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EXHIBIT 10.98
WARRANT AGREEMENT
WARRANT AGREEMENT dated as of June 14, 2000, between BioShield
Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), and Xxxxxxx LLC, a
Cayman Island limited liability company (hereinafter referred to as "INVESTOR").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, Investor has entered into a Private Equity Agreement (the
"INVESTMENT AGREEMENT') with the Company pursuant to which the Investor may
purchase up to $50,000,000 of shares of common stock, no par value, of the
Company (the "COMMON STOCK"); and
WHEREAS, the Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement are being
issued by the Company to Investor and/or its designees, in consideration for,
and as part of the investment by Investor in connection with the Investment
Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the
agreements herein set forth and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows (capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have
the meanings ascribed to then in the Investment Agreement):
1. Grant.
Investor and/or its designees are hereby granted the right to purchase,
at any time from the date of the closing of the first purchase by Investor of
shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Investment Agreement (the "INITIAL
CLOSING") until 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on the fifth anniversary of
the Initial Closing (the "WARRANT EXERCISE TERM"), 250,000 Shares of Common
Stock (the "SHARES") at an exercise price (subject to adjustment as provided in
Article 7 hereof) equal to $18.92 (the "INITIAL EXERCISE PRICE").
2. Warrant Certificates.
The warrant certificates (the"WARRANT CERTIFICATES") delivered and to
be delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be in the form set forth as
Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part hereof, with such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as required or
permitted by this Agreement.
3. Exercise of Warrants.
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3.1 Cash Exercise. The Exercise Price may be paid in cash
or by check to the order of the Company, or any combination of cash or check,
subject to adjustment as provided in Article 7 hereof. Upon surrender of the
Warrant Certificate with the annexed Form of Election to Purchase duly executed,
together with payment of the Exercise Price (as hereinafter defined) for the
Shares purchased, at the Company's executive offices currently located at 0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000, the registered holder of a Warrant
Certificate ("HOLDER" or "HOLDERS") shall be entitled to receive a certificate
or certificates for the Shares so purchased. The purchase rights represented by
each Warrant Certificate are exercisable at the option of the Holder hereof, in
whole or in part (but not as to fractional shares of the Common Stock). In the
case of the purchase of less than all the Shares purchasable under any Warrant
Certificate, the Company shall cancel said Warrant Certificate upon the
surrender thereof and shall execute and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of
like tenor for the balance of the Shares purchasable thereunder.
3.2 Cashless Exercise. At any time during the Warrant
Exercise Term, the Holder may, at its option, exchange this Warrant, in whole or
in part (a "WARRANT EXCHANGE"), into the number of Shares determined in
accordance with this Section 3.2, by surrendering this Warrant at the principal
office of the company or at the office of its transfer agent, accompanied by a
notice stating such Holder's intent to effect such exchange, the number of
Shares to be exchanged and the date on which the Holder requests that such
Warrant Exchange occur (the "NOTICE OF EXCHANGE"). The Warrant Exchange shall
take place on the date specified in the Notice of Exchange or, if later, the
date the Notice of Exchange is received by the Company (the "EXCHANGE Date").
Certificates for the Shares issuable upon such Warrant Exchange and, if
applicable, a new warrant of like tenor evidencing the balance of the Shares
remaining subject to this Warrant, shall be issued as of the Exchange Date and
delivered to the Holder within seven (7) business days following the Exchange
Date. In connection with any Warrant Exchange, this Warrant shall represent the
right to subscribe for and acquire the number of Shares (rounded to the next
highest integer) equal to (i) the number of Shares specified by the Holder in
its Notice of Exchange (the "TOTAL NUMBER") less (ii) the number of Shares equal
to the quotient obtained by dividing (A) the product of the Total Number and the
then existing Exercise Price by (B) the average of the Closing Prices for the
five Trading Days immediately prior to the date specified in the Notice of
Exchange.
3.3 Exercise Limitation. In no event shall any Investor
be entitled to exercise any of the warrants if, upon the exercise of such
warrant(s), it would cause the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock
beneficially owned by the Investor and its affiliates to exceed 4.9% of the
outstanding shares of the Common Stock following such exercise.
