OPEN MARKET SALE AGREEMENTSM
Exhibit 10.1
EXECUTION VERSION
April 30, 2021
XXXXXXXXX LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ImmunityBio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell from time to time through Xxxxxxxxx LLC, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Shares”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000 on the terms set forth in this agreement (this “Agreement”).
Section 1. DEFINITIONS
(a) Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement and any Terms Agreement, capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the following respective meanings:
“affiliate” of a Person means another Person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first- mentioned Person. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agency Period” means the period commencing on the date of this Agreement and expiring on the earliest to occur of (x) the date on which the Agent shall have placed the Maximum Program Amount pursuant to this Agreement and (y) the date this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Floor Price” means the minimum price set by the Company in the Issuance Notice below which the Agent (as defined below) shall not sell Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice, which may be adjusted by the Company at any time during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice by delivering written notice of such change to the Agent and which in
SM | “Open Market Sale Agreement” is a service xxxx of Xxxxxxxxx LLC |
no event shall be less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion.
“Issuance Amount” means the aggregate Sales Price of the Shares to be sold by the Agent pursuant to any Issuance Notice.
“Issuance Notice” means a written notice delivered to the Agent by the Company in accordance with this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A that is executed by its Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
“Issuance Notice Date” means any Trading Day during the Agency Period that an Issuance Notice is delivered pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
“Issuance Price” means the Sales Price less the Selling Commission.
“Maximum Program Amount” means Common Shares with an aggregate Sales Price of the lesser of (a) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares registered under the effective Registration Statement (defined below) pursuant to which the offering is being made, (b) the number of authorized but unissued Common Shares (less Common Shares issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of any outstanding securities of the Company or otherwise reserved from the Company’s authorized capital stock), (c) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares permitted to be sold under Form S-3 (including General Instruction I.B.6 thereof, if applicable), or (d) the number or dollar amount of Common Shares for which the Company has filed a Prospectus (defined below).
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or other entity of any kind.
“Principal Market” means the Nasdaq Global Select Market or such other national securities exchange on which the Common Shares, including any Shares, are then listed.
“Sales Price” means the actual sale execution price of each Share placed by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Selling Commission” means up to three percent (3.0%) of the gross proceeds of Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement, or as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Agent with respect to any Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement.
“Settlement Date” means the second business day following each Trading Day during the period set forth in the Issuance Notice on which Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement, when the Company shall deliver to the Agent the amount of Shares sold on such Trading Day and the Agent shall deliver to the Company the Issuance Price received on such sales.
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“Shares” shall mean the Company’s Common Shares issued or issuable pursuant to this Agreement.
“Terms Agreement” means a written agreement entered into by the Company and the Agent related to the sale of Shares directly to the Agent as principal, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit B.
“Trading Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading.
Section 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Agent that as of (1) the date of this Agreement, (2) each Issuance Notice Date, (3) each Settlement Date, (4) each Triggering Event Date, (5) each Time of Sale and (6) each Time of Delivery (each of the times referenced above is referred to herein as a “Representation Date”) (other than representations and warranties that by their terms address matters only as of another specified time, which shall be true only as of such time), except as may be disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto) on or before a Representation Date:
(a) Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR that contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”). Such registration statement registers the issuance and sale by the Company of the Shares under the Securities Act. The Company may file one or more additional registration statements from time to time that will contain a base prospectus and related prospectus or prospectus supplement, if applicable, with respect to the Shares. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement(s), including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, including all financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto and all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act as from time to time amended or supplemented, is herein referred to as the “Registration Statement,” and the prospectus constituting a part of such registration statement(s), together with any prospectus supplement filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act relating to a particular issuance of the Shares, including all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, in each case, as from time to time amended or supplemented, is referred to herein as the “Prospectus,” except that if any revised prospectus is provided to the Agent by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Shares that is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the Agent for such use. The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” As used in this Agreement, the terms “amendment” or “supplement” when applied to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing by the Company with the Commission of any document under the Exchange Act after the date hereof that is or is deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
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All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include, without limitation, the filing of any document under the Exchange Act which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed under the Securities Act to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of any specified date.
At the time the Registration Statement was or will be originally declared effective and at the time the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, if later, the Company met the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act. During the Agency Period, each time the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K the Company will meet the then-applicable requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.
(b) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement have been declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission.
The Prospectus when filed complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and, if filed with the Commission through its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”) (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the Securities Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Agent for use in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares. Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective and at all subsequent Representation Dates, complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the date of this Agreement, the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) considered together (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”) did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date and at all subsequent Representation Dates, did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the three immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Agent expressly for
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use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information described in Section 6 below. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been described or filed as required. The Registration Statement and the offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said rule.
(c) Ineligible Issuer Status. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. Any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act has been, or will be, filed with the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act. Each Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or that was prepared by or on behalf of or used or referred to by the Company complies or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Securities Act including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending, and each such Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent Representation Dates through the completion of the issuance and sale of the Shares did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts with or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein. Except for the Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and electronic road shows, if any, furnished to the Agent before first use, the Company has not prepared, used or referred to, and will not, without the prior consent of the Agent, prepare, use or refer to, any Free Writing Prospectus.
(d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, do not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or 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.
(e) Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, and any Free Writing Prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective and at each Time of Sale (as defined below), as the case may be, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Statistical and Market-Related Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.
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(g) Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Deficiencies in or Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act), which (i) comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; (ii) have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; and (iii) are effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to the Company and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there have been no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and 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. The Company is not aware of any change in its internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
(h) This Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
(i) Authorization of the Shares. The Shares have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor pursuant to this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and the issuance and sale of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase the Shares, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(j) No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.
(k) No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change, or any development that could be expected to result in a material adverse change, in (A) the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties, operations, operating results, assets or liabilities, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, of the Company and its subsidiaries the (“Subsidiaries”), considered as one entity or (B) the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or perform its obligations hereunder (any such change being referred to herein as a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries, considered as one entity, have not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, including without limitation any
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losses or interference with their business from fire, explosion, flood, earthquakes, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, that are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one entity, and have not entered into any transactions not in the ordinary course of business; and (iii) there has not been any material decrease in the capital stock or any material increase in any short-term or long-term indebtedness of the Company or the Subsidiaries and there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company or, except for dividends paid to the Company or other subsidiaries, by any of the Company’s subsidiaries on any class of capital stock, or any repurchase or redemption by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries of any class of capital stock.
(l) Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements (which term as used in this Agreement includes the related notes thereto) filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is (i) an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), (ii) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and (iii) a registered public accounting firm as defined by the PCAOB whose registration has not been suspended or revoked and who has not requested such registration to be withdrawn.
(m) Financial Statements. The financial statements filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (including NantCell, Inc. and NantKwest, Inc.) as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The combined consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus present fairly the information contained therein, have been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines and have been properly presented on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.
(n) Company’s Accounting System. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries make and keep books and records and maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles as applied in the United States and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded
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accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(o) Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. Each of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries has been (i) duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and (ii) duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except, in the case of this clause (ii), where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change, and each subsidiary of the Company required to be listed in the Registration Statement has been so listed in the Registration Statement.
