shall in no way affect interpretation of the Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire understanding and agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
9.Arbitration. Any controversy or claim (except those regarding Inventions, Proprietary Information or intellectual property) arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof, provided however, that each party will have a right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of law. The prevailing party will be entitled to receive from the non-prevailing party all costs, damages and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the prevailing party in connection with that action or proceeding, whether or not the controversy is reduced to judgment or award. The prevailing party will be that party who may be fairly said by the arbitrator(s) to have prevailed on the major disputed issues. Consultant hereby consents to the arbitration in the State of California in the county of Orange.
NOTICE: This agreement does not affect any immunity under 18 USC Sections 1833(b) (1) or (2), which read as follows (note that for purposes of this statute only, individuals performing work as contractors or consultants are considered to be employees):
(1)An individual shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (A) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.
(2)An individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual (A) files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and (B) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.
[Signature Page Follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereunto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
CONSULTANT: COMPANY:
XX. XXXXXXXXX XXX TARSUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Signature: | /s/ Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
| Print Name: | Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
Signature: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||||
| Print Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
EXHIBIT A
SERVICES: The Consultant will occasionally provide general advice and consulting services to the Company as requested and agreed upon between the parties from time to time. The Services are expected to average about 10 hours per week, and include:
1.Investor relations support
2.Advisory board leadership
3.Eye care provider education and engagement
4.Commercial strategy support
5.Clinical development and regulatory support
FEES/EXPENSES:
Monthly fee of $12,500.00, payable monthly in arrears.
Expense reimbursement limited to required, reasonable expenses authorized in by the Company in advance, payable 30 days after itemized invoice and delivery of receipts.
STOCK OPTIONS: Subject to the approval of Company’s Board of Directors and the terms and conditions of Company’s 2016 Stock Plan (the “Plan”) and the applicable stock option agreement, Consultant shall be granted an option to purchase 247,876 shares of Company’s Common Stock (as currently constituted), which will vest at rate of 1/48 per month over four years, subject to continued service. The exercise purchase price per share shall be equal to the fair market value per share on the date the option is granted.
EXHIBIT B
California Labor Code Section 2870. Application of provision providing that employee shall assign or offer to assign rights in invention to employer.
(a)Any provision in an employment agreement which provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his or her rights in an invention to his or her employer shall not apply to an invention that the employee developed entirely on his or her own time without using the employer’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except for those inventions that either:
(1)Relate at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention to the employer’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development of the employer; or
(2)Result from any work performed by the employee for his
employer.
(b)To the extent a provision in an employment agreement purports to require
an employee to assign an invention otherwise excluded from being required to be assigned under subdivision (a), the provision is against the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.
AMENDMENT No. 1 to | ||
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONSULTING AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”) is entered into effective as of October 1, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx (the “Consultant”) and Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”).
WHEREAS, Consultant and the Company entered into that certain Consulting Agreement dated
August 1, 2020, (the “Original Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Consultant and Company desire to amend the Original Agreement to change the Services and Fees in that Exhibit A.
NOW, THEREFORE, Consultant and Company mutually agree as follows:
1.Fees:
a.Monthly fee of $20,000, paid within one week of each month-end.
2.Services: Approximately 16 hours per week within:
a.Investor relations support
b.Advisory board leadership
c.Eye care provider education and engagement
d.Commercial strategy support
e.Clinical development and regulatory support
3.Effect of Amendment. Except as amended as set forth above, the Original Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
4.Counterparts. This Amendment may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which, taken together, shall be deemed one and the same document.
5.Governing Law. This Amendment shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California (without regard to their choice–of–law provisions).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have entered this Amendment as of the Effective
Date.
CONSULTANT: TARSUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.:
Signature: | /s/ Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
| Print Name: | Xx. Xxxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
| Title: | Chief Medical Adviser | ||||
Signature: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||||
| Print Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||||