4. Issuance of Certificates.
Upon the exercise of the Warrants, the issuance of certificates for the
Shares shall be made forthwith (and in any event within five business days
thereafter) without charge to the
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Holder thereof including, without limitation, any tax which may be payable in
respect of the issuance thereof, and such certificates shall be issued in the
name of, or in such names as may be directed by, the Holder thereof; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be
payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any
such certificates in a name other than that of the Holder and the Company shall
not be required to issue or deliver such certificates unless or until the person
or persons requesting the issuance thereof shall have paid to the Company the
amount of such tax or shall have established to satisfaction of the Company that
such tax has been paid.
The Warrant Certificates and the certificates representing the Shares
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the manual or facsimile signature
of the present or any future Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of
Directors, Chief Executive officer or President or Vice President of the Company
under its corporate seal reproduced thereon, attested to by the manual or
facsimile signature of the present or any future Secretary or Assistant
Secretary of the Company. Warrant Certificates shall be dated the date of
execution by the Company upon initial issuance, division, exchange, substitution
or transfer.
The Warrant Certificates and, upon exercise of the Warrants, in part or
in whole, certificates representing the Shares shall bear a legend substantially
similar to the following:
The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "ACT"), and may not
be offered or sold except (i) pursuant to an effective registration
statement under the Act, (ii) to the extent applicable, pursuant to
Rule 144 under the Act (or any similar rule under such Act relating to
the disposition of securities), or (iii) upon the delivery by the
holder to the Company of an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to counsel
to the issuer, stating that an exemption from registration under such
Act is available.
5. Price.
5.1 Adjusted Exercise Price. The adjusted Exercise Price
shall be the price which shall result from time to time from any and all
adjustments of the Initial Exercise Price in accordance with the provisions of
Article 7 hereof.
5.2 Exercise Price. The term "EXERCISE PRICE" herein
shall mean the Initial Exercise Price or the adjusted Exercise Price, depending
upon the context.
6. Registration Rights.
6.1 Registration Under the Securities Act of 1993.
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The Warrants and the Shares have not been registered for
purposes of public distribution under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
("THE ACT").
6.2 Registrable Securities. As used herein the term
"REGISTRABLE SECURITY" means each of the Warrants, the Shares and any shares of
Common Stock issued upon any stock split or stock dividend in respect of such
Shares; provided, however, that with respect to any particular Registrable
Security, such security shall cease to be a Registrable Security when, as of the
date of determination, (i) it has been effectively registered under the
Securities Act and disposed of pursuant thereto, (ii) registration under the
Securities Act is no longer required for the immediate public distribution of
such security or (iii) it has ceased to be outstanding. The term "REGISTRABLE
SECURITIES" means any and/or all of the securities falling within the foregoing
definition of a "Registrable Security." In the event of any merger,
reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization or other change in corporate
structure affecting the Common Stock, such adjustment shall be made in the
definition of "Registrable Security" as is appropriate in order to prevent any
dilution or enlargement of the rights granted pursuant to this Article 6.
6.3 Piggyback Registration. If, at any time during the
five years following the date of the Initial Closing, the Company proposes to
prepare and file any registration statement or post-effective amendments (other
than in connection with an underwritten initial public offering or initial
registration of the Company or the Company=s securities with the U.S. Securities
& Exchange Commission) thereto covering equity or debt securities of the
Company, or any such securities of the Company held by its shareholders (in any
such case, other than in connection with a merger, acquisition or pursuant to
Form S-8 or successor form), (for purposes of this Article 6, collectively, a
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), it will give written notice of its intention to do so
by registered mail ("NOTICE"), at ten (10) business days prior to the filing of
each such Registration Statement, to all holders of the Registrable Securities.