(p) Capitalization and Other Capital Stock Matters. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (other than for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to employee benefit plans described in the Prospectus or upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants, in each case described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus). The Common Shares (including the Shares) conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus. All of the issued and outstanding Common Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding Common Shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company, except for such rights as have been duly waived. There are no authorized or outstanding options, warrants, preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase, or equity or debt securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, any capital stock of the Company other than those described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and except for such rights as have been duly waived. The descriptions of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus, stock purchase and other stock or equity incentive plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights. Except as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of, or other equity interests in, each Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through other subsidiaries of the Company, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity.
(q) Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and are listed on the Principal Market, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Shares under the Exchange Act or delisting the Common Shares from the Principal market, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Principal
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Market is contemplating terminating such registration or listing. To the Company’s knowledge, it is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable listing requirements of the Principal Market.
(r) Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document), (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their properties, or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for such defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(s) No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and the issuance and sale of the Shares (including the use of proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is subject, (B) the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other applicable organizational document) of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or (C) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, in the case of clauses (A) and (C), for such defaults, breaches, or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(t) No Conflicts. No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration, qualification or filing with, any court or other governmental or regulatory authority or agency, is required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except such as have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force and effect under the Securities Act and such as may be required under applicable state securities or blue sky laws or FINRA (as defined below).
(u) No Material Actions or Proceedings. Other than as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is a party or of which any property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any officer or director of the Company, is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (or such officer or director), would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Change; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental authorities or others.
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(v) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and the Subsidiaries own, possess or license adequate rights to use all material trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names and other source identifiers, and all goodwill associated with the foregoing, inventions, patents, copyrights and copyrightable works, licenses, approvals, technology, know-how, trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures, and other intellectual property rights (including all registrations and applications for registration of the foregoing, as applicable) (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) used in, held for use in or necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus to be conducted. To the knowledge of the Company: (1) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has materially infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated the Intellectual Property Rights of any third party, and (2) neither the manufacture of, nor the use or sale of, any of the Company’s or the Subsidiaries’ product candidates described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus materially infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the Intellectual Property Rights of any third party. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no rights of third parties (including any liens or encumbrances) to any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned or purported to be owned by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no pending or threatened in writing action, suit, proceeding or claim by any third party (i) challenging the Company’s or any of the Subsidiaries’ rights in or to, or alleging a violation of any of the terms of, any of their owned or licensed Intellectual Property Rights; (ii) alleging that the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated any Intellectual Property Rights of any third party; or (iii) challenging the validity, scope or enforceability of any Intellectual Property Rights owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, and in the case of each of (i), (ii) and (iii), the Company is unaware of any facts that would form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to the Company’s knowledge, there is no material infringement, misappropriation, breach or default, or other violation by others of any Intellectual Property Rights owned by or exclusively licensed to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries. The Company and the Subsidiaries have at all times taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all Intellectual Property Rights, the value of which to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is contingent upon maintaining the confidentiality thereof, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. All founders, current and former employees, consultants, and other parties involved in the development of Intellectual Property Rights for the Company and the Subsidiaries have signed confidentiality and invention assignment agreements with the Company or a Subsidiary pursuant to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries either (x) has obtained ownership of and is the exclusive owner of such Intellectual Property Rights, or (y) has obtained a valid and unrestricted right to exploit such Intellectual Property Rights, sufficient for the conduct of the business as currently conducted and as proposed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus to be conducted, except where the failure to do so would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(w) All Necessary Permits, etc. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company and each subsidiary possess such valid and current certificates, authorizations or permits required by state, federal or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted and as described in the
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Registration Statement or the Prospectus (“Permits”). Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in violation of, or in default under, any of the Permits, or has received any notice of violation of or default under or proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of, or non-compliance with, any such certificate, authorization or permit.
(x) Title to Properties. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them (other than with respect to Intellectual Property Rights (as defined above), which for the avoidance of doubt is addressed exclusively in Section 2(v)), in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries; any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and the Subsidiaries.
(y) Tax Law Compliance. (i) The Company and each of the Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed or have requested extensions thereof and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file such tax returns or pay such taxes would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change), (ii) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries have no liability for unpaid taxes, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company or where such liability would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change and (iii) no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has received written notice of, or has knowledge of, any tax deficiency that could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or the Subsidiaries, in each case which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(z) Company Not an “Investment Company.” The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).
(aa) Insurance. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, each of the Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by recognized, financially sound and reputable institutions with policies in such amounts and with such deductibles and covering such risks as are generally deemed adequate and customary for their businesses including, but not limited to, policies covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and earthquakes and policies covering the Company and the Subsidiaries for product liability claims and clinical trial liability claims. The Company has no reason to believe that it or any of the Subsidiaries will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not be expected to result, individually or in the
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aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied except as would not be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change.
(bb) No Price Stabilization or Manipulation; Compliance with Regulation M. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Shares or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Common Shares, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.
(cc) Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between the Company, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, or stockholders of the Company, on the other, that is required by the Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents. There are no related-party transactions involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which have not been described as required.
(dd) FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Agent or to counsel for the Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors in connection with the offering of the Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.’s (“FINRA”) rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act specified in FINRA Rule 5110(h)(1)(C).
(ee) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary, has made any contribution or other payment to any official of, or candidate for, any federal, state or foreign office in violation of any law or of the character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(ff) Compliance with Environmental Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential
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liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.
(gg) ERISA Compliance. Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) sponsors or maintains (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained, in all material respects, in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code.
(hh) Brokers. Except as described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company is not a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.
(ii) No Outstanding Loans or Other Extensions of Credit. The Company does not have any outstanding extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company except for such extensions of credit as are expressly permitted by Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
(jj) Compliance with Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, except where failure to be so in compliance could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(kk) Dividend Restrictions. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying dividends to the Company, or from making any other distribution with respect to such subsidiary’s equity securities or from repaying to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company any amounts that may from time to time become due under any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any property or assets to the Company or to any other subsidiary.
(ll) Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Laws. None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has (i) made, offered, promised or authorized any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense or taken any act in furtherance thereof; (ii) made, offered, promised or authorized any direct or indirect unlawful payment; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”), the Xxxxxxx Xxx 0000 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law. The Company and the Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates, have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
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(mm) Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the applicable anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and the Subsidiaries conduct business (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.
(nn) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, he Company and each of the Subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations (collectively, “Authorizations”) issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are required for the ownership or lease of its property or the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, including, without limitation, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), the European Medicines Agency (the “EMA”) or similar foreign, state, and local governmental or regulatory authorities, including any government medical device regulatory agency or institutional review board (collectively, the “Regulatory Authorities”), such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect, and the Company is not in violation of any such Authorizations, except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change; and the Company has not received notice of any revocation of any such license, sub-license, certificate, permit or authorization.
(oo) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the Company and each of the Subsidiaries (i) have operated and currently operate their respective businesses in compliance with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to them and their respective businesses, including, without limitation, (A) requirements governing investigational drugs and biologics under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and rules and regulations thereunder, including regulations relating to Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices for studies and tests that are submitted to regulatory authorities to support regulatory approvals, (B) the U.S. Animal Welfare Act and rules and regulations thereunder, (C) the U.S. Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(b)), the Civil Monetary Penalties Law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7a), the U.S. Civil False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. Section 3729 et seq.), all applicable federal, state, local and all foreign criminal laws relating to health care fraud and abuse, including but not limited to the U.S. False Statements Law (42 U.S.C. Section 1320a-7b(a)), 18 U.S.C. Sections 286 and 287, and the health care fraud criminal provisions under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.), the exclusion laws, the statutes, regulations and directives of applicable government funded or sponsored healthcare programs, and the regulations promulgated pursuant to such statutes; (D) the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information, the Security Standards, and the Standards for Electronic Transactions and Code Sets promulgated under HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (42 U.S.C. Section 17921 et seq.), and the regulations promulgated thereunder and any state or non-U.S. counterpart thereof or any other law or regulation the purpose of which is to protect the privacy of individuals or prescribers; (E) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health
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Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, the regulations promulgated thereunder; (F) the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. Section 801 et seq.); and (G) all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, relating to the regulation of the Company and the ownership, testing, development, registration, licensure, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, recordkeeping, filing of reports, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product or product candidate under development, manufactured or distributed by or on behalf of the Company or such subsidiary (collectively, “Applicable Laws”), except where the failure to so operate or be in compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (ii) have not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice alleging or asserting material noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or Authorizations or otherwise providing notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Regulatory Authority, any court or arbitrator or other governmental authority or agency; (iii) have not received any recalls, field notifications, field corrections, market withdrawals, “dear doctor” letters, investigator notices, safety alerts or other notice of action relating to an alleged lack of safety, efficacy, or regulatory compliance of the Company’s products or product candidates; (iv) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws, that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed in all material respects (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission) and no material deficiencies regarding compliance with applicable law have been asserted by any applicable Regulatory Authority with respect to any such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments; and (v) are not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority.
(pp) (i) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, any preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, any preclinical studies and clinical trials conducted on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiaries or in which the Company or the Subsidiaries have participated for the purposes of supporting a regulatory filing or application submitted to a Regulatory Authority, were, and if still pending, are, being conducted in all material respects in accordance with approved study protocols and Applicable Laws, including those of the FDA and other Regulatory Authorities, to which the Company and the Subsidiaries are subject; (ii) the descriptions of the results of such studies, tests and trials contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such studies, tests and trial; (iii) neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries have received any notices or correspondence from the FDA, any other Regulatory Authority or any other governmental agency, institutional review board, ethics committee or other similar entity requiring, or would reasonably be expected to result in a requirement for, the termination, suspension or material modification of any studies, tests or preclinical or clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, nor is the Company aware of any facts that would form a reasonable basis for any such termination, suspension or modification; and (iv) except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any studies, tests or trials, the
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results of which the Company believes reasonably call into question the study, test or trial results described or referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus;
(qq) Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any of its or any of the Subsidiaries’ officers, directors or managing employees (as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-5(b)), is or has been excluded, suspended or debarred from participation in any Federal Health Care Program, (as defined at 42 U.S.C. §1320a-7(b)(f)), debarred by FDA or comparable authorities pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 335a or similar laws, or made subject to any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action which could reasonably be expected to result in such exclusion, suspension or debarment;
(rr) The Company’s manufacturing facilities and operations and, to the Company’s knowledge, the manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers, are operated in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws;
(ss) Sanctions. None of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of the Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Shares hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions; and for the past five years, the Company and the Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or target of Sanctions or with any sanctioned country;
(tt) Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx. The Company is in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(uu) Duties, Transfer Taxes, Etc. No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by the Agent in the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement by the Company or the sale and delivery by the Company of the Shares.
(vv) Cybersecurity. (i) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (x) to the Company’s knowledge, there has been no material security breach or other
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material compromise of any of the Company’s or the Subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, or confidential, personally identifiable, or personal data (including any such data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors or other third parties collected, processed, stored, maintained or otherwise used by or on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiaries) (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or other material compromise to their IT Systems and Data; and (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices, except as would not, in the case of clauses (i) or (ii), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Change.
(ww) Compliance with Data Privacy Laws. The Company and the Subsidiaries are, and at all prior times were, in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, relating to the use, processing, privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, including without limitation HIPAA, and the Company and the Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable actions to prepare to comply with, and since May 25, 2018, have been and currently are in compliance with, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) (EU 2016/679) (collectively, the “Privacy Laws”). To ensure compliance with the Privacy Laws, the Company and the Subsidiaries have in place, comply with, and take appropriate steps reasonably designed to ensure compliance in all material respects with their policies and procedures relating to data privacy and security and the collection, storage, use, disclosure, handling, processing, and analysis of its IT Systems and Data (the “Policies”). The Company further certifies that neither it nor any subsidiary: (i) has received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to, or actual or potential violation of, any of the Privacy Laws; (ii) is currently conducting or paying for, in whole or in part, any investigation, remediation, or other corrective action pursuant to any Privacy Law; or (iii) is a party to any order, decree, or agreement that imposes any obligation or liability under any Privacy Law.
(xx) Other Underwriting Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction.
(yy) The statements set forth, or incorporated by reference, in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus under the caption “Description of our Capital Stock,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Stock, and under the captions “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Government Regulation,” “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Intellectual Property,” “Business of ImmunityBio—Intellectual Property,” “Business of ImmunityBio—Government Regulation,” “Business of ImmunityBio—Intellectual Property” and “Plan of Distribution,” insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects.
Any certificate signed by any officer or representative of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries and delivered to the Agent or counsel for the Agent in connection with a sale or an issuance of Shares or a Terms Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate.
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The Company acknowledges that the Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) hereof, counsel to the Company and counsel to the Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.
Section 3. ISSUANCE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES
(a) | Sale of Securities. |
(i) | On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company may from time to time seek to sell Shares through the Agent, acting as sales agent, or directly to the Agent acting as principal, as follows, with an aggregate Sales Price of up to the Maximum Program Amount, based on and in accordance with Issuance Notices as the Company may deliver, during the Agency Period. The Company agrees that whenever it determines to sell the Shares directly to an Agent as principal, it will enter into a separate Terms Agreement, relating to such sale in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement. |
(ii) | If the Company wishes to issue and sell the Shares pursuant to this Agreement directly to the Agent acting as principal (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Agent of the proposed terms of such Placement. If such Agent, acting as principal, wishes to accept such proposed terms (which an Agent may decline to do for any reason in its sole discretion) or, wishes to accept amended terms proposed by the Company after further discussion, such Agent and the Company will enter into a Terms Agreement setting forth the terms of such Placement. The terms set forth in a Terms Agreement will not be binding on the Company or such Agent unless and until the Company and such Agent have each executed such Terms Agreement accepting all of the terms of such Terms Agreement. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Terms Agreement, the terms of such Terms Agreement will control. Each Placement shall be made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and, if applicable, a Terms Agreement, which will provide for the sale of such Shares to, and the purchase thereof by, such Agent. A Terms Agreement may also specify certain provisions relating to the reoffering of such Shares by an Agent. The commitment of an Agent to purchase the Shares pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth. Each Terms Agreement shall specify the number of the Shares to be purchased by an Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for such Shares, any provisions relating to rights of, and default by, underwriters acting together with such Agent in the reoffering of the Shares, and the time and date (each such time and date being referred to herein as a “Time of Delivery”) and place of delivery of and payment for such Shares. |
(b) | Mechanics of Issuances. |
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(i) Issuance Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, on any Trading Day during the Agency Period on which the conditions set forth in Section 5(a) and Section 5(b) shall have been satisfied, the Company may exercise its right to request an issuance of Shares by delivering to the Agent an Issuance Notice; provided, however, that (A) in no event may the Company deliver an Issuance Notice to the extent that (I) the sum of (x) the aggregate Sales Price of the requested Issuance Amount, plus (y) the aggregate Sales Price of all Shares issued under all previous Issuance Notices effected pursuant to this Agreement and any Terms Agreements, would exceed the Maximum Program Amount; and (B) prior to delivery of any Issuance Notice, the period set forth for any previous Issuance Notice shall have expired or been terminated. An Issuance Notice shall be considered delivered on the Trading Day that it is received by email to the persons set forth in Schedule A hereto (the “Authorized Representatives”) by the applicable Agent(s) (with notice of such Issuance Notice to the Authorized Representatives of the other Agent, if applicable) and confirmed by the Company by telephone (including a voicemail message to the persons so identified), with the understanding that, with adequate prior written notice, the Agent may modify the list of such persons from time to time. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto agree that compliance with the limitation set forth in this Section 3(b)(i) on the aggregate Sales Price and aggregate number of Shares that may be issued and sold under this Agreement from time to time shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and that the Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.