Upon the written request of such a holder (a "REQUESTING HOLDER"), made within
ten (10) business days after receipt of the Notice, that the Company include any
of the Requesting Holder's Registrable Securities in the proposed Registration
Statement, the Company shall, as to each such Requesting Holder, use its best
efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act of the Registrable
Securities which it has been so requested to register ("PIGGYBACK
REGISTRATION"), at the Company's sole cost and expense and at no cost or expense
to the Requesting Holders. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.3,
the Company shall have the right at any time after it shall have given written
notice pursuant to this Section 6.3 (irrespective of whether any written request
for inclusion of such securities shall have already been made) to elect not to
file any such proposed Registration Statement, or to withdraw the same after the
filing but prior to the effective date thereof.
7. Adjustments of Exercise Price and Number of Shares.
7.1 Subdivision and Combination. In case the Company
shall at any time subdivide or combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
the Exercise Price shall
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forthwith be proportionately decreased in the case of subdivision or increased
in the case of combination.
7.2 Adjustment in Number of Shares. Upon each adjustment
of the Exercise Price pursuant to the provisions of this Article 7, the number
of Shares issuable upon the exercise of each Warrant shall be adjusted to the
nearest full Share by multiplying a number equal to the Exercise Price in effect
immediately prior to such adjustment by the number of Shares issuable upon
exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment and dividing the
product so obtained by the adjusted Exercise Price.
7.3 Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case
of any reclassification or change of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
(other than a change in par value to no par value, or from no par value to par
value, or as a result of a subdivision or combination), or in the case of any
consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, another
corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the
surviving corporation and which does not result in any reclassification or
change of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, except a change as a result of
a subdivision or combination of such shares or a change in par value, as
aforesaid), or in the case of a sale or conveyance to another corporation of the
property of the Company as an entirety, the Holders shall thereafter have the
right to purchase the kind and number of shares of stock and other securities
and property receivable upon such reclassification, change, consolidation,
merger, sale or conveyance as if the Holders were the owners of the shares of
Common Stock underlying the Warrants immediately prior to any such events at a
price equal to the product of (x) the number of shares issuable upon exercise of
the Warrants and (y) the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the
record date for such reclassification, change, consolidation, merger, sale or
conveyance as if such Holders had exercised the Warrants.
7.4 No Adjustment of Exercise Price in Certain Cases. No
adjustment of the Exercise Price shall be made:
(a) Upon the issuance or sale of shares of
Common Stock upon the exercise of the Warrants; or
(b) Upon (i) the issuance of options pursuant to
the Company's employee stock option plans in effect or the
issuance or sale by the Company of any shares of Common Stock
pursuant to the exercise of any such options, or (ii) the
issuance or sale by the Company of any shares of Common Stock
pursuant to the exercise of any options or warrants; or
(c) Upon the issuance of shares of Common Stock
pursuant to contractual obligations; or
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(d) If the amount of said adjustment shall be
less than 2 cents (24) per Share, provided, however, that in
such case any adjustment that would otherwise be required then
to be made shall be carried forward and shall be made at the
time of and together with the next subsequent adjustment
which, together with any adjustment so carried forward, shall
amount to at least 2 cents (24) per Share.
8. Exchange and Replacement of Warrant Certificates.
Each Warrant Certificate is exchangeable without expense, upon the
surrender hereof by the registered Holder at the principal executive office of
the Company, for a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor and date representing
in the aggregate the right to purchase the same number of Shares in such
denominations as shall be designated by the Holder thereof at the time of such
surrender.
Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it
of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of any Warrant Certificate, and,
in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably
satisfactory to it, and reimbursement to the Company of all reasonable expenses
incidental thereto, and upon surrender and cancellation of the Warrants, if
mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like
tenor, in lieu thereof.
9. Elimination of Fractional Interests.
The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing
fractions of shares of Common Stock and shall not be required to issue scrip or
pay cash in lieu of fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties
that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up to
the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock.
10. Reservation and Listing of Securities.
The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its
authorized shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of issuance upon the
exercise of the Warrants, such number of shares of Common Stock as shall be
issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon
exercise of the Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, all shares
of Common Stock issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued,
fully paid, nonassessable and not subject to the preemptive rights of any
shareholder. As long as the Warrants shall be outstanding, the Company shall use
its best efforts, once it has become a public company, to cause all shares of
Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants to be listed on or
quoted on the electronic bulletin board, by NASDAQ or listed on such national
securities exchanges.