(ii) Agent Efforts. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, upon the receipt of an Issuance Notice, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal sales and trading practices to place the Shares with respect to which the Agent has agreed to act as sales agent, subject to, and in accordance with the information specified in, the Issuance Notice, unless the sale of the Shares described therein has been suspended, cancelled or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company and the Agent may modify an Issuance Notice at any time provided they both agree in writing to any such modification.
(iii) Method of Offer and Sale. The Agent may make sales pursuant to each order by any method permitted by law and the rules of the Principal Market, including without limitation (i) by means of ordinary brokers’ transactions (whether or not solicited), (ii) to or through a market maker, (iii) directly on or through any national securities exchange or facility thereof, a trading facility of a national securities association, an alternative trading system, or any other market venue, (iv) in the over-the-counter market, (v) in privately negotiated transactions with the consent of the Company, (vi) block transactions or (vii) through a combination of any such methods.
(iv) Confirmation to the Company. If acting as sales agent hereunder, the Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company no later than the opening of the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which it has placed Shares hereunder setting forth the number of shares sold on such Trading Day, the corresponding Sales Price and the Issuance Price payable to the Company in respect thereof.
(v) Settlement. Each issuance of Shares will be settled on the applicable Settlement Date for such issuance of Shares and, subject to the provisions of Section 5, on or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Shares being sold by crediting the Agent or its designee’s account at The Depository Trust
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Company through its Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (DWAC) System, or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto and, upon receipt of such Shares, which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form, the Agent will deliver, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, the related Issuance Price in same day funds delivered to an account designated by the Company prior to the Settlement Date. The Company may sell Shares to the Agent as principal at a price agreed upon at each relevant time Shares are sold pursuant to this Agreement or any relevant Terms Agreement (each, a “Time of Sale”).
(vi) Suspension or Termination of Sales. Consistent with standard market settlement practices, the Company or the Agent may, upon notice to the other party hereto in writing or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable email), suspend any sale of Shares, and the period set forth in an Issuance Notice shall immediately terminate; provided, however, that (A) such suspension and termination shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Shares placed or sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice; (B) if the Company suspends or terminates any sale of Shares after the Agent confirms such sale to the Company, the Company shall still be obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares; and (C) if the Company defaults in its obligation to deliver Shares on a Settlement Date, the Company agrees that it will (1) hold the Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense (including, without limitation, penalties, interest and reasonable legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company and (2) pay the Agent any commission, discount or other compensation to which it would otherwise be entitled absent such default. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, in performing its obligations under this Agreement, the Agent may borrow Common Shares from stock lenders in the event that the Company has not delivered Shares to settle sales as required by subsection (v) above, and may use the Shares to settle or close out such borrowings. The Company agrees that no such notice shall be effective against the Agent unless it is made to the persons identified in writing by the Agent pursuant to Section 3(b)(i).
(vii) No Guarantee of Placement, Etc. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (A) there can be no assurance that the Agent will be successful in placing Shares; (B) the Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other Person if it does not sell Shares for any reason; and (C) the Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise specifically agreed by the Agent and the Company.
(c) Material Non-Public Information; Blackout Periods. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement and subject to such further limitations on offers and sales of Shares or delivery of instructions to offer and sell Shares as are set forth herein and as may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Agent, the Company and the Agent agree that the Company shall not deliver any Issuance Notice to the Agent, and the Agent shall be obligated to sell, (i) during any period in which the Company’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx policy, as it exists on the date of this Agreement, would prohibit the purchase or sale of any Shares by any of its officers or directors, (ii) at any time during the period commencing on the tenth business day prior to the time Company shall issue a press release containing, or shall otherwise publicly announce, its earnings, revenues or other results of operations (each, an “Earnings Announcement”) through and including the time that is 24 hours after the time that the Company files a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an
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Annual Report on Form 10-K that includes consolidated financial statements as of and for the same period or periods, as the case may be, covered by such Earnings Announcement, or (iii) during any other period in which the Company is, or could be deemed to be, in possession of material non-public information.
(d) Fees. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Agent, on the applicable Settlement Date, the Selling Commission for the applicable Issuance Amount (including with respect to any suspended or terminated sale pursuant to Section 3(b)(vi)) by the Agent deducting the Selling Commission from the applicable Issuance Amount. The Selling Commission shall not apply when an Agent, acting as principal, purchases Shares from the Company pursuant to a Terms Agreement.
(e) Expenses. The Company agrees to pay, and if applicable shall promptly reimburse the Agent for, all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the performance of its obligations hereunder and in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation (i) all expenses incident to the issuance and delivery of the Shares (including all printing and engraving costs); (ii) all fees and expenses of the registrar and transfer agent of the Shares; (iii) all necessary issue, transfer and other stamp taxes in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares; (iv) all fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel, independent public or certified public accountants and other advisors; (v) all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, printing, filing, shipping and distribution of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and this Agreement; (vi) all filing fees, attorneys’ fees and expenses incurred by the Company or the Agent in connection with qualifying or registering (or obtaining exemptions from the qualification or registration of) all or any part of the Shares for offer and sale under the state securities or blue sky laws or the provincial securities laws of Canada, and, if requested by the Agent, preparing and printing a “Blue Sky Survey” or memorandum and a “Canadian wrapper,” and any supplements thereto, advising the Agent of such qualifications, registrations, determinations and exemptions; (vii) the reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of the Agent’s counsel, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Agent in connection with, FINRA review, if any, and approval of the Agent’s participation in the offering and distribution of the Shares; (viii) the filing fees incident to FINRA review, if any; and (ix) the fees and expenses associated with listing the Shares on the Principal Market.
Section 4. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants and agrees with the Agent as follows, in addition to any other covenants and agreements made elsewhere in this Agreement:
(a) Exchange Act Compliance. During the Agency Period, the Company shall (i) file, on a timely basis, with the Commission all reports and documents required to be filed under Section 13, 14 or 15 of the Exchange Act in the manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act; and (ii) either (A) disclose in its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as applicable, with regard to the relevant quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through the Agent pursuant to this Agreement, the net proceeds to the Company and the
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compensation paid by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or (B) on or prior to the earlier of (1) the date on which the Company shall file a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or an Annual Report on Form 10-K in respect of any fiscal quarter in which sales of Shares were made by an Agent pursuant to this Agreement and (2) the date on which the Company shall be obligated to file such document referred to in clause (1) in respect of such quarter (each such date, and any date on which an amendment to any such document is filed, a “Filing Date”), the Company will file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b), which prospectus supplement will set forth, with regard to such quarter, the number of the Shares sold by or through an Agent pursuant to this Agreement, the net proceeds to the Company and the compensation paid by the Company with respect to such sales of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to the Principal Market as is required.
(b) Securities Act Compliance. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall promptly advise the Agent in writing (i) of the receipt of any comments of, or requests for additional or supplemental information from, the Commission; (ii) of the time and date of any filing of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus; (iii) of the time and date that any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective; and (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of any proceedings to remove, suspend or terminate from listing or quotation the Common Shares from any securities exchange upon which they are listed for trading or included or designated for quotation, or of the threatening or initiation of any proceedings for any of such purposes. If the Commission shall enter any such stop order at any time, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest possible moment. Additionally, the Company agrees that it shall comply with the provisions of Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, as applicable, under the Securities Act and will use its reasonable efforts to confirm that any filings made by the Company under such Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 were received in a timely manner by the Commission.
(c) Amendments and Supplements to the Prospectus and Other Securities Act Matters. If any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus so that the Prospectus does not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if in the opinion of the Agent or counsel for the Agent it is otherwise necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, including the Securities Act, the Company agrees (subject to Sections 4(d) and 4(f)) to promptly prepare, file with the Commission and furnish at its own expense to the Agent, amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law including the Securities
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Act. Neither the Agent’s consent to, or delivery of, any such amendment or supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the Company’s obligations under Sections 4(d) and 4(f).
(d) Agent’s Review of Proposed Amendments and Supplements. Prior to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement (including any registration statement filed under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act) or the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Agent’s prior consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.
(e) Use of Free Writing Prospectus. None of the Company or the Agent has prepared, used, referred to or distributed, or will prepare, use, refer to or distribute, without the other party’s prior written consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, any “written communication” that constitutes a “free writing prospectus” as such terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering contemplated by this Agreement (any such free writing prospectus being referred to herein as a “Free Writing Prospectus”).
(f) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of each proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any proposed free writing prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto without the Agent’s consent which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Company shall furnish to the Agent, without charge, as many copies of any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used by the Company, as the Agent may reasonably request. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares (but in any event if at any time through and including the date of this Agreement) there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Company conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly amend or supplement such free writing prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict or so that the statements in such free writing prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at such subsequent time, not misleading, as the case may be; provided, however, that prior to amending or supplementing any such free writing prospectus, the Company shall furnish to the Agent for review, a reasonable amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy of such proposed amended or supplemented free writing prospectus and the Company shall not file, use or refer to any such amended or supplemented free writing prospectus without the Agent’s consent which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
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(g) Filing of Agent Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall not take any action that would result in the Agent or the Company being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Agent that the Agent otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.
(h) Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus. After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.
(i) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and counsel for the Agent to qualify or register the Shares for sale under (or obtain exemptions from the application of) the state securities or blue sky laws or Canadian provincial securities laws of those jurisdictions designated by the Agent, shall comply with such laws and shall continue such qualifications, registrations and exemptions in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares. The Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to take any action that would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it is not presently qualified or where it would be subject to taxation as a foreign corporation. The Company will advise the Agent promptly of the suspension of the qualification or registration of (or any such exemption relating to) the Shares for offering, sale or trading in any jurisdiction or any initiation or threat of any proceeding for any such purpose, and in the event of the issuance of any order suspending such qualification, registration or exemption, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal thereof at the earliest possible moment.
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(j) Earnings Statement. As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Agent an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 under the Securities Act.
(k) Listing; Reservation of Shares. (a) The Company will maintain the listing of the Shares on the Principal Market; and (b) the Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy its obligations under this Agreement.
(l) Transfer Agent. The Company shall engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Shares.
(m) Due Diligence. At each Triggering Event Date, and at such other times as may be reasonably requested by an Agent (which shall be on a monthly basis or otherwise), the Company will conduct a due diligence session, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent, which shall include representatives of the management of the Company and the independent accountants of the Company. The Company shall cooperate timely with any reasonable due diligence request from or review conducted by the Agent or their representatives or counsel from time to time in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, providing information and available documents and access to appropriate officers and agents of the Company during normal business hours and at the Company’s principal offices.
(n) Representations and Warranties. The Company acknowledges that at the time of each delivery of an Issuance Notice, each execution and delivery by the Company of a Terms Agreement, each delivery of Shares on a Settlement Date or at each Time of Delivery, Representation Date and Filing Date, the Company shall be deemed to have (i) affirmed to the Agent that the representations and warranties of the Company contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement are true and correct as if made at and as of such date; and (ii) made an undertaking that the Company will advise the Agent if any of such representations and warranties will not be true and correct at and as of such date (except, in each case of clauses (i) and (ii), that such representations and warranties shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented as of such date (including any documents incorporated by reference therein and any supplements thereto)). Any obligation of an Agent to use its reasonable efforts to sell the Shares on behalf of the Company as sales agent shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein (and the completion of any diligence to verify such accuracy by the Agent), to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the continuing satisfaction of the additional conditions specified in Section 6 of this Agreement.
(o) Deliverables at Triggering Event Dates; Certificates. The Company agrees that on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and, during the term of this Agreement after the date of the first Issuance Notice, upon:
(A) the filing of the Prospectus or the amendment or supplement of any Registration Statement or Prospectus (other than a prospectus supplement relating solely to an
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offering of securities other than the Shares or a prospectus filed pursuant to Section 4(a)(ii)(B)), by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker or supplement, but not by means of incorporation of documents by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus;
(B) the filing with the Commission of an annual report on Form 10-K or a quarterly report on Form 10-Q (including any Form 10-K/A or Form 10-Q/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q), in each case, of the Company;
(C) the filing with the Commission of a current report on Form 8-K of the Company containing amended financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) that is material to the offering of securities of the Company in the Agent’s reasonable discretion; or
(D) the Shares are delivered to the Agent as principal at the Time of Delivery pursuant to a Terms Agreement;
(any such event, a “Triggering Event Date”), the Company shall furnish the Agent (but in the case of clause (C) above only if the Agent reasonably determines that the information contained in such current report on Form 8-K of the Company is material) with a certificate executed by the Company’s principal executive officer or principal financial officer as of the Triggering Event Date, dated the date of delivery, in the form and substance satisfactory to the Agent and their counsel, substantially similar to the form attached as Exhibit C hereto. The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 4(o) shall be automatically waived for any Triggering Event Date occurring at a time when no Issuance Notice is pending or a suspension is in effect, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers instructions for the sale of Shares hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Triggering Event Date) and the next occurring Triggering Event Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Shares following a Triggering Event Date when a suspension was in effect and did not provide the Agent with a certificate under this Section 4(o), then before the Company delivers the instructions for the sale of Shares or the Agent sells any Shares pursuant to such instructions, the Company shall provide the Agent with a certificate in conformity with this Section 4(o) dated as of the date that the instructions for the sale of Shares are issued.