11. Notices to Warrant Holders.
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Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as conferring
upon the Holder or Holders the right to vote or to consent or to receive notice
as a shareholder in respect of any meetings of shareholders for the election of
directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a
shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of
the Warrants and their exercise, any of the following events shall occur:
(a) the Company shall take a record of the holders of its
shares of Common Stock for the purpose of entitling them to receive a
dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash
dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of current or
retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such
dividend or distribution on the books of the Company; or
(b) a dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the
Company (other than in connection with a consolidation or merger) or a
sale of all or substantially all of its property, assets and business
as an entirety shall be proposed;
then, in any one or more of said events, the Company shall give written notice
of such event at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date fixed as a record
date or the date of closing the transfer books for the determination of the
shareholders entitled to such dividend, distribution, convertible or
exchangeable securities or subscription rights, options or warrants, or entitled
to vote on such proposed dissolution, liquidation, winding up or sale. Such
notice shall specify such record date or the date of closing the transfer books,
as the case may be. Failure to give such notice or any defect therein shall not
affect the validity of any action taken in connection with the declaration or
payment of any such dividend or distribution, or any proposed dissolution,
liquidation, winding up or sale .
12. Notices.
All notices, requests, consents and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when delivered,
or mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested:
(a) If to a registered Holder of the Warrants, to the
address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company; or
(b) If to the Company, to the address set forth in
Section 3 of this Agreement or to such other address as the Company may
designate by notice to the Holders.
13. Supplements and Amendments.
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The Company may from time to time supplement or amend this Agreement
without the approval of any Holders of Warrant Certificates in order to cure any
ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be
defective or inconsistent with any provisions herein, or to make any other
provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company
may deem necessary or desirable and which the Company deems not to adversely
affect the interests of the Holders of Warrant Certificates.
14. Successors.
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the
benefit of the Company and the Holders inure to the benefit of their respective
successors and assigns hereunder.
15. Termination.
This Agreement shall terminate at the close of business on the fifth
anniversary of the Initial Closing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Agreement will terminate on any earlier date when all Warrants have been
exercised and all the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants have been
resold to the public; provided, however, that the provisions of Article 6 shall
survive such termination until the close of business on fifth anniversary of the
Initial Closing.
16. Governing Law.
This Agreement and each Warrant Certificate hereunder shall be governed
by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia without
regard to the principles of conflict of laws. The parties further agree that any
action between them shall be heard in Atlanta, Georgia, and expressly consent to
the jurisdiction and venue of the Superior Court of Xxxxxx County, Georgia, and
the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta
Division for the adjudication of any civil action asserted pursuant to this
Paragraph.
17. Benefits of This Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or
corporation other than the Company and the Investor and any other registered
holder or holders of the Warrant Certificates, Warrants or the Shares any legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; and this Agreement
shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company and the Investor and
any other holder or holders of the Warrant Certificates, Warrants or the Shares.
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18. Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each
of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and
such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed, as of the day and year first above written.
BIOSHIELD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By:
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Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Co-Chairman of the Board and Chief
Executive Officer
Attest:
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Name:
--------------------
Title:
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INVESTOR: XXXXXXX, LLC
By:
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Name:
Title:
Attest:
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Name:
------------------------------
Title:
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EXHIBIT A
THE WARRANTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE OTHER SECURITIES ISSUABLE
UPON EXERCISE THEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933,
AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT (i) PURSUANT TO AN
EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE ACT, (ii) TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE,
PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER SUCH ACT (OR ANY SIMILAR RULE UNDER SUCH ACT RELATING
TO THE DISPOSITION OF SECURITIES), OR (iii) UPON THE DELIVERY BY THE HOLDER TO
THE COMPANY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO COUNSEL FOR THE
ISSUER, STATING THAT AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT IS AVAILABLE.