(p) Legal Opinions. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement:
(i) | the written legal opinion and negative assurance letter of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation, counsel to the Company in substantially the forms of Exhibit E-1 and Exhibit E-2; |
(ii) | (A) the written legal opinion of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation, intellectual property counsel to the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent; and (B) the written legal opinion of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx |
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LLP, intellectual property counsel to the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and its counsel; provided, however, in each case, that intellectual property counsel shall only be required to deliver such written opinions (x) on or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and (y) on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o)(B) for which no waiver is applicable; and |
(iii) | the written legal opinion and negative assurance letter of Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel to the Agent; |
In lieu of such opinions for subsequent periodic filings, in the discretion of the Agent, the Company may furnish a reliance letter from such counsel to the Agent, permitting the Agent to rely on a previously delivered opinion letter, modified as appropriate for any passage of time or Triggering Event Date (except that statements in such prior opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented as of such Triggering Event Date).
(q) Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 4(o) for which no waiver is applicable and excluding the date of this Agreement, the Company shall cause Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm who has audited the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, to furnish the Agent a comfort letter, dated the date of delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent and their counsel, substantially similar to the form previously provided to the Agent and their counsel; provided, however, that any such comfort letter will only be required on the Triggering Event Date specified to the extent that it contains financial statements filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act and incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into a Prospectus. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also cause a comfort letter to be furnished to the Agent within ten (10) Trading Days of the date of occurrence of any material transaction or event requiring the filing of a current report on Form 8-K containing material amended financial information of the Company, including the restatement of the Company’s financial statements. The Company shall be required to furnish no more than one comfort letter hereunder per calendar quarter. If requested by the Agent, the Company shall also provide a certificate signed by the principal financial officer of the Company, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent.
(r) Secretary’s Certificate. On or prior to the date of the first Issuance Notice and on or prior to each Triggering Event Date, the Company shall furnish the Agent a certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, signing in such capacity, dated the date of delivery, substantially in the form as Exhibit D hereto, along with such certificates of good standing or other certificates of public officials as may be reasonably requested by Company Counsel or Agent Counsel (as defined below) in connection with the rendering of their opinions and negative assurance letters as contemplated by Section 4(p).
(s) Agent’s Own Account; Clients’ Account. The Company consents to the Agent trading, in compliance with applicable law, in the Common Shares for such Agent’s own account
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and for the account of its clients at the same time as, or after, sales of the Shares occur, pursuant to this Agreement or pursuant to a Terms Agreement.
(t) Investment Limitation. The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
(u) Market Activities. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares or any other reference security, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Agent (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply. The Company shall promptly notify the Agent if it no longer meets the requirements set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102.
(v) Notice of Other Sale. Without the written consent of the Agent, the Company will not, directly or indirectly, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares (other than Shares hereunder), warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares, during the period beginning on the third Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Issuance Notice is delivered to the Agent hereunder and ending on the third Trading Day immediately following the Settlement Date with respect to Shares sold pursuant to such Issuance Notice; and will not directly or indirectly enter into any other “at the market” or continuous equity transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any Common Shares (other than the Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, Common Shares prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such restrictions will not be required in connection with the Company’s (i) issuance or sale of Common Shares, options to purchase Common Shares or Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards pursuant to any employee or director share option, incentive or benefit plan, share purchase or ownership plan, long-term incentive plan, dividend reinvestment plan, inducement award under Nasdaq rules or other compensation plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, as in effect on the date of this Agreement, (ii) issuance or sale of Common Shares issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise or vesting of warrants, options or other equity awards outstanding at the date of this Agreement, and (iii) modification of any outstanding options, warrants of any rights to purchase or acquire Common Shares.
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(w) The Company shall cooperate with the Agent and use its reasonable efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the facilities of DTC.
Section 5. CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE AGENT
(a) Conditions Precedent to the Right of the Company to Deliver an Issuance Notice and the Obligation of the Agent to Sell Shares. The right of the Company to deliver an Issuance Notice hereunder is subject to the satisfaction, on the date of delivery of such Issuance Notice, and the obligation of the Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance Notice or any obligations of the Agent under any Terms Agreement is subject to the satisfaction, on each Trading Day during the applicable period set forth in the Issuance, each Settlement Date and Time of Delivery, of each of the following conditions:
(i) | Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties; Performance by the Company. The Company shall have delivered the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 4(o) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 4(o). The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to such date, including, but not limited to, the covenants contained in Section 4(p), Section 4(q) and Section 4(r). |
(ii) | No Injunction. No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby that prohibits or directly and materially adversely affects any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and no proceeding shall have been commenced that may have the effect of prohibiting or materially adversely affecting any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. |
(iii) | Material Adverse Changes. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, (a) in the judgment of the Agent there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change; and (b) there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded any securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as such term is defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act or the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall not have any such securities with such ratings. |
(iv) | No Suspension of Trading in or Delisting of Common Shares; Other Events. The trading of the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Principal Market or FINRA and the Common Shares (including without limitation the Shares) shall have been approved for listing or quotation on and shall not have been delisted from the Nasdaq Stock |
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Market, the New York Stock Exchange or any of their constituent markets. There shall not have occurred (and be continuing in the case of occurrences under clauses (i) and (ii) below) any of the following: (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market or trading in securities generally on either the Principal Market shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or the FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York, authorities; or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of the Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable to market the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities. |
(iv) | No Stop Order. The Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. |
(v) | FINRA. FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements under this Agreement. |
(vi) | The Shares shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the Principal Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Agent. |
(b) Documents Required to be Delivered on each Issuance Notice Date. The Agent’s obligation to use its commercially reasonable efforts to place Shares hereunder or any obligations under a Terms Agreement shall additionally be conditioned upon the delivery to the Agent on or before the Issuance Notice Date of a certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Agent, executed by the Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer of the Company, to the effect that all conditions to the delivery of such Issuance Notice shall have been satisfied as at the date of such certificate (which certificate shall not be required if the foregoing representations shall be set forth in the Issuance Notice).
(c) No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sales Information, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
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Section 6. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
(a) Indemnification of the Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, as incurred, to which the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, other federal or state statutory law or regulation, or the laws or regulations of foreign jurisdictions where Shares have been offered or sold or at common law or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation), insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions in respect thereof as contemplated below) arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, including any information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Free Writing Prospectus that the Company has used, referred to or filed, or is required to file, pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (iii) in whole or in part any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein; or (iv) in whole or in part any failure of the Company to perform its obligations hereunder or under law; or (v) any act or failure to act or any alleged act or failure to act by the Agent in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Common Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon any matter covered by clauses (i) through (iv) above, provided that the Company shall not be liable under this clause (v) to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Agent through its bad faith or willful misconduct, and to reimburse the Agent and each such officer, employee and controlling person for any and all expenses (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agent) as such expenses are reasonably incurred by the Agent or such officer, employee or controlling person in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the foregoing indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any such Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Agent to the Company consists of the information set forth in the first sentence of the eleventh paragraph under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus beginning with the words: “The sales agent and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking. . . .” The indemnity agreement set forth in this Section 6(a) shall be in addition to any liabilities that the Company may otherwise have.
(b) Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such
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indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against an indemnifying party under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6 or to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and such indemnified party seeks or intends to seek indemnity from an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall elect, jointly with all other indemnifying parties similarly notified, by written notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of such indemnifying party’s election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such action), which counsel (together with any local counsel) for the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Agent (in the case of counsel for the indemnified parties referred to in Section 6(a) above), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of counsel shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party and shall be paid as they are incurred.
(c) Settlements. The indemnifying party under this Section 6 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by Section 6(b) hereof, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request; and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement, compromise or consent to the
32
entry of judgment in any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity was or could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such action, suit or proceeding.
(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is for any reason held to be unavailable to or otherwise insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount paid or payable by such indemnified party, as incurred, as a result of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to therein (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or any applicable Terms Agreement; or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the applicable Agent(s), on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total gross proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total commissions received by the Agent. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Agent, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Agent, on the other hand, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6(b), any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim. The provisions set forth in Section 6(b) with respect to notice of commencement of any action shall apply if a claim for contribution is to be made under this Section 6(d); provided, however, that no additional notice shall be required with respect to any action for which notice has been given under Section 6(b) for purposes of indemnification.
The Company and the Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 6(d).
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6(d), the Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the Agent fees received by the Agent in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and any applicable Terms Agreement. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be
33
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 6(d), each officer and employee of the Agent and each person, if any, who controls the Agent within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Agent, 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 with the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.
Section 7. TERMINATION & SURVIVAL
(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of this Section 7, the term of this Agreement shall continue from the date of this Agreement until the end of the Agency Period, unless earlier terminated by the parties to this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.
(b) Termination; Survival Following Termination.
(i) | Either party may terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Agency Period, by giving written notice as required by this Agreement, upon ten (10) Trading Days’ notice to the other party to this Agreement; provided that, (A) if the Company terminates this Agreement after the Agent confirms to the Company any sale of Shares, the Company shall remain obligated to comply with Section 3(b)(v) with respect to such Shares and (B) Section 2, Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 shall survive termination of this Agreement. If termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date or Time of Delivery for any sale of Shares, such sale shall nevertheless settle in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. |
(ii) | In addition to the survival provision of Section 7(b)(i), the respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, of its officers and of the Agent set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Agent or the Company or any of its or their partners, officers or directors or any controlling person, as the case may be, and, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares sold hereunder and any termination of this Agreement. |
(c) Terms Agreement. In the case of any purchase of Shares by an Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the obligations of such Agent pursuant to such Terms Agreement shall be subject to termination, in the absolute discretion of such Agent, by notice given to the Company prior to the Time of Delivery relating to such Shares, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading or quotation in any of the Company’s securities shall have been suspended or limited by the Commission or by the Principal Market, or trading in securities generally on either the Nasdaq or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices shall have been generally established on any of such stock exchanges by the Commission or FINRA; (ii) a general banking moratorium shall have been declared by any of federal or New York authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of national or international hostilities or any crisis or calamity involving the United States, or any change in the United States or international financial markets, or any substantial change or
34
development involving a prospective substantial change in United States’ or international political, financial or economic conditions, as in the judgment of such Agent is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares in the manner and on the terms described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the sale of securities; (iv) in the judgment of such Agent there shall have occurred any Material Adverse Change or (v) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States.
Section 8. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) Press Releases and Disclosure. The Company may issue a press release describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby as soon as practicable following the date of this Agreement, and may file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K, with this Agreement attached as an exhibit thereto, describing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company shall consult with the Agent prior to making such disclosures, and the parties hereto shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosures that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto. No party hereto shall issue thereafter any press release or like public statement (including, without limitation, any disclosure required in reports filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act) related to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior written approval of the other party hereto, except as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the party seeking to make disclosure to comply with the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange rules. If any such press release or like public statement is so required, the party making such disclosure shall consult with the other party prior to making such disclosure, and the parties shall use all commercially reasonable efforts, acting in good faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure that is reasonably satisfactory to all parties hereto.
(b) No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the determination of any fees, are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Company and the Agent, (ii) when acting as a principal under this Agreement, the Agent is and has been acting solely as a principal is not an agent or fiduciary of the Company, or its stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) the Agent has not assumed nor will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Agent has advised or are currently advising the Company on other matters) and the Agent does not have any obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) the Agent and its respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company, and (v) the Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.
(c) Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that the Agent’s research analysts and research departments are required to and should be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and as such the Agent’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment
35
recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the offering that differ from the views of their respective investment banking divisions. The Company understands that the Agent is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the companies that may be the subject of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed, hand delivered or, if an email address is provided, emailed to the parties hereto as follows:
If to the Agent:
Jefferies LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP
0000 Xx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Email: xxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx
If to the Company:
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx
00000 Xx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Email: xxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx
Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others in accordance with this Section 8(d).
(e) Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 6, and in each case their respective successors, and no other person will have
36
any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors” shall not include any purchaser of the Shares as such from the Agent merely by reason of such purchase.
(f) Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Article, Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Article, Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Article, 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.
(g) Governing Law Provisions. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby (“Related Proceedings”) may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court (a “Related Judgment”), as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
(h) General Provisions. This Agreement and any Terms 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 and any Terms Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each one of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument, and may be delivered by facsimile transmission or by electronic delivery of a portable document format (PDF) file, and may include any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx, or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. This Agreement and any Terms 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 Article and Section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement or any Terms Agreement.
(i) Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.
37
(a) In the event that the Agent that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Agent of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
(b) In the event that the Agent that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Agent becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Agent are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.
As used in this Section 8(i):
“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).
“Covered Entity” means any of the following:
(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);
(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or
(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).
“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.
“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
[Signature Pages Follow]
38
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copies hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts hereof, shall become a binding agreement in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours, | ||
IMMUNITYBIO, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |
[Signature Page to Sale Agreement]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted by the Agent in New York, New York as of the date first above written.
XXXXXXXXX LLC | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Managing Director |
[Signature Page to Sale Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
ISSUANCE NOTICE
___________, 20__
Jefferies LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Reference is made to the Open Market Sale Agreement between ImmunityBio, Inc. (the “Company”) and Xxxxxxxxx LLC (the “Agent”) dated as of April 30, 2021. The Company confirms that all conditions to the delivery of this Issuance Notice are satisfied as of the date hereof.
Date of Delivery of Issuance Notice (determined pursuant to Section 3(b)(i)): _______________
Issuance Amount (equal to the total Sales Price for such Shares):
$_______________________________ | ||||
Number of days in selling period: |
________________________________ | |||
First date of selling period: |
________________________________ | |||
Last date of selling period: |
________________________________ | |||
Settlement Date(s) if other than standard T+2 settlement: |
||||
________________________________ |
Floor Price Limitation (in no event less than $1.00 without the prior written consent of the Agent, which consent may be withheld in the Agent’s sole discretion): $ ____ per share.
Comments: |
|
[Signature Pages Follow]
A-1
By: |
| |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |
[Signature Page to Issaunce Notice]
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF TERMS AGREEMENT
Common Stock ($0.0001 par value per share)
TERMS AGREEMENT
____________, 20___
Jefferies LLC
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ImmunityBio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in the Open Market Sales Agreement, dated April 30, 2021 (the “Sales Agreement”), among the Company and Xxxxxxxxx LLC, to issue and sell to Xxxxxxxxx LLC, the securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Purchased Shares”)[, and solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, to grant to [name of designated agent] (the “Designated Agent”) the option to purchase the additional securities specified in the Schedule I hereto (the “Additional Shares”)]. [Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option.]