THE TRANSFER OR EXCHANGE OF THE WARRANTS REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS
RESTRICTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WARRANT AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN.
EXERCISABLE ON OR BEFORE
5:00 P.M., EASTERN STANDARD TIME, June 13, 2005
No. 250,000 Shares
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WARRANT CERTIFICATE
This Warrant Certificate certifies that Xxxxxxx LLC ("INVESTOR") or
registered assigns, is the registered holder of 250,000 Warrants to purchase, at
any time from June 14, 2000, until 5:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on June 13,
2005 ("EXPIRATION DATE"), up to 250,000 shares ("SHARES") of fully-paid and
non-assessable common stock, no par value ("COMMON STOCK"), of BioShield
Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), at the Initial
Exercise Price, subject to adjustment in certain events (the "EXERCISE PRICE"),
of $18.92 per Share upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of
the Exercise Price at an office or agency of the Company, but subject to the
conditions set forth herein and in the warrant agreement dated as of June 14,
2000, between the Company and Investor (the "WARRANT AGREEMENT"). Payment of the
Exercise Price may be made in cash, or by certified or official bank check in
New York Clearing House funds payable to the order of the Company, or any
combination of cash or check.
No Warrant may be exercised after 5:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, on
the Expiration Date, at which time all Warrants evidenced hereby, unless
exercised prior thereto, shall thereafter be void.
The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly
authorized issue of Warrants issued pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, which
Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this
instrument and is hereby referred to in a
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description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Company and the holders (the words "HOLDERS" or
"HOLDER" meaning the registered holders or registered holder) of the Warrants.
The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain
events, the Exercise Price and/or number of the Company's securities issuable
thereupon may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted. In such event, the
Company will, at the, request of the holder, issue a new Warrant Certificate
evidencing the adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number and/or type of
securities issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants; provided, however, that
the failure of the Company to issue such new Warrant Certificates shall not in
any way change, alter, or otherwise impair, the rights of the holder as set
forth in the Warrant Agreement.
Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Warrant
Certificate at an office or agency of the Company, a new Warrant Certificate or
Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number
of Warrants shall be issued to the transferees) in exchange for this Warrant
Certificate, subject to the limitations provided herein and in the Warrant
Agreement, without any charge except for any tax, or other governmental charge
imposed in connection therewith.
Upon the exercise of less than all of the Warrants evidenced by this
Certificate, the Company shall forthwith issue to the holder hereof a new
Warrant Certificate representing such number of unexercised Warrants.
The Company may deem and treat the registered holder(s) hereof as the
absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of
ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any
exercise hereof, and of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all
other purposes, and the Company shall not be affected by any notice to the
contrary.
All terms used in this Warrant Certificate which are defined in the
Warrant Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Warrant
Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant Certificate to
be duly executed under its corporate seal.
Dated: As of June 14, 2000 BIOSHIELD TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By:
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Name:
-----------------------------
Title:
----------------------------
Attest:
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Name:
--------------------------
Title:
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[FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE]
The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right,
represented by this Warrant Certificate, to purchase ____________ Shares and
herewith tenders in payment for such Shares cash or a certified or official bank
check payable in New York Clearing House Funds to the order of
_____________________ in the amount of $_______________, all in accordance with
the terms hereof. The undersigned requests that a certificate for such Shares be
registered in the name of ___________________________________ whose address
is_____________________________, and that such Certificate be delivered to
___________________________________________, whose address is
__________________________________________________________
Dated: Signature:
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(Signature must conform in
all respects to name of
holder as specified on the
face of the Warrant
Certificate.)
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(Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Holder)
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[FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]
(To be executed by the registered holder if such holder
desires to transfer the Warrant Certificate.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED ___________________________________________ hereby
sells, assigns and transfers unto
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(Please print name and address of transferee)
this Warrant Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein,
and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
___________________________________, Attorney, to transfer the within Warrant
Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of
substitution.
Dated: Signature:
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(Signature must conform in all
respects to name of holder as
specified on the face of the
Warrant Certificate)
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---------------------------------
(Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Assignee)