[The Agent shall have the right to purchase from the Company all or a portion of the Additional Shares as may be necessary to cover over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Purchased Shares, at the same purchase price per share to be paid by the Agent to the Company for the Purchased Shares. This option may be exercised by the Agent at any time (but not more than once) on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of shares of Additional Shares as to which the option is being exercised, and the date and time when the Additional Shares are to be delivered (such date and time being herein referred to as the “Option Closing Date”); provided, however, that the Option Closing Date shall not be earlier than the Time of Delivery (as set forth in the Schedule I hereto) nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Shares shall be made at the Option Closing Date in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Purchased Shares.] [Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option.]
Each of the provisions of the Sales Agreement not specifically related to the solicitation by the Agent, as agent of the Company, of offers to purchase securities is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein. Each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to have been made at and as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Time of Delivery [and any Option Closing Date] [Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option], except that each representation and warranty in Section 2 of the Sales
B-1
Agreement which makes reference to the Prospectus (as therein defined) shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty as of the date of the Sales Agreement in relation to the Prospectus, and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Terms Agreement [and] [,] the Time of Delivery [and any Option Closing Date] [Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option] in relation to the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to relate to the Purchased Shares.
An amendment to the Registration Statement (as defined in the Sales Agreement), or a supplement to the Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Purchased Shares [and the Additional Shares] [Include only if the Agent has an over-allotment option], in the form heretofore delivered to the Agent is now proposed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Sales Agreement which are incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Agent and the latter agrees to purchase from the Company the number of shares of the Purchased Shares at the time and place and at the purchase price set forth in the Schedule I hereto.
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us a counterpart hereof, whereupon this Terms Agreement, including those provisions of the Sales Agreement incorporated herein by reference, shall constitute a binding agreement between the Agent and the Company.
[Signature Pages Follow]
B-2
Accepted and agreed: | ||
IMMUNITYBIO, INC. | ||
By: |
| |
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and President |
[Signature Page to Terms Agreement]
ACCEPTED as of the date first written above. | ||
[Designated Agent] | ||
By: |
| |
Name: |
||
Title: |
[Signature Page to Terms Agreement]
[Form of Terms Agreement] |
Schedule I to the Terms Agreement |
Title of Purchased Shares [and Additional Shares]:
Common Stock
Number of Shares of Purchased Shares:
[Number of Shares of Additional Shares:]
[Price to Public:]
Purchase Price by [Xxxxxxxxx LLC] [•] [•]:
Method of and Specified Funds for Payment of Purchase Price:
By wire transfer to a bank account specified by the Company in same day funds.
Method of Delivery:
Free delivery of the Shares to the Agent’s account at The Depository Trust Company in return for payment of the purchase price.
Time of Delivery:
Closing Location:
Documents to be Delivered:
The following documents referred to in the Sales Agreement shall be delivered as a condition to the closing at the Time of Delivery [and on any Option Closing Date]:
(1) | The opinions and negative assurance letters referred to in Section 4(p). |
(2) | The accountants’ comfort letter referred to in Section 4(q). |
(3) | The officers’ certificate and secretary’s certificated referred to in Sections 4(o) and 4(r). |
(4) | Such other documents as the Agent shall reasonably request. |
B-3
EXHIBIT C
OFFICERS’ CERTIFICATE
__________, 20__
Reference is made to that certain Open Market Sale Agreement, dated April 30, 2021 (as it may be amended or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Agreement”), by and between ImmunityBio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Xxxxxxxxx LLC (collectively, the “Agents”). Capitalized terms used without definition herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Agreement.
The undersign does hereby certify pursuant to Section 4(o) of the Agreement that as of the date hereof the undersigned is authorized to execute this certificate in the name and on behalf of the Company and that:
1. | No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or, to the best of my knowledge, threatened by the Commission. |
2. | The representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Agreement are true and correct as of the date hereof. |
3. | The Company has performed all obligations on its part to be performed pursuant to the Agreement on or prior to the date hereof. |
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation, counsel to the Company, and Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel to the Agent, are entitled to rely upon this Certificate in connection with the opinions given by such firms pursuant to the Agreement.
[Signature page follows]
C-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed this certificate as of the date first set forth above.
| ||
Name: |
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title: |
Chief Executive Officer and President |
[Signature Page to Officers Certificate]
EXHIBIT D
SECRETARY’S CERTIFICATE
_____________, 20__
Reference is made to that certain Open Market Sale Agreement, dated as of April 30, 2021 (the “Agreement”) by and between ImmunityBio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Xxxxxxxxx LLC. Capitalized terms used without definition herein shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Agreement.
The undersigned, being the Secretary of the Company, hereby certifies on behalf of the Company, and not in a personal capacity (and with no personal liability therefor) as follows:
1. | No proceeding for the dissolution, merger, consolidation or liquidation of the Company or for the sale of all or substantially all of its assets is pending or, to the best of my knowledge, threatened, and no such proceeding is contemplated by the Company. |
2. | Attached hereto as Annex A is a true, correct and complete copy of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended to date (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), as certified by an appropriate public official of the State of Delaware and as in full force and effect as of the date hereof. No action has been taken by the Company or its stockholders, directors or officers to effect or authorize any amendment or other modification to the Certificate of Incorporation since such date. |
3. | Attached hereto as Annex B is a true, correct and complete copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) as in effect at the date hereof. No action has been taken by the Company or its stockholders, directors or officers to effect or authorize any amendment or other modification to the Bylaws. |
4. | Attached hereto as Annex C is a true, correct and complete copy of resolutions duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on _____________ authorizing the filing of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the execution and delivery of the Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Agreement). Such resolutions have not been amended or modified, are in full force and effect in the form adopted and are the only resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors or by any committee or officers of or designated by the Board of Directors relating to the Registration Statement, the offering of the Shares and the Agreement. |
5. | The Agreement as executed and delivered by the Company is in substantially the form approved by the Company’s Board of Directors in the resolutions referred to in paragraph 4 above. |
D-1
6. | Each person who, as an officer or director of the Company, signed the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto was duly elected or appointed, qualified and acting as such officer or director at the respective times of the signing thereof and was duly authorized to sign such document on behalf of the Company, and the signature of each such person appearing on each such document is the genuine signature of such officer or director. |
7. | Each person who, as an officer of the Company, signed (a) the Agreement or (b) any other document delivered in connection with the sale and public offering of the Shares and the settlement related thereto was duly elected or appointed, qualified and acting as such officer at the respective times of the signing and delivery thereof and was duly authorized to sign such document on behalf of the Company, and the signature of each such person appearing on each such document is the genuine signature of such officer. |
8. | The minute books and records of the Company relating to all proceedings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors (and any committee of the Board of Directors) of the Company made available to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation and Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP are true, correct and complete copies thereof, with respect to all proceedings of said stockholders, Board of Directors and committees since _________, 20__. The minute books, records and other documents of the Company made available to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation and Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP were true, correct and complete in all respects, except for _________. There have been no material changes, additions or alterations in said minute books, records and other documents that have not been disclosed to Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Professional Corporation and Xxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP in writing. |
[Signature Page Immediately Follows]
D-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this certificate to be executed as of the date first written above.
|
Name: |
Title: |
[Signature Page to Secretary’s Certificate]
EXHIBIT E-1
COMPANY COUNSEL LEGAL OPINION
EXHIBIT E-2
COMPANY COUNSEL NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER