AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER Dated as of April 4, 2007 among ROCHE HOLDING LTD, LILI ACQUISITION CORPORATION and BIOVERIS CORPORATION
Exhibit
1
EXECUTION
COPY
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
Dated
as
of April 4, 2007
among
LILI
ACQUISITION CORPORATION
and
BIOVERIS
CORPORATION
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
Section
1.1
|
The
Merger
|
2
|
Section
1.2
|
Closing
|
2
|
Section
1.3
|
Effective
Time
|
2
|
Section
1.4
|
Effects
of the Merger
|
3
|
Section
1.5
|
Certificate
of Incorporation and By-laws of the Surviving Corporation
|
3
|
Section
1.6
|
Directors
and Officers of the Surviving Corporation
|
3
|
ARTICLE
II
|
||
EFFECT
OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS;
EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES; RELATED TRANSACTIONS
|
||
Section
2.1
|
Effect
on Capital Stock
|
3
|
Section
2.2
|
Exchange
of Certificates
|
4
|
Section
2.3
|
Appraisal
Rights
|
6
|
Section
2.4
|
Company
Stock Options
|
7
|
Section
2.5
|
Restricted
Stock Awards
|
7
|
Section
2.6
|
Adjustments
|
8
|
Section
2.7
|
Related
Transactions
|
8
|
ARTICLE
III
|
||
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
|
||
Section
3.1
|
Organization,
Standing and Corporate Power
|
9
|
Section
3.2
|
Corporate
Authority; Enforceability; Voting Requirements
|
9
|
Section
3.3
|
Noncontravention
|
10
|
Section
3.4
|
Governmental
Approvals
|
10
|
Section
3.5
|
Capitalization
|
11
|
Section
3.6
|
Company
SEC Documents
|
12
|
Section
3.7
|
Absence
of Certain Changes
|
13
|
Section
3.8
|
Undisclosed
Liabilities
|
13
|
Section
3.9
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
14
|
Section
3.10
|
Compliance
With Laws; Permits
|
14
|
Section
3.11
|
Tax
Matters
|
14
|
Section
3.12
|
Employee
Benefits
|
14
|
Section
3.13
|
Labor
Matters
|
16
|
Section
3.14
|
Environmental
Matters
|
16
|
Section
3.15
|
Intellectual
Property
|
17
|
Section
3.16
|
Properties
|
19
|
i
Section
3.17
|
Company
Rights Plan
|
19
|
Section
3.18
|
Opinion
of Financial Advisor
|
19
|
Section
3.19
|
Brokers
and Other Advisors
|
20
|
Section
3.20
|
Anti-takeover
Statutes
|
20
|
Section
3.21
|
Material
Contracts
|
20
|
Section
3.22
|
Limitation
|
21
|
Section
3.23
|
No
Other Representations or Warranties
|
22
|
ARTICLE
IV
|
||
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
|
||
Section
4.1
|
Organization;
Standing and Corporate Power
|
22
|
Section
4.2
|
Corporate
Authority
|
23
|
Section
4.3
|
Noncontravention
|
23
|
Section
4.4
|
Governmental
Approvals
|
24
|
Section
4.5
|
Ownership
and Operations of Merger Sub; Capitalization
|
24
|
Section
4.6
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
24
|
Section
4.7
|
Financing
|
24
|
Section
4.8
|
Company
Stock
|
25
|
Section
4.9
|
Brokers
and Other Advisors
|
25
|
Section
4.10
|
Disclaimer
of Other Representations and Warranties.
|
25
|
ARTICLE
V
|
||
ADDITIONAL
COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS
|
||
Section
5.1
|
Conduct
of Business
|
25
|
Section
5.2
|
Stockholders
Meeting
|
29
|
Section
5.3
|
Proxy
Statement
|
30
|
Section
5.4
|
No
Solicitation
|
31
|
Section
5.5
|
Reasonable
Best Efforts
|
33
|
Section
5.6
|
Public
Announcements
|
35
|
Section
5.7
|
Access
to Information; Confidentiality
|
35
|
Section
5.8
|
Indemnification
and Insurance
|
35
|
Section
5.9
|
Fees
and Expenses
|
38
|
Section
5.10
|
Employee
Matters
|
38
|
Section
5.11
|
Further
Assurances
|
39
|
Section
5.12
|
Section
16 Matters
|
39
|
Section
5.13
|
Stock
Exchange De-listing
|
40
|
Section
5.14
|
Amendment
of Asset Transfer Agreements
|
40
|
Section
5.15
|
Notice
of Certain Events
|
40
|
Section
5.16
|
Certain
Actions Pursuant to the Asset Transfer Agreements
|
40
|
Section
5.17
|
Certain
Actions
|
41
|
ii
ARTICLE
VI
|
||
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
|
||
Section
6.1
|
Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger
|
41
|
Section
6.2
|
Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub
|
42
|
Section
6.3
|
Conditions
to Obligations of the Company
|
42
|
Section
6.4
|
Frustration
of Closing Conditions
|
43
|
ARTICLE
VII
|
||
TERMINATION
|
||
Section
7.1
|
Termination
|
43
|
Section
7.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
44
|
Section
7.3
|
Termination
Fees
|
44
|
ARTICLE
VIII
|
||
MISCELLANEOUS
|
||
Section
8.1
|
Independent
Investigation
|
45
|
Section
8.2
|
No
Survival of Representations and Warranties and Agreements
|
46
|
Section
8.3
|
Amendment
or Supplement
|
46
|
Section
8.4
|
Extension
of Time, Waiver, Etc
|
46
|
Section
8.5
|
Assignment
|
46
|
Section
8.6
|
Counterparts
|
47
|
Section
8.7
|
Entire
Agreement; Third-Party Beneficiaries
|
47
|
Section
8.8
|
Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial
|
47
|
Section
8.9
|
Specific
Enforcement
|
48
|
Section
8.10
|
Notices
|
48
|
Section
8.11
|
Severability
|
49
|
Section
8.12
|
Definitions
|
49
|
Section
8.13
|
Certain
Claims
|
59
|
Section
8.14
|
Interpretation
|
59
|
iii
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
This
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of April 4, 2007 (this “Agreement”),
is among
Roche Holding Ltd, a joint stock company organized under the laws of Switzerland
(“Parent”),
Lili
Acquisition Corporation, a newly-formed Delaware corporation and an indirect
wholly-owned Subsidiary of Parent (“Merger
Sub”),
and
BioVeris Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
Certain
capitalized terms used in this Agreement are as defined in this
Agreement.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS,
the respective Boards of Directors of the Company and Merger Sub deem it
advisable and in the best interests of their respective stockholders that the
parties consummate the transactions contemplated herein, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions provided for herein;
WHEREAS,
in furtherance thereof, the respective Boards of Directors of the Company and
Merger Sub and Parent have approved and adopted this Agreement and resolved
that
the transactions contemplated hereby are advisable and in the best interests
of
their respective stockholders, including the consummation of the merger of
Merger Subsidiary with and into the Company (the “Merger”),
upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and in
accordance with the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State
of
Delaware (the “DGCL”);
and
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of the Company has resolved to recommend to its
stockholders approval and adoption of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby (including the Merger), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this Agreement;
WHEREAS,
simultaneous with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and 00 Xxxx
Xxxxxx Acquisition I, LLC (“Newco
I”)
have
entered into an agreement (the “Vaccines
Asset Transfer Agreement”),
attached
hereto as Exhibit A, pursuant to which certain assets of the Company will be
sold to Newco I, a private entity controlled by Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx; the
Vaccines Asset Transfer Agreement, which has been approved by the Board of
Directors of the Company based on a recommendation of a special committee of
independent directors of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Special
Committee”),
is
conditioned upon, and will become effective immediately prior to, the Effective
Time;
WHEREAS,
simultaneous with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and 00 Xxxx
Xxxxxx Acquisition II, LLC (“Newco
II”)
have
entered into an agreement (the “ECL
Asset
Transfer Agreement”),
attached
hereto as Exhibit B, pursuant to which certain assets of the Company will be
sold to Newco II, a private entity controlled by Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx, and
related license and sublicense agreements (the “ECL
License Agreements”),
attached
hereto as Exhibit C, pursuant to which the Company will grant Newco II a license
to use the Company’s electrochemiluminescence (“ECL”)
technology and sublicenses with respect to certain ECL technology; the ECL
Asset
Transfer Agreement and ECL License Agreements, which have been approved by
the
Board of Directors of the Company based on a recommendation of the Special
Committee, are conditioned upon, and will become effective immediately prior
to,
the Effective Time;
WHEREAS,
simultaneous with the execution of this Agreement, Parent and Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxxxx have entered into a Non-Disclosure and Non-Solicitation Agreement
and a Transaction Agreement (the “Xxxxxxxxxxx
Agreements”),
pursuant to which, among other things, Xx. Xxxxxxxxxxx will agree to certain
confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements and Parent will, immediately
prior to the Effective Time, acquire all of the Series B Preferred Stock (as
defined herein) owned as of the date hereof by Xx. Xxxxxxxxxxx; and
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, warranties, covenants and
agreements contained in this Agreement, the receipt and adequacy of which are
hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, Parent, Merger
Sub and the Company hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
THE
MERGER
Section
1.1 The
Merger.
Upon the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, and in
accordance with the DGCL, at the Effective Time (as defined herein), Merger
Sub
shall be merged with and into the Company, and the separate corporate existence
of Merger Sub shall thereupon cease, and the Company shall continue under the
name “BioVeris Corporation” as the surviving corporation in the Merger (the
“Surviving
Corporation”)
and shall
continue to be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
Section
1.2 Closing.
Subject
to the provisions of Article VI,
the
closing of the Merger (the “Closing”)
shall
take place at 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the earliest date reasonably
practicable but in any event within two Business Days after satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VI
(other
than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing,
but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of those conditions at such time),
at
the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP, Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, unless another time, date or place is agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto. The date on which the Closing actually occurs
hereinafter is referred to as the “Closing
Date”.
Section
1.3 Effective
Time.
Subject
to the provisions of this Agreement, as soon as practicable on the Closing
Date,
the parties shall file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
a
certificate of merger executed in accordance with, and in such form as
is
2
required
by, the relevant provisions of the DGCL (the “Certificate
of Merger”).
The
Merger shall become effective upon the filing of the Certificate of Merger
or at
such later time as is agreed to by the parties hereto and specified in the
Certificate of Merger (the time at which the Merger becomes effective is herein
referred to as the “Effective
Time”).
Section
1.4 Effects
of the Merger.
The
Merger shall have the effects set forth herein and in the applicable provisions
of the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject
thereto, at the Effective Time, all the properties, rights, privileges, powers
and franchises of the Company and Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving
Corporation, and all claims, obligations, debts, liabilities and duties of
the
Company and Merger Sub shall become the claims, obligations, debts, liabilities
and duties of the Surviving Corporation, as provided under the DGCL.
Section
1.5 Certificate
of Incorporation and By-laws of the Surviving Corporation.
The
certificate of incorporation and by-laws set forth in Exhibit D, shall at the
Effective Time be the certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving
Corporation until thereafter amended as provided therein or by applicable Law
(and subject to Section
5.8
hereof).
Section
1.6 Directors
and Officers of the Surviving Corporation.
(a) Each
of
the parties hereto shall take all necessary action to cause the directors of
Merger Sub immediately prior to the Effective Time to be the directors of the
Surviving Corporation immediately following the Effective Time, until their
respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified or their
earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the certificate of
incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) The
officers of Merger Sub shall be the officers of the Surviving Corporation until
their respective successors are duly appointed and qualified or their earlier
death, resignation or removal in accordance with the certificate of
incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation.
ARTICLE
II
EFFECT
OF THE MERGER ON THE CAPITAL STOCK OF THE CONSTITUENT
CORPORATIONS;
EXCHANGE OF CERTIFICATES; RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Section
2.1 Effect
on Capital Stock.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of
Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any shares of common stock, par value
$0.001 per share, of the Company (“Company
Common Stock”),
shares
of Series B Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company
(“Series
B Preferred Stock”)
or any
shares of capital stock of Merger Sub, the following shall occur:
3
(a) Capital
Stock of Merger Sub.
Each
share of capital stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Merger Sub issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into
and
become one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of the Surviving Corporation with the same rights,
powers and privileges as the shares so converted and shall constitute the only
outstanding shares of the Surviving Corporation. From and after the Effective
Time, all certificates representing shares of capital stock of Merger Sub shall
be deemed for all purposes to represent the number of shares of common stock
of
the Surviving Corporation into which they were converted in accordance with
the
immediately preceding sentence.
(b) Cancellation
of Treasury Stock and Parent-Owned Stock.
Any
shares of Company Common Stock or Series B Preferred Stock that are owned by
the
Company as treasury stock, and any shares of Company Common Stock owned by
Parent or Merger Sub, shall be automatically canceled and shall cease to exist
and no consideration shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
(c) Conversion
of Company Common Stock.
Each
share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (other than shares to be canceled in accordance with Section
2.1(b)
and
Dissenting Shares), together with all rights attached to such Company Common
Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be converted into the
right
to receive $21.50
in
cash per share, without interest (the “Common
Merger Consideration”).
As of
the Effective Time, all such shares of Company Common Stock shall no longer
be
outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, and
each holder of a certificate (or evidence of shares in book-entry form) which
immediately prior to the Effective Time represented any such shares of Company
Common Stock (each, a “Common
Certificate”)
shall
cease to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive
the
Common Merger Consideration to be paid in consideration therefor upon surrender
of such Certificate in accordance with Section
2.2(b),
without
interest.
(d) Series
B Preferred Stock.
Each
share of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior
to
the Effective Time will
remain issued and outstanding immediately following the Effective Time and
purchased by Parent pursuant to the Xxxxxxxxxxx Agreements.
Section
2.2 Exchange
of Certificates.
(a) Paying
Agent.
Not less
than five Business Days prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall designate
Computershare Investor Services, Inc. or another national bank or trust company
reasonably acceptable to the Company to act as agent for the benefit of the
holders of shares of Company Common Stock in connection with the Merger (the
“Paying
Agent”)
to
receive, on terms reasonably acceptable to the Company, for the benefit of
holders of shares of Company Common Stock, cash constituting an amount equal
to
the Total Common Merger Consideration, to which holders of shares of Company
Common Stock shall become entitled pursuant to Section 2.1(c)
hereof.
The Paying Agent shall also act as the agent for the
4
Company’s
stockholders for the purpose of holding the Certificates and shall obtain no
rights or interests in the shares represented by such Certificates. Parent
shall
deposit such Total Common Merger Consideration with the Paying Agent by wire
transfer of immediately available United States funds at the Effective Time.
Such Total Common Merger Consideration deposited with the Paying Agent shall,
pending its disbursement to such holders, be invested by the Paying Agent in:
(i) direct obligations of the United States of America, (ii) obligations for
which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged
to
provide for the payment of principal and interest or (iii) money market funds
investing solely in a combination of the foregoing. Parent shall promptly
replace any funds deposited with the Paying Agent that are lost through any
investment.
(b) Payment
Procedures.
Promptly
after the Effective Time (but in no event more than five Business Days
thereafter), the Surviving Corporation shall cause the Paying Agent to mail
to
each holder of record of a Certificate (i) a letter of transmittal (which shall
specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the
Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Paying
Agent, and which shall be in such form and shall have such other customary
provisions (including customary provisions with respect to delivery of an
“agent’s
message”
with
respect to shares held in book-entry form) as Parent may reasonably specify)
and
(ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates in
exchange for payment of the Common Merger Consideration. Upon surrender of
a
Certificate for cancellation to the Paying Agent, together with such letter
of
transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in accordance with the
instructions (and such other customary documents as may reasonably be required
by the Paying Agent), the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to
receive in exchange therefor the Common Merger Consideration, without interest,
for each share of Company Common Stock formerly represented by such Certificate,
and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. If payment
of
the Common Merger Consideration is to be made to a Person other than the Person
in whose name the surrendered Certificate is registered, it shall be a condition
of payment that (x) the Certificate so surrendered shall be properly endorsed
or
shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer and (y) the Person requesting
such payment shall have paid any transfer and other taxes required by reason
of
the payment of the Common Merger Consideration to a Person other than the
registered holder of such Certificate surrendered or shall have established
to
the reasonable satisfaction of the Surviving Corporation that such tax either
has been paid or is not applicable. Until surrendered as contemplated by this
Section
2.2,
each
Certificate shall be deemed at any time after the Effective Time to represent
only the right to receive the Common Merger Consideration as contemplated by
this Article II,
without
interest.
(c) Transfer
Books; No Further Ownership Rights in Company Stock.
The
Common Merger Consideration paid in respect of shares of Company Common Stock
upon the surrender for exchange of Certificates in accordance with the terms
of
this Article II
shall be
deemed to have been paid in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to the
shares of Company Common Stock previously represented by such Certificates,
and
at the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed
and thereafter there shall be no further registration of transfers on the stock
transfer books of the Surviving Corporation of the shares of Company Common
Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. From and
after
5
the
Effective Time, the holders of Certificates that evidenced ownership of shares
of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
shall cease to have any rights with respect to such shares of Company Common
Stock, except as otherwise provided for herein or by applicable Law. Subject
to
the last sentence of Section
2.2(e),
if, at
any time after the Effective Time, Certificates are presented to the Surviving
Corporation for any reason, they shall be canceled and exchanged as provided
in
this Article II.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Common Merger Consideration payable in
respect of the Restricted Stock Awards shall be payable pursuant to Section
2.5
and not this Section 2.2.
(d) Lost,
Stolen or Destroyed Certificates.
If any
Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an
affidavit of that fact by the Person claiming such Certificate to be lost,
stolen or destroyed and, if required by the Surviving Corporation, the posting
by such Person of a bond, in such reasonable amount as Parent may direct, as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect to such
Certificate, the Paying Agent will pay, in exchange for such lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate, the applicable Common Merger Consideration to be paid
in
respect of the shares of Company Common Stock formerly represented by such
Certificate, as contemplated by this Article II.
(e) Termination
of Fund.
At any
time following the sixth month anniversary of the Closing Date, the Parent
shall
be entitled to require the Paying Agent to deliver to it any funds that had
been
made available to the Paying Agent (including any interest received with respect
thereto) and which have not been disbursed to holders of Certificates, and
thereafter such holders shall be entitled to look only to Parent or the
Surviving Corporation (subject to abandoned property, escheat or other similar
Laws) as general creditors thereof with respect to the payment of any Common
Merger Consideration that may be payable upon surrender of any Certificates
held
by such holders, as determined pursuant to this Agreement, without any interest
thereon. Any amounts remaining unclaimed by such holders at such time at which
such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental
Authority (as defined herein) shall become, to the extent permitted by
applicable Law, the property of Parent, free and clear of all claims or interest
of any Person previously entitled thereto.
(f) Withholding
Taxes.
Parent,
the Surviving Corporation and the Paying Agent shall be entitled to deduct
and
withhold from the consideration otherwise payable to any Person pursuant to
this
Article II
such
amounts as may be required to be deducted and withheld with respect to the
making of such payment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”),
or under
any provision of state, local or foreign tax Law. To the extent amounts are
so
withheld and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority, the withheld amounts
shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to
the
Person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made.
Section
2.3 Appraisal
Rights.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, shares of Company
Common Stock that are issued and outstanding immediately
6
prior
to
the Effective Time and which are held by a stockholder who did not vote in
favor
of the Merger (or consent thereto in writing) and who is entitled to demand
and
properly demands appraisal of such shares pursuant to, and who complies in
all
respects with, the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL (the “Dissenting
Stockholders”),
shall
not be converted into or be exchangeable for the right to receive the Common
Merger Consideration (the “Dissenting
Shares”),
but
instead such holder shall be entitled to payment of the fair value of such
shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL (and at
the
Effective Time, such Dissenting Shares shall no longer be outstanding and shall
automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, and such holder shall cease
to have any rights with respect thereto, except the right to receive the fair
value of such Dissenting Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section
262
of the DGCL), unless and until such holder shall have failed to perfect or
shall
have effectively withdrawn or lost rights to appraisal under the DGCL or it
is
determined that such holder does not have appraisal rights. If any Dissenting
Stockholder shall have failed to perfect or shall have effectively withdrawn
or
lost such right or it is determined that such holder does not have appraisal
rights, such holder’s shares of Company Common Stock shall thereupon be treated
as if they had been converted into and become exchangeable for the right to
receive, as of the Effective Time, the Common Merger Consideration for each
such
share of Company Common Stock, in accordance with Section
2.1,
without
any interest thereon. The Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any
written demands for appraisal of any shares of Company Common Stock, attempted
withdrawals of such demands and any other instruments served pursuant to the
DGCL and received by the Company relating to stockholders’ rights of appraisal
and (ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings
with
respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL, except as required by
applicable Law, and will not settle any demands for appraisal without Parent’s
written consent.
Section
2.4 Company
Stock Options.
At the
Effective Time, all options outstanding immediately prior to the Effective
Time
that represent the right to acquire shares of Company Common Stock (each, an
“Option”)
granted
under the BioVeris Corporation 2003 Stock Incentive Plan or otherwise (the
“Company
Stock Plan”)
shall be,
without any further action by the Company or the Surviving Corporation, fully
vested and converted into the right to receive, in full satisfaction of such
Option, a cash amount equal to the Option Consideration (as defined herein)
for
each share of Company Common Stock then subject to the Option. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Parent, the Company and the Surviving Corporations, as
applicable, shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the Option
Consideration otherwise payable such amounts as may be required to be deducted
and withheld with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or
any
provision of state, local or foreign tax Law. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Option
Consideration”
means,
with respect to any share of Company Common Stock issuable under a particular
Option, an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Common Merger
Consideration over the exercise price payable in respect of such share of
Company Common Stock issuable under such Option. At the Effective Time, Parent
shall pay the aggregate Option Consideration to an account or accounts
designated by the Company by wire transfer of immediately available United
States funds. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, prior
to the Effective Time, the Company will take any and all actions necessary
to
effectuate this Section
2.4.
Section
2.5 Restricted
Stock Awards.
As of
the Effective Time, each then outstanding share of Company Common Stock which
is
subject to a restricted stock award
7
granted
under the Company Stock Plan or otherwise (each a “Restricted
Stock Award”)
shall, by
virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of any holder thereof,
the Company or the Surviving Corporation, become fully vested and converted
into
the right to receive, in full satisfaction of such Restricted Stock Award,
a
cash amount equal to the Common Merger Consideration for each share of Company
Common Stock then subject to the Restricted Stock Award (the “Restricted
Stock Consideration”).
At the
Effective Time, Parent shall pay the aggregate Restricted Stock Consideration
to
an account or accounts designated by the Company, by wire transfer of
immediately available United States funds for the benefit of the holders of
the
Restricted Stock Awards. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, prior
to the Effective Time, the Company will take any and all actions necessary
to
effectuate this Section
2.5.
Section
2.6 Adjustments.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Article II
to the
contrary, if between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock shall have been changed into a
different number of shares or a different class by reason of the occurrence
or
record date of any stock dividend, subdivision, reclassification,
recapitalization, stock split (including a reverse stock split), combination,
exchange of shares or similar transaction, the Common Merger Consideration
shall
be equitably adjusted to reflect such stock dividend, subdivision,
reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including a reverse stock
split), combination, exchange of shares or similar transaction.
Section
2.7 Related
Transactions.
(a) Parent
and
Merger Sub hereby acknowledge that immediately prior to the Effective Time
the
Company intends to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Asset
Transfer Agreements.
(b) Following
the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall, and Parent shall cause
the
Surviving Corporation to, use commercially reasonable efforts to take any
actions required to consummate the closing of the Asset Transfer Agreements
to
the extent such closings have not been consummated prior to the Effective
Time.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except
as
(a) disclosed in the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to Parent
(the
“Company
Disclosure Schedule”)
simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, it being acknowledged
and
agreed by the parties that (i) disclosure in any section or subsection of such
Company Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed with respect to
any
other sections or subsections of the Company Disclosure Schedule so long as
the
application of such disclosure to any such other section or subsection is
readily apparent from such disclosure and (ii) the mere inclusion of an item
in
such Company Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty
shall not be deemed to constitute an admission by the Company, or otherwise
imply, that such item represents a material exception or material
fact,
8
event
or
circumstance or that such item has had or would reasonably be expected to have
a
Material Adverse Effect (as defined herein) or would have been material if
included in the Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date of this Agreement
(or incorporated by reference therein) or would otherwise be material to the
Company or (b) disclosed in the Company SEC Documents (as hereinafter defined)
filed prior to the date hereof (the “Filed
SEC Documents”),
the
Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as
follows:
Section
3.1 Organization,
Standing and Corporate Power.
(a) Each
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly organized, validly existing and in
good
standing (or equivalent status) under the Laws (as defined herein) of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization and has all requisite
corporate power and corporate authority necessary to own or lease all of its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted,
except for such failures to be duly organized, validly existing or in good
standing or to have corporate power or corporate authority that, individually
or
in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company
and its Subsidiaries is duly licensed or qualified to do business and is in
good
standing (or equivalent status) in each jurisdiction in which the nature of
the
business conducted by it or the character or location of the properties and
assets owned or leased by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary,
except where the failure to be so licensed, qualified or in good standing (or
equivalent status) would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The
Company has made available to Parent complete and correct copies of the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws of the Company and the organizational
documents of each of its Subsidiaries, as amended to the date of this Agreement
(the “Company
Charter Documents”).
Section
3.2 Corporate
Authority; Enforceability; Voting Requirements.
(a) The
Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver
this Agreement and, subject, with respect to the Merger, to obtaining the
Company Stockholder Approval (as defined herein) in connection with the
consummation of the Merger, to perform its obligations hereunder and to
consummate the Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance by the
Company of this Agreement, and the consummation by it of the Transactions (as
defined herein), have been duly authorized and approved by its Board of
Directors, and except for the Company Stockholder Approval, no other corporate
action on the part of the Company is necessary to authorize the execution,
delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation
by it of the Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered
by the Company and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof
by
the other parties hereto, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation
of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,
except that such enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other similar Laws of
general application affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles
9
of
equity,
whether considered in a proceeding at Law or in equity (the “Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception”).
(b) The
Company’s Board of Directors, at a meeting duly called and held, has unanimously
(i) approved and declared advisable this Agreement and the Transactions,
including the Merger, and (ii) resolved, subject to Section
5.4
hereof,
to recommend that stockholders of the Company adopt this Agreement.
(c) The
affirmative vote (in person or by proxy) of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Company Common Stock and Series B Preferred Stock, voting
together as a single class, at the Company Stockholders Meeting, or any
adjournment or postponement thereof, in favor of the adoption of this Agreement
(the “Company
Stockholder Approval”)
is the
only vote or approval of the holders of any class or series of capital stock
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which is necessary to adopt this
Agreement and approve the Transactions.
Section
3.3 Noncontravention.
Except
as disclosed in Section
3.3
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution and delivery of this
Agreement by the Company nor the consummation by the Company of the
Transactions, nor compliance by the Company with any of the provisions hereof,
will (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company Charter Documents
or (ii) assuming that the authorizations, consents, filings and approvals
referred to in Section
3.4
and the
Company Stockholder Approval are obtained or made, (x) violate any Law,
judgment, writ or injunction of any Governmental Authority applicable to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (y) require any consent, violate or
constitute a default, or an event that, with or without notice or lapse of
time
or both, would constitute a default under, or cause or permit the termination,
cancellation, acceleration or other change of any right or obligation or the
loss of any benefit to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is entitled
under any Company Material Contract or other agreement or other instrument
binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain annual payment
obligations of the Company or its Subsidiaries in excess of $100,000 or (z)
result in the creation or imposition of any material Lien, other than Permitted
Liens, on any asset of the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for, in the
case
of clause
(ii)
above, such matters as would not, individually or in the aggregate, (1) have
a
Material Adverse Effect or (2) prevent or materially delay the consummation
of
the Transactions.
Section
3.4 Governmental
Approvals.
Except
for (i) the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“SEC”)
of a
proxy statement relating to the Company Stockholders Meeting (as amended or
supplemented from time to time, the “Proxy
Statement”),
and
other filings required under, and compliance with other applicable requirements
of, (w) the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Securities
Act”)
(x) the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange
Act”),
(y)
state securities or “blue
sky”
laws
and
(z) the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market (the “NASDAQ”),
(ii) the
filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State
of
Delaware pursuant to the DGCL, (iii) filings required under, and compliance
with
other applicable requirements of, the
10
HSR
Act,
(iv) obtaining from CFIUS a written termination of the review of clearance
of
the Merger and (v) any applicable non-U.S. competition, antitrust or investment
Laws, no consents or approvals of, or filings, notifications, declarations
or
registrations with, any Governmental Authority are necessary for the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the
Company of the Transactions, other than such other consents, approvals, filings,
notifications, declarations or registrations that, if not obtained, made or
given, would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect or prevent or materially delay the consummation of the
Transactions.
Section
3.5 Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 100,000,000 shares of
Company Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 15,000,000 shares of
preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Company
Preferred Stock”).
At the
close of business on March 30, 2007, (i) 27,247,802 shares of Company Common
Stock were issued and outstanding (including 500,000 shares of Restricted Stock
Awards, all of which are held by Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx and are subject to a
duly
filed Section 83(b) Election), (ii) no shares of Series A Preferred stock,
par
value $0.001 per share of the Company (“Series
A Preferred Stock”)
were
issued and outstanding, (iv) 600,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock have
been reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the rights distributed to the
holders of Company Common Stock pursuant to the Company Rights Plan (as defined
herein), (v) 1,000 shares of Series B Preferred Stock were issued and
outstanding, (vi) no shares of Company Common Stock were held by the Company
in
its treasury and (vii) 4,779,148 shares of Company Common Stock were reserved
for issuance under the Company Stock Plan (of which 911,900 shares of Company
Common Stock were subject to outstanding Options granted under the Company
Stock
Plan). All outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Company have been,
and
all shares of the capital stock of the Company that may be issued pursuant
to
the Company Stock Plan will be, when issued in accordance with the respective
terms thereof, duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid,
nonassessable and free of preemptive rights. Except as set forth above, and
except for the Rights (as defined in the Company Rights Plan) and changes since
March 30, 2007 resulting from the exercise of Options outstanding on such date
or any Option granted after the date hereof as permitted pursuant to
Section
5.1(a)(i):
(A)
there are no outstanding shares of capital stock, voting securities or other
equity interests in the Company, (B) there are no outstanding options or other
rights of any kind which obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to
issue or deliver any shares of capital stock, voting securities or other equity
interests of the Company or any securities or obligations convertible into
or
exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of capital stock, voting
securities or other equity interests of the Company (collectively, “Company
Securities”);
(C)
there are no outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Company Securities; and (D)
there
are no other subscriptions, options, calls, warrants, convertible securities
or
other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating
to the issued or unissued capital stock of the Company to which the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party. No Subsidiary of the Company owns any shares
of Company Common Stock.
11
(b) Each
of
the outstanding shares of capital stock, voting securities or other equity
interests of each Subsidiary of the Company is duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid, nonassessable and free of any preemptive rights, and all such
securities are owned by the Company or another wholly-owned Subsidiary of the
Company free and clear of all Liens. There are no (i) outstanding options or
other rights of any kind which obligate the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to issue or deliver any shares of capital stock, voting securities or other
equity interests of any such Subsidiary or any securities or obligations
convertible into or exchangeable into or exercisable for any shares of capital
stock, voting securities or other equity interest of a Subsidiary of the
Company, (ii) outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of the outstanding stock,
securities or interests referred to in clause (i) above; or (iii) other options,
calls, warrants or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of
any
character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of any Subsidiary
of
the Company to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
party.
Section
3.6 Company
SEC Documents.
(a) Except
as
set forth in Section
3.6
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company has filed all reports, schedules,
forms, registration statements and other documents required to be filed with
the
SEC since March 31, 2005, together with any amendments or supplements thereto
(collectively, and in each case including all exhibits and schedules thereto
and
documents incorporated by reference therein, the “Company
SEC Documents”).
As of
their respective filing dates or the filing dates of amendments, the Company
SEC
Documents complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements
of
the Exchange Act applicable to such Company SEC Documents, and none of the
Company SEC Documents as of such respective dates or the respective filing
dates
of amendments contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were
made, not misleading.
(b) The
consolidated financial statements (giving effect to any amendments or
supplements thereto filed prior to the date of this Agreement, and including
all
related notes and schedules) of the Company included in the Company SEC
Documents fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial
position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as at the respective
dates thereof and the consolidated results of their operations and consolidated
cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited
statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments and to any other adjustments
described therein including the notes thereto) in conformity with GAAP (except,
in the case of the unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q) applied
on a
consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated therein
or in the notes thereto).
(c) The
Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as
defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act). Except as disclosed in the
Filed
SEC Documents, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are designed to
ensure
12
that
information required to be disclosed in the Company’s periodic reports filed or
submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported
within the required time periods.
(d) The
Company has established and maintains a system of internal controls over
financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act)
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of the
Company’s financial reporting and the preparation of the Company’s financial
statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP. The Company has
disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation of internal controls over
financial reporting prior to the date of this Agreement, to the Company’s
auditors and audit committee of the Board of Directors of the Company and to
Parent (x) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
or
operation of internal controls over financial reporting that existed as of
March
31, 2005 or later which are reasonably likely to adversely affect in any
material respect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report
financial information and (y) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s
internal controls over financial reporting.
(e) Prior
to
the date hereof, each of the principal executive officer and principal financial
officer of the Company (or each former principal executive officer and principal
financial officer of the Company, as applicable) have made all certifications
required by Rule 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act and Sections 302
and
906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and any related rules and regulations promulgated
by the SEC and the NASDAQ, and the statements contained in any such
certifications were complete and correct on the date such certifications were
made. For purposes of this Agreement, “principal
executive officer”
and
“principal
financial officer”
shall
have the meanings given to such terms in the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
Section
3.7 Absence
of Certain Changes.
Since
December 31, 2006, except as otherwise contemplated or expressly permitted
by
this Agreement or the Asset Transfer Agreements, and except as set forth in
the
Filed SEC Documents, the businesses of the Company and its Subsidiaries have
been conducted in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice
and there has not been any event, development or state of circumstances that
would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse
Effect.
Section
3.8 Undisclosed
Liabilities.
Except
as set forth in Section 3.8 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, from March
31,
2006 through the date of this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries has incurred any liabilities or obligations of any kind whatsoever,
whether accrued, contingent, absolute, determined, determinable or otherwise,
except for liabilities or obligations, (a) incurred in the ordinary course
of
business, (b) reflected or reserved against in the Company’s consolidated
balance sheets (or the notes thereto) included in the Filed SEC Documents,
(c)
that would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
or (d) incurred in connection with this Agreement or the
Transactions.
13
Section
3.9 Legal
Proceedings.
Except
as disclosed in the Filed SEC Documents, there is no pending or, to the
Knowledge of the Company, threatened, legal or administrative proceeding, claim,
suit, investigation or action against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries,
nor is there any injunction, order, judgment, ruling or decree imposed upon
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, by or before any Governmental Authority,
that would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect
or
prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Transactions.
Section
3.10 Compliance
With Laws; Permits.
Except
as disclosed in the Filed SEC Documents, since March 31, 2005, the Company
and
its Subsidiaries have been in compliance with all laws, statutes, ordinances,
codes, rules, regulations, decrees, judgments and orders of Governmental
Authorities (collectively, “Laws”)
applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for such
non-compliance as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries hold all licenses,
franchises, permits, certificates, approvals and authorizations from
Governmental Authorities necessary for the lawful conduct of their respective
businesses as it is now being conducted (collectively, “Permits”),
except
where the failure to hold the same would not have, individually or in the
aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries are
in
compliance with the terms of all Permits, except for such non-compliance as
would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
Section
3.11 Tax
Matters.
Except
as disclosed in Section
3.11
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule and for those matters that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect:
(a) (i)
each
of the Company and its Subsidiaries has timely filed, or has caused to be timely
filed on its behalf (taking into account any extension of time within which
to
file), all Tax Returns (as defined herein) required to be filed by it, and
all
such filed Tax Returns are correct and complete in all material respects; (ii)
all Taxes shown to be due on such Tax Returns have been timely paid; (iii)
all
Taxes not yet due and payable have been properly accrued or reserved for under
GAAP; (iv) no deficiency with respect to Taxes has been asserted or assessed
in
writing against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which have not been
fully paid or adequately reserved (in accordance with GAAP) in the Filed SEC
Documents; and (v) no audit or other administrative or court proceedings is
pending with any Governmental Authority with respect to Taxes of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries, and no written notice thereof has been
received.
(b) The
income
and franchise Tax Returns of the Company and its Subsidiaries have never been
examined.
(c) During
the
five-year period ending on the date hereof, neither the Company nor any of
its
Subsidiaries was a distributing corporation or a controlled corporation in
a
transaction intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code.
Section
3.12 Employee
Benefits.
14
(a) Section
3.12(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true and complete list
of
each material deferred compensation, incentive compensation, stock purchase,
stock option and other equity compensation plan, fund or program; each severance
or termination pay, medical, surgical, hospitalization, life insurance and
other
“welfare”
plan,
fund or program (within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”));
each
profit-sharing, stock bonus or other “pension”
plan,
fund or program (within the meaning of section 3(2) of ERISA); each bonus,
employment, termination or severance agreement; and each other material employee
benefit plan, fund, program or agreement or arrangement, in each case, that
is
sponsored, maintained or contributed to or required to be contributed to by
the
Company or by any trade or business, whether or not incorporated (an
“ERISA
Affiliate”),
that
together with the Company would be deemed a “single
employer”
within
the meaning of section 4001(b) of ERISA, or to which the Company or an ERISA
Affiliate is party, for the benefit of any employee or consultant or former
employee or consultant of the Company or any Subsidiary (the “Company
Benefit Plans”).
(b) With
respect to each Company Benefit Plan, the Company has heretofore delivered
to
Parent true and complete copies of the Company Benefit Plan and any amendments
thereto (or if the Company Benefit Plan is not a written Company Benefit Plan,
a
description thereof), any related trust or other funding vehicle, any reports
or
summaries required under ERISA or the Code and the most recent determination
letter received from the Internal Revenue Service with respect to each Company
Benefit Plan intended to qualify under Section 401 of the Code. Each Company
Benefit Plan intended to be “qualified”
within
the meaning of section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the Internal
Revenue Service to be so qualified and the trusts maintained thereunder have
been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be exempt from taxation
under
section 501(a) of the Code, and the Company is not aware of any occurrence
or
amendment that could result in such determination no longer being
valid.
(c) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.12(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no Company
Benefit Plan is a “multiemployer
plan,”
as such
term is defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA, nor is any Company Benefit Plan
subject to Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code. No
liability under Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA has been incurred by the
Company or any ERISA Affiliate that has not been satisfied in full, and no
condition exists that presents a material risk to the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate of incurring any such liability, other than liability for premiums
due
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (which premiums have been paid when
due) and other than liabilities that, individually or in the aggregate, would
not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.12(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the
Company, any Subsidiary, any Company Benefit Plan, any trust created thereunder,
nor any trustee or administrator thereof has engaged in a transaction in
connection with which the Company or any Subsidiary, any Company Benefit Plan,
any such trust, or any trustee or administrator thereof, or any party dealing
with any Company Benefit Plan or any such trust could be subject to either
a
civil penalty assessed pursuant to Section 409 or 502(i) of
15
ERISA
or a
tax imposed pursuant to Section 4975 or 4976 of the Code, other than penalties
or taxes that, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(e) Each
Company Benefit Plan has been operated and administered in all material respects
in accordance with its terms and applicable law, including but not limited
to
ERISA and the Code.
(f) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.12(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no Company
Benefit Plan provides medical, surgical, hospitalization, death or similar
benefits (whether or not insured) for employees or former employees of the
Company or any Subsidiary for periods extending beyond their retirement or
other
termination of service, other than (i) coverage mandated by applicable law,
(ii)
death benefits under any “pension
plan,”
or (iii)
benefits the full cost of which is borne by the current or former employee
(or
his beneficiary).
(g) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.12(g) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (either alone
or
in connection with any other event such as termination of employment) will
not
(i) entitle any current or former employee or officer of the Company or any
Subsidiary to severance pay, unemployment compensation or any other payment,
except as expressly provided in this Agreement, (ii) accelerate the time of
payment or vesting, or increase the amount of compensation due any such employee
or officer or (iii) could give rise to the payment of any amount that would
not
be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G or 162(m) of the
Code.
(h) There
are
no pending, or to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened or anticipated claims
by or on behalf of any Company Benefit Plan, by any employee or beneficiary
covered under any Company Benefit Plan, or otherwise involving any Company
Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits).
(i) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.12(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, to the
Knowledge of the Company, there has been no amendment to, written interpretation
or announcement (whether or not written) by the Company or any of its Affiliates
relating to, or change in employee participation or coverage under, a Company
Benefit Plan which would increase materially the expense of maintaining such
Company Benefit Plan above the level of the expense incurred in respect thereof
for the year ended December 31, 2006.
Section
3.13 Labor
Matters.
There is
no labor strike or lockout, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threat thereof,
by or with respect to any employee of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries.
Section
3.14 Environmental
Matters.
a)
Except as
disclosed in Section 3.14 of the Company Disclosure Schedule and except as
would
not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i)
no
written notice, notification, demand, request for information,
16
citation,
summons, complaint or order has been received by, no penalty has been assessed
against, and no action, claim, suit, proceeding or review or investigation
is
pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened by any Person against,
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to any matters relating
to
or arising out of any Environmental Law; (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries
have been and are in compliance with all Environmental Laws, including
possessing and complying with all Permits required for their operations under
applicable Environmental Laws; (iii) to the Knowledge of the Company, there
are
no Environmental Liabilities of or relating to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, and to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no facts,
conditions or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to result in,
or
be the basis for, any such Environmental Liabilities; (iv) there have been
no
releases, discharges, disposals, dumpings, injections, pumpings, deposits or
emissions into the environment of Hazardous Materials by the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, by any third party, at
any
real property currently owned, operated or leased by, or formerly owned,
operated or leased by or in connection with, the Company or its Subsidiaries
that would reasonably be expected to result in such Environmental Liabilities
of
the Company; and (v) the Company has made available to Parent, prior to the
date
hereof, copies of all environmental investigations, studies, audits, tests,
reviews or other analysis in the possession or control of the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries in relation to the current or prior business of the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries or any property or facility now or previously owned,
leased or operated by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(b) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary owns, leases or operates any real property in
New
Jersey or Connecticut.
(c) For
purposes of this Section, “Company” and “Subsidiary” shall include any entity
which is, in whole or in part, a predecessor of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, other than IGEN International, Inc., or Parent or any of its
Affiliates.
Section
3.15 Intellectual
Property.
(a) As
used
herein: (i) “Intellectual
Property”
means
all U.S. and foreign (A) trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress
and
Internet domain names, together with goodwill related to the foregoing, (B)
patents and all proprietary rights associated therewith, (C) copyrights and
rights associated therewith and the underlying works of authorship, (D) all
inventions, know-how, technology, designs, computer source codes, programs
and
other software (including all machine readable code, printed listings of code
and documentation), trade secrets, web sites and UPC codes; and (E) all
registrations of any of the foregoing and all applications therefor; and (ii)
“Company
Intellectual Property”
means
the Intellectual Property that is owned, licensed, or used by the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries in the conduct of their businesses.
(b) Section
3.15(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth, for the Company
Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries, a complete
and
17
accurate
list of all U.S. and foreign (i) patents and patent applications; (ii)
trademark, trade name and service xxxx registrations (including Internet domain
name registrations) and applications; and (iii) copyright registrations and
applications.
(c) Except
as
set forth in Section 3.15(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule:
(i) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good title
to
or, with respect to items not owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries,
sufficient rights to use all Company Intellectual Property;
(ii) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, all registrations of Company Intellectual Property
have been properly registered, all pending registrations and applications have
been properly made and filed and all annuity, maintenance, renewal and other
fees relating to registrations or applications are current;
(iii) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, the conduct of the businesses of the Company and
its
Subsidiaries do not materially infringe any Intellectual Property of any third
party and there is no such claim pending or to the Knowledge of the Company
within the last four (4) years threatened by an overt act against the Company
or
any of its Subsidiaries;
(iv) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, no third party is materially infringing any
Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries and no such claims are pending or threatened against any Person
by
the Company or its Subsidiaries;
(v) The
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger,
will
not impair any rights of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in, to or under
the Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company or its
Subsidiaries;
(vi) No
claims
with respect to Company Intellectual Property are pending or, to the Knowledge
of the Company, threatened by any Person challenging the ownership, validity,
enforceability or effectiveness of any of the Company Intellectual
Property;
18
(vii) The
Company and its Subsidiaries do not currently pay any material royalties or
other material consideration for the right to use material Intellectual Property
of others; and
(viii) To
the
Knowledge of the Company, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in material
compliance with all confidentiality agreements and other protective agreements
protecting the Intellectual Party of third parties.
(d) Except
as
disclosed in Section 3.15(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company
and
its Subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable measures to protect the
confidentiality of their material trade secrets and have appropriate procedures
in place designed to provide that all Intellectual Property conceived by their
employees, as a result of such employees performing their job duties for the
Company and its Subsidiaries, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, third
parties, performing research and development for them, have been assigned or
are
required to be assigned to the Company or its Subsidiaries.
Section
3.16 Properties.
Except
as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect,
with respect to the real property leased or subleased to the Company or its
Subsidiaries (the “Leased
Real Property”),
the
lease or sublease for such property is valid and binding and in full force
and
effect, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in breach of
or
default under such lease or sublease and to the Knowledge of the Company no
event has occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute
a
breach or default by any of the Company or its Subsidiaries or permit
termination, modification or acceleration by any third party under such lease
or
sublease.
Section
3.17 Company
Rights Plan.
The
Company has taken all actions necessary (subject only to execution by the Rights
Agent, as defined in the Company Rights Plan, which the Company shall cause
to
take place as soon as reasonably practicable on the date hereof) to (a) render
the Company Rights Plan inapplicable to this Agreement and the Transactions,
(b)
ensure that (i) none of Parent, Merger Sub or any other Subsidiary of Parent
is
an Acquiring Person (as such term is defined in the Company Rights Plan)
pursuant to the Company Rights Plan solely as a result of this Agreement or
the
Transactions and (ii) a Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the
Company Rights Plan) does not occur, solely by reason of the execution of this
Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions and (c) cause the Rights
to
expire in their entirety immediately prior to the Effective Time without payment
being made in respect thereof.
Section
3.18 Opinion
of Financial Advisor.
The
Board of Directors of the Company has received the opinion (which may be an
oral
opinion to be confirmed in writing) of Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. (the “Financial
Advisor”),
dated
the date of this Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date, and subject
to
the various assumptions and qualifications set forth in such opinion, the
consideration to be received in the Merger by holders of the Company Common
Stock is fair from a financial point of view to holders of such shares. The
Special Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company has received the
opinion (which may be an oral opinion to be confirmed in writing) of Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Financial Advisors, Inc., dated
19
the
date
of this Agreement, to the effect that, as of such date, and subject to the
various assumptions and qualifications set forth in such opinion, the
consideration to be received under the Asset Transfer Agreements by the Company
is fair from a financial point of view to the Company.
Section
3.19 Brokers
and Other Advisors.
Except
for Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. and Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Financial
Advisors, Inc., the fees and expenses of which will be paid by the Company,
no
broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other Person is entitled to
any
broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission, or
the reimbursement of expenses, in connection with the Transactions based upon
arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
Section
3.20 Anti-takeover
Statutes.
As of
the date hereof, the Company has taken all action necessary to exempt the
Merger, this Agreement, the Transactions contemplated hereby and thereby from
the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL.
Section
3.21 Material
Contracts.
(a) Section
3.21(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists each of the following
contracts, whether written or oral, to which the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries is a party or by which it is bound as of the date of this Agreement
(each such contract listed or required to be so listed, a “Company
Material Contract”):
(i) Any
“material
contract”
as such
term is defined in item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the
SEC;
(ii) any
material contract for the sale of products or services involving annual payments
in excess of $250,000 individually, other than pursuant to a purchase
order;
(iii) any
material sales agency, sales representation or distributorship
agreement;
(iv) any
material joint venture, profit sharing, partnership agreements or other similar
agreements;
(v) any
contracts or series of related contracts relating to the acquisition or
disposition of the securities of any Person, any business or any material amount
of assets (in each case, whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or
otherwise) in excess of $250,000 individually or $2,000,000 in the aggregate,
other than the Asset Transfer Agreements;
20
(vi) any
material contract with a Governmental Authority;
(vii) any
licenses of Intellectual Property to or from the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that are material to the businesses of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries, except for licenses of standard software that are generally
available to the public for a standard fee;
(viii) any
contract that (A) limits the freedom of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to engage or compete in any line of business or with any Person or in any area
or which would so limit the freedom of Parent, the Company or any of their
respective Affiliates after the Effective Time or (B) contains exclusivity,
“most
favored nation”
or
similar obligations or restrictions that are binding on the Company or any
of
its Subsidiaries or that would be binding on Parent or its Affiliates after
the
Effective Time; and
(ix) any
material contracts with any (A) officer or director of the Company or any of
its
Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any Affiliates or “associates”
(or members of any of their “immediate family”) (as such terms are respectively
defined in Rule 12b-2 and Rule 16a-1 of the Exchange Act) of such officer or
director; or (B) Person who, to the Knowledge of the Company, is the record
or
beneficial owner of five percent or more of the voting securities of
Company.
(b) The
Company has prior to the date of this Agreement made available to Parent
complete and accurate copies of each Company Material Contract listed in Section
3.21(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
(c) Neither
the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company is in breach of or default under
the terms of any Company Material Contract where such breach or default would
have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. To the
Knowledge of the Company, no other party to any Company Material Contract is
in
breach of or default under the terms of any Company Material Contract where
such
breach or default would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect. Each Company Material Contract is a valid and binding obligation
of the Company and, to the Knowledge of the Company, is in full force and
effect, except such as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect; provided that
(i) such
enforcement may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar Laws, now or hereafter in effect, relating to
creditors’ rights generally and (ii) equitable remedies of specific performance
and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought.
Section
3.22 Limitation.
NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, (A) NO
REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS
21
MADE
BY
THE COMPANY WITH RESPECT TO (I) PARENT OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OR THEIR
RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES, PROPERTIES (INCLUDING ANY OR ALL PATENTS, PATENT RIGHTS,
TRADEMARKS, TRADEMARK RIGHTS, TRADE NAMES, TRADE NAME RIGHTS, SERVICE MARKS,
SERVICE XXXX RIGHTS AND OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OWNED BY PARENT OR ANY
OF
ITS AFFILIATES), ASSETS OR OPERATIONS, (II) ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, ON THE ONE HAND, AND PARENT OR ANY OF
ITS
AFFILIATES, ON THE OTHER HAND, OR (III) ANY ACTION, SUIT, PROCEEDING, DISPUTE,
MONITORING, AUDIT OR CONTRACT TO WHICH PARENT OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES IS A
PARTY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SALES OF ECL TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTS
OUTSIDE THE FIELDS COVERED BY THE WORLDWIDE, NON-EXCLUSIVE, ROYALTY-FREE LICENSE
BETWEEN PARENT AND THE COMPANY) AND, (B) NO FACT, EVENT, CHANGE, EFFECT OR
DEVELOPMENT RELATING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING SHALL BE DEEMED TO RESULT IN THE
BREACH BY THE COMPANY OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, COVENANT OR AGREEMENT
IN
THIS AGREEMENT OR OTHERWISE IN A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT.
Section
3.23 No
Other Representations or Warranties.
Except
for the representations and warranties contained in this Article III,
neither
the Company nor any other person on behalf of the Company, including any
director, officer or employee of the Company, makes any express or implied
representation or warranty with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries
or
with respect to any other information provided to Parent or Merger Sub in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby. Neither the Company nor
any other person, including any director, officer or employee of the Company,
will have or be subject to any liability or indemnification obligation to
Parent, Merger Sub or any other person resulting from the distribution to Parent
or Merger Sub, or Parent’s or Merger Sub’s use of, any such information,
including any information, documents, projections, forecasts of other material
made available to Parent or Merger Sub in expectation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, unless any such information is expressly
included in a representation or warranty contained in this Article III.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND MERGER SUB
Except
as
disclosed in the disclosure schedule delivered by Parent to the Company (the
“Parent
Disclosure Schedule”)
simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, Parent and Merger Sub
jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company as follows:
Section
4.1 Organization;
Standing and Corporate Power.
(a) Parent
is
a joint stock company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation
or organization.
22
Merger
Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Delaware. Each
of
Parent and Merger Sub is duly qualified or licensed as a foreign corporation
to
do business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction in which the
character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of
its
business makes such qualification or licensing necessary.
(b) Parent
and
Merger Sub have made available to the Company complete and correct copies of
the
certificate of incorporation and by-laws (or equivalent document under the
Laws
of their respective jurisdictions of organization) of Parent and Merger Sub,
as
amended to the date of this Agreement.
Section
4.2 Corporate
Authority.
Each of
Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement, to perform their respective obligations hereunder
and to consummate the Merger and the Transactions. The execution, delivery
and
performance by Merger Sub of this Agreement, and the consummation by Merger
Sub
of the Merger and the Transactions, have been duly authorized and approved
by
its Board of Directors, and adopted by a Subsidiary of Parent as the sole
stockholder of Merger Sub, and no other corporate action on the part of Merger
Sub is necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by Merger
Sub of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the Merger and the
Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance by Parent of this
Agreement, and the consummation by Parent of the Merger and the Transactions,
have been duly authorized and approved, and no other corporate action on the
part of Parent is necessary to authorize the execution, delivery and performance
by Parent of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the Merger and the
Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Parent
and
Merger Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery hereof by
the
Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each of Parent
and
Merger Sub, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms,
subject to the Bankruptcy and Equity Exception.
Section
4.3 Noncontravention.
Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and Merger Sub, nor
the
consummation by Parent or Merger Sub of the Merger and the Transactions, nor
compliance by Parent or Merger Sub with any of the provisions hereof, will
(i)
conflict with or violate any provision of the certificate of incorporation
or
bylaws of Parent or Merger Sub or (ii) assuming that the authorizations,
consents and approvals referred to in Section
4.4
are
obtained and the filings referred to in Section
4.4
are made,
(x) violate any Law, judgment, writ or injunction of any Governmental Authority
applicable to Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, or (y) require any consent
or
other action by any Person under, violate or constitute a default, or an event
that, with or without notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a
default under, or cause or permit termination, cancellation, acceleration or
other change of any right or obligation or the loss of any benefit to which
Parent, Merger Sub or any of their respective Subsidiaries is entitled under
any
agreement or other instrument binding upon the Parent, Merger Sub or any of
their respective Subsidiaries, except for, in the case of clause
(ii)
above, such matters as would not reasonably be expected to prevent or materially
delay the consummation of the Transactions.
23
Section
4.4 Governmental
Approvals.
Except
for (i) filings required under, and compliance with other applicable
requirements of, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, state securities or
“blue
sky”
laws and
the NASDAQ, (ii) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary
of
State of the State of Delaware pursuant to the DGCL, and (iii) filings required
under, and compliance with other applicable requirements of, the HSR Act,
(iv)
obtaining from CFIUS a written termination of the review of clearance of
the
Merger and (v) any applicable non-U.S. competition, antitrust or investment
Laws, no consents or approvals of, or filings, notifications, declarations
or
registrations with, any Governmental Authority, no consents or approvals
of, or
filings, declarations or registrations with, any Governmental Authority are
necessary for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by
Parent and Merger Sub or the consummation by Parent and Merger Sub of the
Transactions, other than such other consents, approvals, filings, declarations
or registrations that, if not obtained, made or given, would not reasonably
be
expected to prevent or materially delay the consummation of the Transactions.
Section
4.5 Ownership
and Operations of Merger Sub; Capitalization.
(a) Parent
owns beneficially all of the outstanding capital stock of Merger Sub. Merger
Sub
was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Transactions, has engaged
in no other business activities, and prior to the Effective Time will have
no,
assets, operations, liabilities or obligations of any nature other than those
incident to its formation and pursuant to this Agreement and the Merger and
the
Transactions.
(b) All
of the
issued and outstanding share capital of Merger Sub is, and at the Effective
Time
will be, owned by Parent or a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
Parent.
Section
4.6 Legal
Proceedings.
Except
as disclosed in Section 4.6 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule, (A) there is
no
pending or threatened, legal or administrative proceeding, claim, suit,
investigation or action against Merger Sub, nor is there any injunction, order,
judgment, ruling or decree imposed upon Merger Sub in each case, by or before
any Governmental Authority, and (B) there is no pending or threatened, legal
or
administrative proceeding, claim, suit or action against Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries, nor is there any injunction, order, judgment, ruling or decree
imposed upon Parent or any of its Subsidiaries in each case, by or before any
Governmental Authority, that would reasonably be expected to prevent or
materially delay consummation of the Transactions.
Section
4.7 Financing.
Parent’s
and Merger Sub’s obligations hereunder are not subject to any conditions
regarding Parent’s, Merger Sub’s or any other person’s ability to obtain
financing for the consummation of the Merger and the Transactions. Parent has,
and at the Effective Time Parent and Merger Sub will have cash on hand
sufficient to enable Parent and Merger Sub to pay all amounts to be paid by
Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the consummation of the Merger including
all costs and expenses incurred by Parent and Merger Sub in connection with
this
Agreement and the Transactions, any obligations in connection with the
Dissenting Shares and payment of the aggregate Option Consideration, the Total
Common
24
Merger
Consideration and the aggregate Restricted Stock Consideration and the amounts
due in connection with the Xxxxxxxxxxx Agreements.
Section
4.8 Company
Stock.
Neither
Parent nor Merger Sub is, nor at any time during the last three years has it
been, an “interested
stockholder”
of the
Company as defined in Section 203 of the DGCL. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub
nor
any of their respective Affiliates beneficially owns (as defined in Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, or is the record holder of,
and
is not a party to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose
of
acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in each case, any shares of capital
stock of the Company, except for any such shares that may be owned by any
employee benefit or other plan administered by or on behalf of Parent or any
of
its Subsidiaries, to the extent the determination to acquire such shares was
not
directed by Parent or Merger Sub.
Section
4.9 Brokers
and Other Advisors.
No
broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other person is entitled to
any
broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission in
connection with the Merger and the Transactions.
Section
4.10 Disclaimer
of Other Representations and Warranties. Parent
and
Merger Sub each acknowledges and agrees that, except for the representations
and
warranties expressly set forth in this Agreement (a) neither the Company nor
any
of its Subsidiaries or their respective directors, officers or employees makes,
or has made, any representations or warranties relating to itself or its
business or otherwise in connection with the Merger and Parent and Merger Sub
are not relying on any representation or warranty except for those expressly
set
forth in this Agreement, (b) no person has been authorized by the Company or
any
of its Subsidiaries to make any representation or warranty relating to itself
or
its business or otherwise in connection with the Merger, and if made, such
representation or warranty must not be relied upon by Parent or Merger Sub
as
having been authorized by such party, and (c) any estimates, projections,
predictions, data, financial information, memoranda, presentations or any other
materials or information provided or addressed to Parent, Merger Sub or any
of
their Representatives are not and shall not be deemed to be or include
representations or warranties unless any such materials or information is the
subject of any express representation or warranty set forth in Article III
of
this Agreement.
ARTICLE
V
ADDITIONAL
COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS
Section
5.1 Conduct
of Business.
(a) Except
as
contemplated or expressly permitted by this Agreement and the Asset Transfer
Agreements, as required by applicable Law or as contemplated by Section 5.1(a)
of the Company Disclosure Schedule, during the period from the date of this
Agreement until the Effective Time, unless Parent otherwise consents (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the Company shall,
and
shall cause its Subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the ordinary course
consistent with past practice and shall use
25
commercially
reasonable efforts to preserve intact its present business organization, keep
available the services of its officers, employees and consultants and maintain
relationships with customers, suppliers and others having significant business
relationships with it; provided,
however,
that no
action by the Company or its Subsidiaries with respect to matters specifically
addressed by this Section
5.1
shall be
deemed a breach of this sentence unless such action would constitute a breach
of
such specific provision. Furthermore, the Company agrees with Parent that,
except as required by applicable Law or contemplated or expressly permitted
by
this Agreement, the Asset Transfer Agreements or by Section
5.1(a)
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, during the period from the date of this Agreement
until the Effective Time, unless Parent otherwise consents (which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the Company shall not, and shall
not
permit its Subsidiaries to:
(i) Except
for
transactions among the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries or among the
Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, (A) issue, sell or grant any shares of its
capital stock, or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable or
exercisable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for, any shares of its
capital stock, or any rights, warrants or options to purchase any shares of
its
capital stock, or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable or
exercisable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for, any shares of its
capital stock; provided,
however,
that (i)
the Company may issue shares of Company Common Stock (and corresponding Rights
under the Company Rights Plan) upon the exercise of Options that were
outstanding as of March 30, 2007 and the Company may issue shares of Company
Common Stock (and corresponding Rights under the Company Rights Plan) or shares
of Series A Preferred Stock upon the valid exercise of Rights outstanding as
of
the date of this Agreement; and provided,
further,
that;
(ii) the Company may issue Options to employees of the Company hired after
the
date hereof, not to exceed Options to acquire 25,000 shares of Company Common
Stock in the aggregate, provided that such options are granted at fair market
value and in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plan; and (iii)
the
Company may remove in accordance with their existing terms restrictions on
Restricted Stock Awards that are outstanding as of March 30, 2007; (B) redeem,
purchase or otherwise acquire any of its outstanding shares of capital stock,
or
any rights or options to acquire any shares of its capital stock; (C) declare,
set aside for payment or pay any dividend on, or make any other distribution
in
respect of, any shares of its capital stock other than dividends paid by any
subsidiary of the Company to the Company or any wholly-owned subsidiary of
the
Company, other than dividends or other distributions in respect of the Series
B
Preferred Stock in accordance with the Company Charter Documents; or (D) split,
combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of its capital stock;
(ii) incur,
guarantee or secure any indebtedness for borrowed money, except for (A) amounts
set forth on Section
5.1(a)(ii)
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule or (B) as otherwise required in the ordinary
course
26
of
business, but in any event not in excess of $3,000,000 in the aggregate
outstanding at any time;
(iii) create
or
incur any Lien on any material asset other than any immaterial Lien incurred
in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or any Permitted
Lien;
(iv) sell
any
properties or assets that are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries
taken
as a whole, except (A) sales, leases, rentals and licenses in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices and not to exceed $3,000,000
in the aggregate, (B) sales or leases of inventory in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices, (C) pursuant to contracts in force
on
the date of this Agreement, (D) dispositions of obsolete or worthless assets
or
(E) transfers among the Company and its wholly-owned Subsidiaries;
(v) make
any
capital expenditures which exceed $2,000,000 in the aggregate (which amount
shall be increased to $3,600,000 in the aggregate if the Closing has not
occurred within four (4) months of the date hereof);
(vi) make
any
loans, advances or investments other than in its wholly owned Subsidiaries,
except (A) investments of all cash, cash equivalents and short term investments
made in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices and
(B)
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices not in excess
of $1,500,000 in the aggregate to or in entities that are not
Affiliates;
(vii) make
any
acquisition (whether by purchase, merger or otherwise) of the capital stock
or
(except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices)
the
assets of any other Person for consideration in excess of $250,000 individually
or $2,000,000 in
the
aggregate or adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution,
recapitalization or restructuring;
(viii) other
than
fees payable to members of the Special Committee (A) increase the compensation
or other benefits payable or to become payable to its directors, executive
officers or other employees, other than as required pursuant to applicable
Law
or the terms of contracts in effect on the date of this Agreement and other
than
(x) in the case of executive officers and the Company’s general counsel, annual
bonuses for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, not to exceed $1,625,000
in
the aggregate, and bonus amounts to be paid for the fiscal period beginning
April 1, 2007 and ending at the Effective Time,
27
not
to
exceed a pro rata portion (based on the portion of the fiscal year that has
elapsed) of the bonuses paid to executive officers and the Company’s general
counsel for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007 in the aggregate or (y) in
the
case of other employees, in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past
practices, (B) grant any severance or termination pay to, or enter into any
severance agreement with any director or executive officer or other employee
of
the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, other than pursuant to the severance
plans set forth on Section
5.10(b)
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule, (C) enter into any employment agreement with any
executive officer of the Company, (D) establish, adopt, enter into or amend
any
agreement, plan, trust, fund, policy or arrangement for the benefit of any
current or former director, executive officer or other employee, except that
the
Company may adopt and fund a grantor trust for the benefit of Termination
Protection Program participants listed on Section 5.10(e) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule; provided
that the
Surviving Corporation and its Affiliates shall not be liable for any loss or
diminution in value of the funds deposited in the trust; provided further,
the
Surviving Corporation and its Affiliates shall not be responsible for any funds
that are lost except in connection with bankruptcy or insolvency of the
Surviving Corporation, (E) make any employee eligible for the Company’s
Termination Protection Program other than the employees eligible as of the
date
hereof, a list of whom has been previously provided in writing to Parent, or
(F)
take any action which would trigger obligations under the Termination Protection
Program; provided
that the
foregoing shall not prevent the Company from terminating or changing the
responsibilities of any participants in the Termination Protection Program
in
the ordinary course of business;
(ix) make
any
material changes in financial or tax accounting methods, principles or practices
(or change an annual accounting or tax period), except (a) as may be required
by
GAAP (or any interpretation thereof), by a change in GAAP, Regulation S-X of
the
Exchange Act or as required by a Governmental Authority or a quasi-Governmental
Authority (including the Financial Standards Accounting Board or similar
organization), (b) to permit the audit of the Company’s financial statements in
accordance with GAAP, (c) as required by applicable Law or (d) as disclosed
in
the Company SEC Documents filed prior to the date hereof;
(x) make
or
change any Tax election, file any material amended Tax Returns or claims for
Tax
refunds, enter into any closing agreement, surrender any right to a material
Tax
refund, offset or other reduction in Tax liability, consent to any extension
or
waiver of the limitations period applicable to any material Tax claim or
assessment;
(xi) amend
or
otherwise change, in any material respect, the Company Charter
Documents;
28
(xii) settle,
or
offer or propose to settle, (A) any litigation, investigation, arbitration,
proceeding or other claim involving or against the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as
a
whole, or involving a payment by the Company or its Subsidiaries in excess
of
$500,000 individually or $2,500,000 in the aggregate or (B) shareholder
litigation or dispute against the Company or any of its officers or directors
or
any litigation, arbitration, proceeding or dispute that relates to the
transactions contemplated hereby;
(xiii)
(i)
modify, amend, terminate or waive any material rights under any Company Material
Contract or (ii) enter into any agreement that would constitute a Company
Material Contract if it had been entered into prior to the date of this
Agreement, other than, in each case, in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice and other than contracts to be transferred
pursuant to the Asset Transfer Agreements; provided that,
except
for ordinary course sales of services or products on an arms-length purchase
order basis, the Company shall not enter into any contracts with (A) any officer
or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or entities that are
Affiliates or controlled by “associates” (or members of any of their “immediate
family”) (as such terms are respectively defined in Rule 12b-2 and Rule 16a-1 of
the Exchange Act) of any of its officers or directors or (B) any Person who
is
the record or beneficial owner of five percent or more of the voting securities
of the Company;
(xiv) enter
into
(i) any license related to the ECL technology or (ii) any license with respect
to Intellectual Property with Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC; or
(xv) agree
to
take any of the foregoing actions.
(b) Neither
party shall knowingly take any action that would prevent or materially delay
the
consummation of the Transactions or the transactions contemplated by the Asset
Transfer Agreements.
Section
5.2 Stockholders
Meeting.
(a) Subject
to
the fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors of the Company and without
limiting the provisions of Section 5.4, as promptly as reasonably practicable
following the date of this Agreement, the Company, acting through its Board
of
Directors, shall use commercially reasonable efforts to: (i) duly call, give
notice of, convene and hold a meeting of its stockholders for the purpose of
adopting this Agreement (the “Company
Stockholders Meeting”)
and (ii)
include in the Proxy Statement the recommendation of the Board of Directors
that
the stockholders of the Company vote in favor of the adoption of this Agreement,
and (iii) obtain the Company Stockholder Approval; provided,
however,
that
the
29
Company
shall not be obligated to recommend to its stockholders the approval of this
Agreement or approval of the Merger at the Company Stockholders Meeting to
the
extent the Board of Directors makes a Company Adverse Recommendation Change
in
compliance with Section 5.4(b).
(b) Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not
be
required to hold the Company Stockholders Meeting if this Agreement is
terminated in accordance with Section
7.1.
Section
5.3 Proxy
Statement.
(a) Covenants
of the Company with Respect to the Proxy Statement.
Subject
to Section
5.4
hereof,
the Company shall promptly prepare, and shall use commercially reasonable
efforts to cause to be filed with the SEC within thirty (30) days after the
date
hereof, the Proxy Statement relating to the meeting of the Company’s
stockholders to be held to consider the adoption and approval of this Agreement
and the Merger. The Company shall include, except to the extent provided in
this
Agreement, the text of this Agreement and the recommendation of the Board of
Directors of the Company that the Company’s stockholders approve and adopt this
Agreement and shall use all reasonable efforts to respond to any comments by
the
SEC staff in respect of the Proxy Statement. None of the information with
respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries to be included in the Proxy Statement
will, at the time of the mailing of the Proxy Statement or any amendments or
supplements thereto, and at the time of the Company Stockholders’ Meeting,
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all material respects
with the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
(b) Covenants
of Parent with Respect to the Proxy Statement.
None of
the information with respect to Parent or its subsidiaries (including Merger
Sub) to be included in the Proxy Statement will, at the time of the mailing
of
the Proxy Statement or any amendments or supplements thereto, and at the time
of
the Company Stockholders’ Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) Cooperation.
The
Company, Parent and Merger Sub shall cooperate and consult with each other
in
preparation of the Proxy Statement. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, each of Parent and Merger Sub will furnish to the Company the
information relating to it required by the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder to be set forth in the Proxy Statement.
Each
of the Company and Parent shall promptly (i) notify the other of the receipt
of
any comments from the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement and of any request
by the SEC for amendments of, or supplements to, the Proxy Statement, and (ii)
provide the other with copies of all correspondence between the
30
Company
and the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement. Each of the Company and Parent
shall use its reasonable best efforts to resolve all comments from the SEC
with
respect to the Proxy Statement as promptly as practicable.
(d) Mailing
of Proxy Statement; Amendments.
As
promptly as reasonably practicable after the Proxy Statement has been cleared
by
the SEC, the Company shall mail the Proxy Statement to the holders of Company
Common Stock and Series B Preferred Stock as of the record date established
for
the Company Stockholders’ Meeting. If at any time prior to the Company
Stockholders’ Meeting any event or circumstance relating to the Company or
Parent or any of either the Company’s or Parent’s subsidiaries, or their
respective officers or directors, should be discovered by the Company or Parent,
respectively, which, pursuant to the Securities Act or Exchange Act, should
be
set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Proxy Statement, such party
shall promptly inform the other. Each of Parent, Merger Sub and the Company
agree to correct any information provided by it for use in the Proxy Statement
which shall have become false or misleading. All documents that each of the
Company and Parent is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with
the
Merger will comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder.
Section
5.4 No
Solicitation.
(a) The
Company shall not, nor shall it authorize or permit any of its Subsidiaries,
any
of its or their respective directors, officers or employees or any investment
banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant or other advisor, agent or
representative retained by the Company or any Subsidiary in connection with
this
Agreement and the Asset Transfer Agreements (collectively, “Representatives”)
to,
directly or indirectly through another Person, except as otherwise provided
below, (i) solicit, initiate, or knowingly encourage any inquiries or the making
of any proposal that constitutes or is reasonably likely to lead to a Takeover
Proposal (as defined herein), (ii) other than informing Persons of the
provisions contained in this Section
5.4,
participate in any discussions or negotiations regarding any Takeover Proposal,
or furnish any information concerning the Company and its Subsidiaries to any
Person in connection with any Takeover Proposal, (iii) grant any waiver or
release under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class
of
equity securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (iv) enter into
any agreement in principle, letter of intent, term sheet, merger agreement,
acquisition agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership
agreement or other similar instrument constituting or relating to a Takeover
Proposal (other than a confidentiality agreement). Notwithstanding anything
in
this Section
5.4
to the
contrary, at any time prior to obtaining the Company Stockholder Approval,
if
the Company receives an unsolicited written Takeover Proposal which (x)
constitutes a Superior Proposal or (y) which the Company’s Board of Directors
determines in good faith, after consultation with the Company’s outside legal
and financial advisors, is reasonably likely to result in, after the taking
of
any of the actions referred to in either of clause (A) or (B) below, a Superior
Proposal, the Company may (A) furnish non-public information with respect to
the
Company and its Subsidiaries to the Person making such Takeover Proposal (and
its Representatives) pursuant to a confidentiality agreement reasonably
acceptable to the Company, and (B) engage or participate in discussions or
negotiations with the
31
Person
making such Takeover Proposal (and its Representatives) regarding such Takeover
Proposal; provided, however, that as promptly as reasonably practicable
following the Company taking such actions as described in clauses (A) and (B)
above, the Company shall provide written notice to Parent of such Takeover
Proposal, shall identify the Person making such Takeover Proposal and the
material terms and conditions of any such proposal (including any material
changes thereto), and shall provide to Parent any material information furnished
to the Person making such Takeover Proposal that have not previously been
provided to Parent. The Company or its Representatives shall keep Parent or
its
Representatives reasonably informed, on a reasonably prompt basis, of any
material changes to any such Takeover Proposal. Upon execution of this
Agreement, the Company shall, and shall cause its Representatives to,
immediately cease and cause to be terminated all existing discussions or
negotiations with any Person previously conducted with respect to any Takeover
Proposal.
(b) Except
as
expressly permitted by this Section
5.4(b),
the
Board of Directors of the Company shall not (i)(A) withdraw or modify, in a
manner adverse to Parent, the recommendation by such Board of Directors that
stockholders of the Company adopt this Agreement (the “Company
Board Recommendation”)
or (B)
publicly recommend to the stockholders of the Company a Takeover Proposal (any
action described in this clause
(i) being
referred to as a “Company
Adverse Recommendation Change”)
(it being
understood and agreed that any “stop,
look
and listen”
communication by the Board of Directors to the stockholders of the Company
pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) of the Exchange Act or any similar communication
to
the stockholders shall not constitute a Company Adverse Recommendation Change)
or (ii) authorize the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to enter into any
merger, acquisition or similar agreement with respect to any Takeover Proposal
(other than a Confidentiality Agreement) (each, a “Company
Acquisition Agreement”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time prior to obtaining the Company
Stockholder Approval, (x) the Board of Directors of the Company may change,
qualify, withhold, withdraw or modify the Company Board Recommendation, or
recommend a Takeover Proposal, upon a good faith determination by the Company’s
Board of Directors (after receiving the advice of its outside legal and
financial advisors) that failure to take such action would be reasonably likely
to constitute a breach by the Board of its fiduciary duties to the stockholders
of the Company under applicable Law, and (y) if the Board of Directors of the
Company receives a Takeover Proposal that such Board determines constitutes
a
Superior Proposal, the Company or its Subsidiaries may enter into a Company
Acquisition Agreement with respect to such Superior Proposal if the Company
shall have complied with the provisions of this Section
5.4
(including the following sentence) and, concurrently with entering into such
Company Acquisition Agreement, terminated this Agreement pursuant to
Section
7.1(d)(ii).
The
Company shall not enter into any merger, acquisition or similar agreement with
respect to a Takeover Proposal until after the third Business Day following
Parent’s receipt of written notice from the Company (an “Alternative
Transaction Notice”)
containing a description of the material terms of such Takeover Proposal and
advising Parent that the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that
such Takeover Proposal is a Superior Proposal and that the Board of Directors
of
the Company intends to enter into an agreement providing for such Superior
Proposal, and provided that
the Board
of Directors continues to believe, following such third Business Day that such
Takeover Proposal still constitutes a Superior Proposal after taking into
account any changes to the terms of this Agreement proposed by Parent in
response to an Alternative Transaction Notice. It is understood and agreed
that
no Alternative Transaction
32
Notice
is
required for a Company Adverse Recommendation Change made not in response to
or
as a result of a Superior Proposal.
(c) For
purposes of this Agreement:
“Takeover
Proposal”
means
any inquiry, proposal or offer from any Person (other than Parent and its
Subsidiaries) relating to any (A) acquisition of assets of the Company and
its
Subsidiaries (including securities of Subsidiaries, but excluding sales of
assets in the ordinary course of business) equal to 20% or more of the Company’s
consolidated assets or to which 20% or more of the Company’s revenues or
earnings on a consolidated basis are attributable, (B) acquisition of 20% or
more of the outstanding Company Common Stock, (C) tender offer or exchange
offer
that if consummated would result in any Person beneficially owning 20% or more
of the outstanding Company Common Stock or (D) merger, consolidation, share
exchange, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution
or
similar transaction involving the Company; in each case, other than the
Transactions.
“Superior
Proposal”
means
a
proposal to acquire, directly or indirectly, for consideration consisting of
cash and/or securities, more than 50% of the equity securities of the Company
or
all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
on a
consolidated basis, made by a third party, and which is otherwise on terms
and
conditions which the Board of Directors of the Company determines in its good
faith and reasonable judgment (after consultation with a financial advisor
of
national reputation and in light of all relevant circumstances, including all
the terms and conditions of such proposal and this Agreement) is reasonably
likely to be consummated and more favorable to the Company’s stockholders than
the Merger (or any subsequent offer made by Parent in response to any such
Superior Proposal).
(d) It
is
understood and agreed that, for purposes of this Agreement (including Article
VII),
any
“stop,
look
and listen”
letter,
any disclosure required pursuant to Rule 14e-2(a), Rule 14d-9 or Item 1012(a)
of
Regulation MA promulgated under the Exchange Act, or other applicable Law,
or
any other factually accurate public statement by the Company that, in each
case,
merely describes the Company’s receipt of a Takeover Proposal and the operation
of this Agreement with respect thereto shall not be deemed a withdrawal or
modification, or proposal by the Board of Directors of the Company to withdraw
or modify, such Board’s recommendation of this Agreement or the Transactions, an
approval or recommendation with respect to such Takeover Proposal, or a Company
Adverse Recommendation Change.
Section
5.5 Reasonable
Best Efforts.
(a) Subject
to
the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto shall
cooperate with the other parties and use (and shall cause their respective
Subsidiaries to use) their respective reasonable best efforts to promptly (i)
take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do, or cause to be done, all
things, necessary, proper or advisable to cause the conditions to Closing to
be
satisfied as promptly as practicable and to consummate and make
33
effective,
in the most expeditious manner practicable, the Merger and the Transactions,
including preparing and filing promptly and fully all documentation to effect
all necessary filings, notices, petitions, statements, registrations,
submissions of information, applications and other documents (including any
required or recommended filings under applicable Antitrust Laws (as defined
herein)), and (ii)
obtain all approvals, consents, registrations, permits, authorizations and
other
confirmations from any Governmental Authority necessary, proper or advisable
to
consummate the Transactions. For purposes hereof, “Antitrust
Laws”
means
the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the Xxxxxxx Act, as amended, the HSR Act, the
Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other applicable Laws issued
by a United States federal or state Governmental Authority or a foreign or
supranational Governmental Authority that are designed or intended to prohibit,
restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization
or
restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or
acquisition.
(b) In
furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, (i) each party hereto agrees
to make an appropriate filing of a Notification and Report Form pursuant to
the
HSR Act with respect to the Merger and the Transactions as promptly as
practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days of the date hereof
and to supply as promptly as practicable any additional information and
documentary material that may be requested pursuant to the HSR Act and use
its
reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all other actions
consistent with this Section
5.5
necessary
to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods under
the HSR Act as soon as practicable; (ii) Parent agrees to make the CFIUS Filing
as promptly as practicable and in any event within ten (10) Business Days of
the
date hereof and to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain clearance of the
Merger from CFIUS and (iii) the Company and Parent shall each use its reasonable
best efforts to (x) take all action necessary to ensure that no state takeover
statute or similar Law is or becomes applicable to any of the Merger and the
Transactions and (y) if any state takeover statute or similar Law becomes
applicable to any of the Merger and the Transactions, take all action necessary
to ensure that the Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable
on
the terms contemplated by this Agreement and otherwise minimize the effect
of
such Law on the Merger and the Transactions.
(c) Each
of
the parties hereto shall use its reasonable best efforts to (i) cooperate in
all
respects with each other in connection with any filing or submission with a
Governmental Authority in connection with the Merger and the Transactions and
in
connection with any investigation or other inquiry by or before a Governmental
Authority relating to the Merger and the Transactions, and (ii) promptly notify
the other party of any written communication to that party from the Federal
Trade Commission, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, any
State
Attorney General or any other Governmental Authority and permit the other party
to review in advance any proposed communication to any of the foregoing, (iii)
consult with the other party prior to participating in any substantive meeting,
telephone call or discussion with any Governmental Authority in respect of
any
filings, investigation or inquiry concerning this Agreement, the Merger or
the
Transactions and provide the other party the opportunity to attend and
participate in any such meeting, telephone call or discussion, and (iv) furnish
the other party with copies of all correspondence, filings, and written
communications (or a reasonably detailed summary of any oral communications)
between them and their respective
34
representatives
o
the one
hand, and any Governmental Authority or members of their respective staffs
on
the other hand, with respect to this Agreement and the Merger.
Section
5.6 Public
Announcements.
The
initial press releases filed by Parent and the Company, respectively, with
respect to the execution of this Agreement shall be reasonably agreed upon
by
Parent and the Company. Parent and the Company shall consult with each other
before issuing, and, to the extent practicable, give each other the reasonable
opportunity to review and comment upon, any press release or other public
statements with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement,
including the Merger, and shall not issue any such press release or make any
such public statement prior to such consultation, except as may be required
by
applicable Law, court process or by obligations pursuant to any listing
agreement with any national securities exchange or national securities quotation
system.
Section
5.7 Access
to Information; Confidentiality.
The
Company shall afford to Parent and Parent’s Representatives reasonable access,
during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice, to the
Company’s properties, books and records and the Company shall furnish promptly
to Parent such other information concerning its business and properties as
Parent may reasonably request; provided,
however,
that the
Company shall not be obligated to provide such access or information if the
Company determines, in its reasonable judgment and on the advice of counsel,
that doing so would violate applicable Law or a contract or any obligation
of
confidentiality owing to a third-party or jeopardize the protection of an
attorney-client privilege. Notwithstanding anything contained in this
Section
5.7,
the
Company shall not be required to provide to Parent or Parent’s Representatives
(a) any information relating to sales or use outside the field-of-use of, or
compliance with, the existing license for ECL technology between Parent and
the
Company, including any calculations, estimates, reports, analysis, projections
or documentation relating thereto or (b) any assets to be sold pursuant to
the
terms and conditions of the Vaccines Asset Transfer Agreement or the ECL Asset
Transfer Agreement. Until the Effective Time, the information provided will
be
subject to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreements, it being understood
that
if the Merger is not consummated and this Agreement is terminated, the
Confidentiality Agreements shall continue in effect in accordance with their
terms, including the requirements to maintain information provided thereunder
in
confidence.
Section
5.8 Indemnification
and Insurance. (a) For
six
years after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall (i) indemnify
and hold harmless each individual who at the Effective Time is a director or
officer of the Company with respect to all claims, liabilities, losses, damages,
judgments, fines, penalties, costs (including amounts paid in settlement or
compromise) and reasonable expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses
of
legal counsel) in connection with any claim, suit, action, proceeding or
investigation (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative),
whenever asserted, based on or arising out of, in whole or in part, acts or
omissions by such person in such person’s capacity as a director or officer at
or at any time prior to the Effective Time (including acts or omissions
occurring in connection with the Transactions) to the fullest extent permitted
under applicable Law and (ii) pay in advance of the final disposition of any
such claim, suit, action, proceeding or investigation any reasonable expenses
(including reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) incurred by any such
officer or director in connection with any such claim, suit, action, proceeding
or investigation with respect to which such person is entitled to be indemnified
as provided in (i) above (including in
35
connection
with enforcing the indemnity and other obligations provided in this sentence),
reasonably promptly after statements therefor are received; provided
that the
person to whom such expenses are to be advanced provides an undertaking to
repay
such amounts if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled
to
be indemnified for such amounts as provided above. Any determination required
to
be made with respect whether the conduct of any such officer or directors
complies with the applicable standard shall be made by independent legal counsel
selected by all such indemnified persons and reasonable accepted to the
Surviving Corporation, the fees of such counsel shall be paid by the Surviving
Corporation. The indemnification provided in this Section 5.8(a) shall apply
only to each individual in his or her capacity as an officer or director of
the
Company, but not in any other capacity (including acting as purchaser or
licensee under the Asset Transfer Agreements); provided
that to
the extent amounts are incurred that are partially subject to indemnification
or
expense reimbursement and partially not, a reasonable allocation shall be
made.
(b)
For six
years after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall maintain all
existing rights of any current or former officer, director or employee of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each, an “Indemnitee”
and,
collectively, the “Indemnitees”)
to
indemnification and exculpation from liabilities for acts or omissions occurring
at or prior to the Effective Time as provided in the Company Charter Documents
and the organizational documents of such Subsidiaries as in effect on the date
hereof or the indemnification agreements listed on Section 5.8(b) of the Company
Disclosure Schedule, as the case may be. Without limiting the foregoing, for
six
years after the Effective Time, the certificate of incorporation and by-laws
of
the Surviving Corporation (or any successor) shall contain provisions no less
favorable to the Indemnitees with respect to limitation of liabilities of
directors and officers and indemnification than are set forth as of the date
of
this Agreement in the Company Charter Documents, which provisions shall not
be
amended, repealed or otherwise modified in a manner that would adversely affect
the rights thereunder of the Indemnitees. The Surviving Corporation shall honor
all of its indemnification obligations existing as of the Effective
Time.
(c) The
Surviving Corporation shall not enter into any settlement of any claim in which
the Surviving Corporation is jointly liable with an Indemnitee (or would be
if
joined in such claim) unless such settlement provides for a full and final
release of all claims asserted against such Indemnitee.
(d) Each
of
Parent, the Company, the Surviving Corporation and the Indemnitees shall
cooperate in the defense of any litigation, claim or proceeding relating to
any
acts or omissions covered under this Section 5.8, and shall provide access
to
properties and individuals as reasonably requested and furnish or cause to
be
furnished records, information and testimony, and attend such conferences,
discovery proceedings, hearings, trials or appeals, as may be reasonably
requested in connection therewith.
(e) The
Surviving Corporation shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) obtain
as
of the Effective Time “tail”
insurance
policies with a claims period of six (6) years from the Effective Time with
at
least the same coverage and amounts and containing
36
terms
and
conditions that are no less favorable to the directors and officers of the
Company, in each case with respect to claims arising out of or relating to
events which occurred before or at the Effective Time or (ii) if it is unable
to
obtain the "tail" insurance policies referred to in clause (i), maintain, for
the six-year period commencing immediately after the Effective Time, in effect
directors' and officers' liability insurance (including excess liability
directors' and officers' insurance policies) covering acts or omissions
occurring at or prior to the Effective Time with respect to those persons who
are currently (and any additional persons who at or prior to the Effective
Time
become) covered by the Company's directors' and officers' liability insurance
policies (including excess liability directors' and officers' insurance
policies) on terms with respect to such coverage, and in amount, not less
favorable to such individuals than those of such policy in effect on the date
hereof as more fully described in Section 5.8(e) of the Company Disclosure
Schedule (or the Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor policies, issued
by reputable insurers, of at least the same coverage with respect to matters
occurring prior to the Effective Time); provided,
however,
that, if
the aggregate premium for the insurance referred to in clause (i) or (ii) shall
exceed 200% of the current annual premium (which amount has been disclosed
to
Parent prior to the date hereof and as set forth in Section 5.8(e) of the
Company Disclosure Schedule), the Surviving Corporation shall obtain a policy
for the applicable individuals with the best coverage as shall then be available
at an aggregate premium of 200% of the current annual premium and; provided,
further
that any
substitution or replacement of existing policies shall not result in any gaps
or
lapses of coverage with respect to facts, events, acts or omissions occurring
at
or prior to the Effective Time. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company may
obtain the “tail” insurance policies as described in this Section 5.8(e);
provided,
however,
that in
no event will the aggregate premium for such coverage exceed 200% of the current
annual premium paid by the Company for such insurance prior to the date of
this
Agreement.
(f) The
provisions of this Section
5.8
are (i)
intended to be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnitee,
his or her heirs and his or her representatives and (ii) in addition to, and
not
in substitution for, and shall not impair any other rights to indemnification
or
contribution that any such Person may have by contract, under the Company
Charter Documents, or the comparable organization documents of the Surviving
Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, under applicable Law, or otherwise.
Notwithstanding anything contained in Section
8.2
or
8.3
to the
contrary, this Section
5.8
shall
survive the Effective Time and the consummation of the Merger indefinitely.
The
obligations of Parent and the Surviving Corporation under this Section
5.8
shall not
be terminated or modified in such a manner as to adversely affect the rights
of
any Indemnitee to whom this Section
5.8
applies
unless (x) such termination or modification is required by applicable Law or
(y)
the affected Indemnitee shall have consented in writing to such termination
or
modification (it being expressly agreed that the Indemnitees to whom this
Section
5.8
applies
shall be third party beneficiaries of this Section
5.8).
Parent
shall ensure that the Surviving Corporation complies with all of its obligations
under this Section
5.8
and shall
guarantee the obligations under Section 5.8(a), 5.8(b) and 5.8(e).
(g) In
the
event that Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective
successors or assigns (i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person
and
is not
37
the
continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger
or
(ii) transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets
to any Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made
so
that the successors and assigns of Parent and the Surviving Corporation shall
assume all of the obligations thereof set forth in this Section
5.8.
Section
5.9 Fees
and Expenses.
All fees
and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions
shall be paid by the party incurring such fees or expenses, whether or not
the
Merger and the Transactions are consummated.
Section
5.10 Employee
Matters.
(a) As
of the
Effective Time and for no less than six months immediately thereafter, Parent
shall provide or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to provide to employees
of the Company and any of its Subsidiaries (“Company
Employees”)
compensation and benefits (other than equity based awards) that are in the
aggregate substantially comparable to such compensation and benefits being
provided to Company Employees as of the date hereof under the Company Benefit
Plan (as defined herein).
(b) Without
limiting paragraph (a) of this Section
5.10,
(i)
Parent shall provide or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to provide to
each
Company Employee (other than any such employee who participates in the Company’s
Termination Protection Program) who experiences an involuntary termination
of
employment without cause within six months immediately following the Effective
Time, the severance benefits that are set forth on Schedule 5.10(b) and (ii)
Parent shall honor, fulfill and discharge, and shall cause the Surviving
Corporation to honor, fulfill and discharge, the Company’s and its subsidiaries’
obligations under the Company’s Termination Protection Program as in effect on
the date hereof, without any amendment or change that is adverse to any
participant therein.
(c) For
purposes of eligibility and vesting under any Employee Benefit Plan maintained
by Parent, the Company or their respective affiliates providing benefits to
any
Company Employees after the Effective Time (“Parent
Plans”),
and for
purposes of accrual of vacation and other paid time off and severance benefits,
whether under Parent Plans or otherwise, each Company Employee shall be credited
with his or her years of service with the Company and its Subsidiaries (and
any
additional service with any predecessor employer) before the Effective Time,
to
the same extent as such Company Employee was entitled, before the Effective
Time, to credit for such service under any similar Company Benefit Plan. In
addition, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing: (i) each Company
Employee shall be immediately eligible to participate, without any waiting
time
or evidence of insurability, in any and all Parent Plans to the extent coverage
under such Parent Plan replaces coverage under a comparable Company Benefit
Plan
in which such Company Employee participated immediately before the replacement;
and (ii) for purposes of each Parent Plan providing medical, dental,
pharmaceutical and/or vision benefits to any Company Employee, Parent shall
cause all pre-existing condition exclusions and actively-at-work requirements
of
such Parent Plan to be waived for such employee and his or her covered
dependents to the extent waived under Company Benefit Plans, and Parent shall
use reasonable efforts to cause any eligible expenses incurred by such
employee
38
and
his or
her covered dependents under an Company Benefit Plan during the portion of
the
plan year of the Parent Plan ending on the date such employee’s participation in
the corresponding Parent Plan begins to be taken into account under such Parent
Plan for purposes of satisfying all deductible, coinsurance and maximum
out-of-pocket requirements applicable to such employee and his or her covered
dependents for the applicable plan year as if such amounts had been paid in
accordance with such Parent Plan.
(d) Any
Company Employee whose employment with Parent is terminated by the Surviving
Corporation or any of its Affiliates within six months following the Effective
Time (including by reason of a sale by Parent of the business unit for which
such Company Employee works) shall become fully vested in his or her account
balance under any 401(k) plan that was a Company Benefit Plan. If directed
in
writing by Parent at least fifteen (15) Business Days prior to the Effective
Time, Company shall take all actions necessary to effect the termination of
any
and all 401(k) plans sponsored or maintained by Company effective as of the
Effective Time and shall provide Parent evidence that each of Company’s 401(k)
plans has been terminated pursuant to resolutions of the Board of Directors
of
the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof.
(e) No
later
than ten Business Days prior to Closing, the Company shall deliver to Parent
a
list of employees who are participants in the Company’s Termination Protection
Program and who have notified the Company that (i) they will be resigning or
will no longer be serving as an officer of the Company in connection with the
consummation of the Merger or (ii) they have accepted employment with either
Newco I or Newco II. Parent acknowledges that, with respect to any participant
who has provided notice under clause (i) of this Section 5.10(e) and who is
listed on Section 5.10(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company’s
Board of Directors shall have the right to determine, prior to the Effective
Time, whether or not to accept such participant’s position that they are
entitled to benefits under the Company’s Termination Protection Plan and Parent
shall abide by any such determination.
Section
5.11 Further
Assurances.
At and
after the Effective Time, the officers and directors of the Surviving
Corporation shall be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name and on
behalf of the Company or Merger Sub, as the case may be, any documents or
instruments, and to take any other actions and do any other things, in the
name
and on behalf of the Company or Merger Sub, reasonably necessary to vest,
perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving Corporation any
and
all right, title and interest in, to and under any of the rights, properties
or
assets of the Company acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Corporation
as
a result of, or in connection with, the Merger and to otherwise accomplish
the
purpose and intent of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
Section
5.12 Section
16 Matters.
Prior to
the Effective Time, the Company shall take all such steps as may be required
and
permitted to cause the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including
any dispositions of Company Common Stock (including derivative securities with
respect to such Company Common Stock) by each individual who is or will be
subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
with
respect to the Company, to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the
Exchange Act.
39
Section
5.13 Stock
Exchange De-listing.
Prior to
the Closing Date, the Company shall cooperate with Parent and use commercially
reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause
to be done all things, reasonably necessary on its part under applicable Laws
and rules and policies of the NASDAQ to enable the de-listing by the Surviving
Corporation of the Company Common Stock from the NASDAQ and the deregistration
of the Company Common Stock under the Exchange Act as promptly as practicable
after the Effective Time.
Section
5.14 Amendment
of Asset Transfer Agreements.
The
Company will not amend, waive any of the material provisions or otherwise
terminate the Asset Transfer Agreements without the consent of Parent.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not amend, other than an
immaterial or non-substantive amendment, the schedules to the Asset Transfer
Agreements identifying the Transferred Assets (as defined in the Asset Transfer
Agreements) without the consent of Parent, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld or delayed.
Section
5.15 Notice
of Certain Events.
Each of
the Company and Parent shall promptly notify the other of:
(a) any
notice
or other communication from any Person alleging that the consent of such Person
is or may be required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement;
(b) any
notice
or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement;
(c) any
material actions, suits, investigations or proceedings commenced or, to its
knowledge, in the case of the Parent, or to the Knowledge of the Company, in
the
case of the Company, threatened in writing against, relating to or involving
or
otherwise affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Parent and any
of
its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, that, if pending on the date of this
Agreement, would have been required to have been disclosed pursuant to Article
III
or
Article IV
of this
Agreement or that relate to the consummation of the Transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement; and
(d) any
notice
delivered to the Company or by the Company under the Asset Transfer
Agreements;
provided,
however,
that the
delivery of any notice pursuant to this Section 5.15 shall not limit or
otherwise affect the remedies available hereunder to the party receiving that
notice.
Section
5.16 Certain
Actions Pursuant to the Asset Transfer Agreements.
Parent,
Merger Sub and the Company shall deliver the notices (and copies thereof)
required
40
pursuant
to Sections 6.4 and 7.4 of the Vaccines Asset Transfer Agreement and Sections
6.4 and 7.4 of the ECL Asset Transfer Agreement.
Section
5.17 Certain
Actions.
The
Surviving Corporation shall duly and punctually perform and observe all terms,
covenants and conditions of
all
binding obligations of the Company to Meso Scale Diagnostics, LLC and Meso
Scale
Technologies, LLC.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
PRECEDENT
Section
6.1 Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Merger.
The
respective obligations of each party hereto to effect the Merger shall be
subject to the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law)
on
or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions:
(a) Company
Stockholder Approval.
The
Company Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with the
DGCL and the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ;
(b) Antitrust.
(i) the
waiting period (and any extension thereof) applicable to the Merger under the
HSR Act shall have been terminated or shall have expired and (ii) the waiting
period (and any extension thereof) under the German Act against Restraints
of
Competition of 1958, as amended, shall have been terminated or shall have
expired or approval of the transaction by the German Federal Cartel Office
shall
have been granted;
(c) CFIUS.
The
United States Government shall have completed its review under Exon-Xxxxxx,
and
shall have concluded not to suspend or prohibit the transaction, nor taken
any
action which would adversely affect, in any material respect, the Company or
Buyer’s ability to operate or control the Company;
(d) Termination
of Service Agreements.
All
agreements whereby the Company or its Subsidiaries provide administrative or
support services to entities that are Affiliates of any officer or director
of
the Company (the “Shared
Service Agreements”)
shall
terminate within 60 days after the Effective Time; provided
that if
the employees providing such services terminate their employment with the
Company, the obligation to provide such services under the Shared Services
Agreements shall terminate immediately; and
(e) No
Injunctions or Restraints.
No Law,
injunction, judgment or ruling enacted, promulgated, issued, entered, amended
or
enforced by any Governmental Authority (collectively, “Restraints”)
shall be
in effect enjoining, restraining, preventing or prohibiting consummation of
the
Merger or making the consummation of the Merger illegal.
41
Section
6.2 Conditions
to Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
The
obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to effect the Merger are further subject
to
the satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law) on or prior
to
the Closing Date of the following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement and
in
any certificate delivered by the Company pursuant hereto (determined without
regard to any qualification or exception contained therein relating to
materiality or Material Adverse Effect) shall be true and correct at and as
of
the Closing Date as if made at and as of such time (other than representations
and warranties made as of a specified date, which shall be true and correct
as
of such specified date), except where the failure to be so true and correct
individually or in the aggregate has not had and would not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Parent shall have received a
certificate signed on behalf of the Company by officers of the Company to such
effect;
(b) Performance
of Obligations of the Company.
The
Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required
to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date,
and
Parent shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by
an
officer of the Company to such effect;
and
Section
6.3 Conditions
to Obligations of the Company.
The
obligation of the Company to effect the Merger is further subject to the
satisfaction (or waiver, if permissible under applicable Law) on or prior to
the
Closing Date of the following conditions:
(a) Representations
and Warranties.
The
representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in this
Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects, in each case
as of
the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date (or, if given as
of a
specific date, at and as of such date), except for such matters as would not
reasonably be expected to materially delay Parent’s or Merger Sub’s ability to
consummate the Transactions. The Company shall have received a certificate
signed on behalf of Parent and Merger Sub by officers of Parent and Merger
Sub
to such effect; and
(b) Performance
of Obligations of Parent and Merger Sub.
Parent
and Merger Sub shall have performed in all material respects all obligations
required to be performed by them under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing
Date, and the Company shall have received a certificate signed on behalf of
Parent by an officer of Parent to such effect.
(c) Related
Transactions.
There
shall be no Restraints in effect enjoining, restraining, preventing or
prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Asset Transfer
Agreements or making the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the
Asset Transfer Agreements illegal.
42
Section
6.4 Frustration
of Closing Conditions.
None of
the Company, Parent or Merger Sub may rely on the failure of any condition
set
forth in Section
6.1,
6.2
or
6.3,
as the
case may be, to be satisfied if such failure was caused by such party’s failure
to use its reasonable best efforts to consummate the Merger and the other
Transactions, as required by and subject to Section
5.5.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION
Section
7.1 Termination.
This
Agreement may be terminated and the Transactions abandoned at any time prior
to
the Effective Time, whether before or after receipt of the Company Stockholder
Approval:
(a) by
the
mutual written consent of the Company and Parent duly authorized by each of
their respective Boards of Directors;
(b) by
either
of the Company or Parent:
(i) if
the
Merger shall not have been consummated on or before September
30, 2007 (the “Walk-Away
Date”);
provided
that if
(i) the Effective Time has not occurred by such date by reason of
non-satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 6.1(b) or Section 6.1(c)
and (ii) all other conditions in Article VI have theretofore been satisfied
or
(to the extent legally permissible) waived or are capable of being satisfied
(other than the certificates contemplated by Sections 6.2 and 6.3), the
Walk-Away Date will automatically extend to December 31, 2007; provided,
however,
that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section
7.1(b)(i)
shall not
be available to a party if the failure of the Merger to have been consummated
on
or before the Walk-Away Date was primarily due to the failure of such party
to
perform any of its obligations under this Agreement;
(ii) if
a
Restraint prohibiting the Merger shall have become final and non-appealable;
provided,
however,
that the
right to terminate this Agreement under this Section
7.1(b)(ii)
shall not
be available to a party if the issuance of such final, non-appealable Restraint
was primarily due to the failure of such party to perform any of its obligations
under this Agreement; or
(iii) if
the
Company Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained at the Company
Stockholders Meeting duly convened therefor or at any adjournment or
postponement thereof;
43
(c) by
Parent
(1)
if the
Company shall have materially breached or failed to perform any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this
Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (A) would give rise to the failure
of a condition set forth in Section
6.2(a)
or
(b)
and (B)
cannot be cured by the Company by the Walk-Away Date or (2)
if a
Company Adverse Recommendation Change shall have occurred; or
(d) by
the
Company:
(i) if
Parent
or Merger Sub shall have materially breached or failed to perform any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this
Agreement, which breach or failure to perform (i) would give rise to the failure
of a condition set forth in Section
6.3(a)
or (b)
and (ii) cannot be cured by Parent or Merger Sub by the Walk-Away Date;
or
(ii) if
concurrently it enters into a definitive Company Acquisition Agreement providing
for a Superior Proposal, but only after complying with the provisions of
Section
5.4(b).
Section
7.2 Effect
of Termination.
In the
event of the termination of this Agreement as provided in Section
7.1,
written
notice thereof shall be given to the other party or parties, specifying the
provision hereof pursuant to which such termination is made, and this Agreement
shall forthwith become null and void (other than Sections 5.9, 7.2
and
7.3,
Article
VIII
and the
last sentence of Section
5.7,
and the
Confidentiality Agreement in accordance with its terms, all of which shall
survive termination of this Agreement), and there shall be no liability or
other
obligation on the part of Parent, Merger Sub or the Company or their respective
Subsidiaries, or its or their respective stockholders, controlling persons
or
Representatives, except (a) the Company may have liability as provided in
Section
7.3,
and (b)
other than as may be provided in Section
7.3,
nothing
shall relieve Parent, Merger Sub or the Company from liability for any willful
or intentional breach by such party of its covenants or obligations under this
Agreement to be performed prior to the Closing Date.
Section
7.3 Termination
Fees.
(a) In
the
event that (3)
this
Agreement is terminated by the Company pursuant to Section
7.1(d)(ii) or
(4)
Parent
shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(c)(ii) (other than where
the Board of Directors of the Company changes its recommendation with respect
to
this Agreement in the absence of a Takeover Proposal primarily based on
developments relating to the license agreement between the Company and an
Affiliate of the Parent), then the Company shall pay by wire transfer of
same-day funds to Parent a termination fee of $12,000,000 (the “Company
Termination Fee”)
in the
case of (i), immediately before and as a condition to the termination of this
Agreement or in the case of (ii) within two (2) business days after the
termination of this Agreement. Any such payment shall be reduced by any amounts
as may be required to be deducted or withheld therefrom under applicable Tax
Law.
44
Parent’s
acceptance of the Company Termination Fee shall constitute conclusive evidence
that this Agreement has been validly terminated.
(b) In
the
event that (A) Parent or the Company shall terminate this Agreement pursuant
to
Section
7.1(b)(iii),
(B)
prior to the time of such termination a bona fide Takeover Proposal with respect
to the Company has been publicly made or otherwise made known to the Board
of
Directors of the Company or its stockholders and not withdrawn prior to
termination, and (C) a definitive agreement is entered into by the Company
with
respect to a Takeover Proposal or a Takeover Proposal is consummated within
six
(6) months of such termination of this Agreement, the Company shall on the
earlier of the date on which such agreement is entered into or the Takeover
Proposal is consummated, pay by wire transfer of same-day funds the Company
Termination Fee to Parent. Any such payment shall be reduced by any amounts
as
may be required to be deducted or withheld therefrom under applicable Tax Law.
Parent’s acceptance of the Company Termination Fee shall constitute conclusive
evidence that this Agreement has been validly terminated.
(c) For
the
purpose of this Section
7.3,
all
references in the definition of Takeover Proposal to “20%” shall instead be
deemed to refer to “a majority”.
(d) In
no
event shall the Company be required to pay the fee referred to in this
Section
7.3
on more
than one occasion.
(e) Each
of
the Company and Parent acknowledges that the agreements contained in this
Section
7.3
are an
integral part of the Merger and the Transactions. In the event that the Company
shall fail to pay the Company Termination Fee when due, the Company shall
reimburse Parent for all reasonable costs and expenses actually incurred or
accrued by Parent (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) in
connection with the collection under and enforcement of this Section
7.3.
(f) The
parties agree that any payment of the Company Termination Fee shall be the
sole
and exclusive remedy available to Parent and Merger Sub with respect to this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in the event any such
payments become due and payable, and, upon payment of the applicable amount,
the
Company shall have no further liability to Parent and Merger Sub
hereunder.
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
8.1 Independent
Investigation.
Parent
and Merger Sub have conducted their own independent review and analysis of
the
business, operations, technology, assets, liabilities, results of operations,
financial condition and prospects of the Company and its
45
Subsidiaries
and any financial statements relating to the Company and its Subsidiaries,
and
acknowledges that the Company and its Subsidiaries have provided Parent with
access to the personnel, properties, premises and books and records of the
Company and its Subsidiaries for this purpose. In entering into this Agreement
and the Transaction agreements, each of Parent and Merger Sub has relied solely
upon its own investigation and analysis, and each of Parent and Merger Sub
acknowledges and agrees that, except for the specific representations and
warranties of the Company contained in Article III hereof, none of the Company
or its Affiliates nor any of their respective stockholders, officers, directors,
controlling persons or Representatives makes or has made any representation
or
warranty, either express or implied, with respect to the Company or its
Subsidiaries or their business, operations, technology, assets, liabilities,
results of operations, financial condition or prospects, or as to the accuracy
or completeness of any of the information (including any statement, certificate,
document or agreement delivered pursuant to this Agreement and any financial
statements and any projections, estimates or other forward-looking information)
provided or otherwise made available to Parent, Merger Sub or any of their
Affiliates, officers, directors, stockholders, controlling persons or
Representatives.
Section
8.2 No
Survival of Representations and Warranties and Agreements.
The
representations, warranties and agreements in this Agreement shall terminate
at
the Effective Time, provided that
the
agreements set forth in Article II
and
Sections 5.8,
5.9,
5.10
and
5.11
and any
other agreement in this Agreement which contemplates performance after the
Effective Time shall survive the Effective Time indefinitely.
Section
8.3 Amendment
or Supplement.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, this Agreement may be amended or supplemented
in any and all respects, whether before or after receipt of the Company
Stockholder Approval, by written agreement of the parties hereto, by action
taken by their respective Boards of Directors; provided,
however,
that
following approval of the Merger and the Transactions by the stockholders of
the
Company, there shall be no amendment or change to the provisions hereof which
by
Law would require further approval by the stockholders of the Company without
such approval.
Section
8.4 Extension
of Time, Waiver, Etc.
At any
time prior to the Effective Time, any party may, subject to applicable Law,
(a)
waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of any other party
hereto, (b) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or
acts of any other party hereto or (c) waive compliance by the other party with
any of the agreements contained herein or, except as otherwise provided herein,
waive any of such party’s conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no failure
or delay by the Company, Parent or Merger Sub in exercising any right hereunder
shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise
thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any
other right hereunder. Any agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such
extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing
signed on behalf of such party.
Section
8.5 Assignment.
Neither
this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall
be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of Law or otherwise, by any
of
the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject
to
the preceding sentence, this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the
benefit of, and be
46
enforceable
by, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
Any purported assignment not permitted under this Section
8.5
shall be
null and void.
Section
8.6 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in counterparts (each of which shall be deemed to
be
an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
agreement) and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been
signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.
Section
8.7 Entire
Agreement; Third-Party Beneficiaries.
This
Agreement (including the exhibits and schedules hereto) and the Confidentiality
Agreements constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all other prior
agreements and understandings, both written and oral, between the parties,
or
any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this
Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other
person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason
of this Agreement, other than (a) the rights to indemnification and insurance
pursuant to Section
5.8
hereof
(of which the persons entitled to indemnification are the intended
beneficiaries); (b) the rights of the Company’s stockholders, holders of
Restricted Stock Awards and Company Option holders to pursue claims for damages
and other relief, including equitable relief, for Parent’s or Merger Sub’s
willful or intentional breach of its obligations to consummate the Merger;
(c)
after the Effective Time the rights of the Company’s employees provided for in
Section
5.10(b)
hereof;
(d) the rights of Newco I and Newco II under Section 6.3(c); (e) after the
Effective Time, the rights of the Company’s stockholders and holders of
Restricted Stock Awards and Options to receive the Total Common Merger
Consideration, Restricted Stock Consideration or Option Consideration, as
applicable, and; (f) the rights under the Company's Termination Protection
Program of those participants described in the last sentence of Section 5.10(e)
hereof.
Section
8.8 Governing
Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.
(a) This
Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws
of
the State of Delaware, applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed
entirely within that State.
(b) All
actions and proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall
be
heard and determined in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware or any
federal court sitting in the State of Delaware, and the parties hereto hereby
irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts (and, in the
case of appeals, appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such action
or
proceeding and irrevocably waive the defense of an inconvenient forum to the
maintenance of any such action or proceeding. The consents to jurisdiction
set
forth in this paragraph shall not constitute general consents to service of
process in the State of Delaware and shall have no effect for any purpose except
as provided in this paragraph and shall not be deemed to confer rights on any
Person other than the parties hereto. The parties hereto agree that a final
judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be
47
conclusive
and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any
other manner provided by applicable Law.
(c) Each
of
the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives any and all rights to trial by
jury
in any legal proceeding arising out of or related to this
Agreement.
Section
8.9 Specific
Enforcement.
The
parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of
the
provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their
specific terms or were otherwise breached. Accordingly, each party hereto
consents to the issuance of injunctive relief by any court of competent
jurisdiction to compel performance of such party’s obligations hereunder,
without bond or other security being required, this being in addition to any
other remedy to which they are entitled at Law or in equity.
Section
8.10 Notices.
All
notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be
in
writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, facsimiled (which
is
confirmed) or sent by overnight courier (providing proof of delivery) to the
parties at the following addresses:
If
to
Parent or Merger Sub, to:
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
000
XX-0000
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Attention:
General Counsel
Facsimile:
x00 00 000 0000
with
a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxx
Xxxx
& Xxxxxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile:
212-450-3800
If
to the
Company, to:
BioVeris
Corporation
00000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
President
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with
a
copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
48
Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
0
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx
X.
Xxxxxxx, Esq. and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
or
such
other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify by like
notice to the other parties hereto. All such notices, requests and other
communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient
thereof if received prior to 5:00 P.M. in the place of receipt and such day
is a
Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or
communication shall be deemed not to have been received until the next
succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.
Section
8.11 Severability.
If any
term or other provision of this Agreement is determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule
of Law or public policy, all other terms, provisions and conditions of this
Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect. Upon such
determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable
of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify
this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely
as
possible to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in an acceptable
manner to the end that the Transactions are fulfilled to the extent
possible.
Section
8.12 Definitions.
(a) As
used in
this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings ascribed thereto
below:
“Affiliate”
shall
mean, as to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly, controls,
or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person, but shall
not
mean, in the case of Parent, Genentech Inc. and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.,
Ltd.
For this purpose, “control”
(including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled
by”
and
“under
common control with”)
shall
mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the
direction of management or policies of a Person, whether through the ownership
of securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract or
otherwise.
“Agreement”
has the
meaning set forth in the recital.
“Alternative
Transaction Notice”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(b).
“Antitrust
Laws”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.5(a).
49
“Asset
Transfer Agreements”
shall
mean the Vaccines Asset Transfer Agreement, the ECL Asset Transfer Agreement
and
the ECL License Agreements and the transactions contemplated
thereunder.
“Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.2(a).
“Business
Day”
shall
mean a day except a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which the SEC or banks
in
the City of New York or Basel, Switzerland are authorized or required by Law
to
be closed.
“Certificates”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.1(d).
“Certificate
of Merger”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
1.3.
“CFIUS”
means the
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
“CFIUS
Filing”
means a
notice of the Merger filed with the CFIUS under Exon-Xxxxxx.
“Closing”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
1.2.
“Closing
Date”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
1.2.
“Code”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.2(f).
“Common
Certificate”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.1(c).
“Common
Merger Consideration”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.1(c).
“Company”
has the
meaning set forth in the recital.
“Company
Acquisition Agreement”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(b).
“Company
Adverse Recommendation Change”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(b).
50
“Company
Benefit Plans”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.12(a).
“Company
Board Recommendation”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(b).
“Company
Charter Documents”
has the
meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b).
“Company
Common Stock”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.1.
“Company
Disclosure Schedule”
has the
meaning set forth in Article III.
“Company
Employees”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.10(a).
“Company
Intellectual Property”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.15(a).
“Company
Material Contract”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.21(a).
“Company
Preferred Stock”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.5(a).
“Company
Rights Plan”
means the
Rights Agreement, between the Company and EquiServe Trust Company, N.A., dated
as of January 9, 2004.
“Company
SEC Documents”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.6(a).
“Company
Securities”
has the
meaning set for in Section
3.5(a).
“Company
Stock Plan”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.4.
“Company
Stockholder Approval”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.2(c).
“Company
Stockholders Meeting”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.2(a).
“Company
Termination Fee”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
7.3(a).
51
“Company
Termination Protection Program” means
the
BioVeris Corporation Employee Termination Protection Plan effective as of
February 13, 2004, as amended by an amendment dated the date hereof, and as
amended hereafter only with the consent of Roche.
“Confidentiality
Agreements”
means the
Confidentiality Agreement, dated as of September 13, 2006, between Parent and
the Company, the Agreement, dated May 9, 2000, between X. Xxxxxxxx-Xx Xxxxx
Ltd.
and IGEN International, Inc., the letter agreement, dated October 8, 2001,
among
X. Xxxxxxxx-Xx Xxxxx Ltd., Roche Diagnostics GmbH and IGEN International, Inc.,
and the Post-Closing Covenants Agreement, dated as of July 24, 2003, among
Roche
Holding Ltd, IGEN International, Inc. and IGEN Integrated Healthcare,
LLC.
“DGCL”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Dissenting
Shares”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.3.
“Dissenting
Stockholders”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.3.
“ECL”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ECL
Asset Transfer Agreement”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“ECL
License Agreements”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Effective
Time”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
1.3.
“Environmental
Laws”
means
federal, state, local and foreign statutes, Laws (including common law),
treaties, governmental restrictions, judicial decisions, regulations,
ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, codes, injunctions, permits and
governmental or third party agreements relating to hazardous materials,
pollutants, contaminants, or otherwise hazardous substances, wastes or
materials, the protection of the environment, or human health and safety as
such
protection of human health and safety relates to exposure to hazardous
materials, pollutants, contaminants, or otherwise hazardous substances, wastes
or materials.
“Environmental
Liabilities”
with
respect to any Person, means any and all liabilities of or relating to such
Person or any of its Subsidiaries (including any entity which is, in whole
or in
part, a predecessor of such Person or any of such Subsidiaries), whether vested
or unvested, contingent or fixed, determined or determinable, accrued, or
absolute or otherwise, including contractual, which (i) arise under applicable
Environmental Laws or with respect to
52
Hazardous
Materials and (ii) relate to actions occurring or conditions existing on or
prior to the Closing Date.
“ERISA”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.12(a).
“ERISA
Affiliate”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.12(a).
“Exchange
Act”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.4.
“Exon-Xxxxxx”
means
Section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, and the rules
and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Filed
SEC Documents
has the
meaning set forth in Article III.
“Financial
Advisor”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.18.
“GAAP”
shall
mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect
as of the date hereof.
“Governmental
Authority”
shall
mean any government, court, regulatory or administrative agency, commission
or
authority or other governmental instrumentality, federal, state or local,
domestic, foreign, multinational or supranational.
“Hazardous
Material”
means all
substances, wastes, or materials regulated, or defined as hazardous, toxic,
explosive, dangerous, flammable, radioactive, ignitable, corrosive, reactive
or
otherwise hazardous or as defined by other words of similar import, under any
Environmental Law including (i) petroleum, its derivatives, byproducts and
other
hydrocarbons, toxic mold, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials or
polychlorinated biphenyls and (ii) all substances defined as Hazardous
Substances, Oils, Pollutants or Contaminants in the National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 C.F.R. Section 300.5.
“HSR
Act”
shall
mean the Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as
amended.
“Indemnitee”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.8(a).
“Indemnitees”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.8(a).
53
“Intellectual
Property”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.15(a).
“Knowledge”
shall
mean, in the case of the Company, the actual knowledge after reasonable inquiry
under the circumstances, of the individuals listed on Section
8.12
of the
Company Disclosure Schedule.
“Laws”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.10.
“Leased
Real Property”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.16.
“License
Agreement”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section
8.13(a).
“Lien”
shall
mean, with respect to any asset (including any security), any mortgage, lien,
pledge, charge, security interest, encumbrance or adverse claim of any kind
in
respect of such asset.
“Material
Adverse Effect”
shall
mean, with respect to the Company a material adverse effect on the business,
operations, results of operations, assets, liabilities or financial condition
of
the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, other than any effect arising
out of or resulting from: (i) changes in the general economic and political
conditions of the United States, or the United States or global financial or
securities markets or interest rates; (ii) changes in GAAP; (iii) changes
generally affecting the industry in which the Company and its Subsidiaries
operate (including changes in Law) and not specifically relating to, or having
a
materially disproportionate effect on, the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as
a whole; (iv) the announcement or pendency of this Agreement, the Asset Transfer
Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the identity
of
Parent (including any impact on relationships with customers, suppliers or
employees); (v) any acts of war (whether declared or undeclared), sabotage
or
terrorism or any escalation or worsening thereof or any natural disasters;
(vi)
litigation, disputes or any other matter relating to any agreement between
the
Company or any of its Affiliates, on one hand, and Parent or any of its
Affiliates, on the other hand, whether or not such agreement is a Company
Material Contract; (vii) any changes in the assets or the businesses to be
transferred under the Asset Transfer Agreements; or (viii) any action required
to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, the Asset Transfer Agreements or with
Parent’s consent. The parties agree that the mere fact of (A) a decrease in the
market price or an increase or decrease in the trading volume of a person’s
equity securities or (B) the failure of a person to meet internal projections
or
published revenues or earnings forecasts shall not by itself constitute a
Material Adverse Effect, but the underlying reasons or causes of such events
may
constitute a Material Adverse Effect. The parties further agree that failure
to
comply with the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act shall not by itself constitute a Material
Adverse Effect, but the underlying reasons, causes or consequences of such
failure may constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
54
“Merger”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Merger
Sub”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“NASDAQ”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.4.
“Newco
I”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Newco
II”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Option”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.4.
“Option
Consideration”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.4.
“Parent”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Parent
Disclosure Schedule”
has the
meaning set forth in Article IV.
“Parent
Plans”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.10(c).
“Paying
Agent”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.2(a).
“Permits”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.10.
“Permitted
Liens”
means any
(i) Liens for Taxes not yet due or which are being contested in good faith
by
appropriate proceedings, (ii) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’,
materialmen’s, repairmen’s or other similar liens, (iii) pledges or deposits in
connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social
security legislation, (iv) easements, covenants, rights-of-way, restrictions
and
other similar encumbrances affecting any real property that do not materially
detract from the value or the continued use or operation of the property subject
thereto, (v) statutory landlords’ liens and liens granted to landlords under any
lease, (vi) purchase money security interests, (vii) intercompany liens by
and
among the Company and any of its Subsidiaries and (viii) Liens that that do
not
secure any monetary obligation and that, individually or in the aggregate,
do
not materially impair, and would not reasonably be expected to materially
impair, the value or the continued use and operation of the assets to which
they
relate.
55
“Person” shall
mean
an individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an
association, a trust or any other entity, including a Governmental Authority.
“Proxy
Statement”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.4.
“Representatives”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(a).
“Restraints”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
6.1(e).
“Restricted
Stock Award”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.5.
“Restricted
Stock Consideration”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
2.5.
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act”
shall
mean the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, as amended.
“SEC”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.4.
“Securities
Act”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.4.
“Section
83(b) Election”
shall
mean an election that complies with the requirements of Section 83(b) of the
Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Series
A Preferred Stock”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
3.5(a).
“Series
B Preferred Stock” has
the
meaning set forth in Section
2.1.
“Shared
Service Agreements”
has
the
meaning set forth in Section 6.1(d).
“Special
Committee” has
the
meaning set forth in recitals.
“Subsidiary”
when used
with respect to any party, shall mean any corporation, limited liability
company, partnership, association, trust or other entity of which securities
or
other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity and more
than
50% of the ordinary voting power (or, in the case of a partnership, more than
50% of the general partnership interests) are, as of such date, owned by such
party or one or more Subsidiaries of such party or
56
by
such
party and one or more Subsidiaries of such party, but shall not mean, in the
case of Parent, Genentech Inc. and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
“Superior
Proposal”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(c).
“Surviving
Corporation”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
1.1.
“Takeover
Proposal”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
5.4(c).
“Taxes” shall
mean
(A) all federal, state, local or foreign taxes, charges, fees, imposts, levies
or other assessments, including all income, gross receipts, capital, sales,
use,
ad valorem, value added, transfer, franchise, profits, inventory, capital stock,
license, withholding, payroll, employment, social security, unemployment,
excise, severance, stamp, occupation, property and estimated taxes, customs
duties, fees, assessments and charges of any kind whatsoever and (B) all
interest, penalties, fines, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed
by
any Governmental Authority in connection with any item described in clause
(A),
and (C) any liability for the foregoing as transferee, (ii) in the case of
the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries liability for the payment of any amount
of
the type described in clause
(i) as a
result of being or having been before the Effective Time a member of an
affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group, or a party to any agreement
or arrangement, as a result of which liability of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries to any governmental authority (a “Taxing
Authority”)
responsible for the imposition of any such tax (domestic or foreign) is
determined or taken into account with reference to the activities of any other
Person, and (iii) liability of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for the
payment of any amount as a result of being party to any tax sharing agreement
or
with respect to the payment of any amount imposed on any person of the type
described in (i) or (ii) as a result of any existing express or implied
agreement or arrangement (including an indemnification agreement or
arrangement).
“Tax
Returns”
shall
mean any return, report, claim for refund, estimate, information return or
statement or other similar document required to be filed with any Governmental
Authority with respect to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto,
and including any amendment thereof.
“Total
Common Merger Consideration” shall
mean
the product of (x) the number of shares of Company Common Stock issued and
outstanding (other than those shares retired pursuant to Section
2.1(b),
Dissenting Shares and Restricted Stock Awards) immediately prior to the
Effective Time multiplied by (y) the Common Merger Consideration.
“Transactions”
refers
collectively to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby,
including the Merger.
57
“Vaccines
Asset Transfer Agreement”
has the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
“Walk-Away
Date”
has the
meaning set forth in Section
7.1(b)(i).
“Xxxxxxxxxxx
Agreements”
has
the
meaning set forth in the recitals.
The
following terms are defined on the pages of this Agreement set forth after
such
term below:
Affiliate
|
52
|
Dissenting
Stockholders
|
10
|
|
Agreement
|
4
|
ECL
|
5
|
|
Alternative
Transaction Notice
|
35
|
ECL
Asset Transfer Agreement
|
5
|
|
Antitrust
Laws
|
37
|
ECL
License Agreements
|
5
|
|
Bankruptcy
and Equity Exception
|
13
|
Effective
Time
|
6
|
|
Certificate
of Merger
|
6
|
Environmental
Laws
|
55
|
|
Closing
|
5
|
Environmental
Liabilities
|
55
|
|
Closing
Date
|
5
|
ERISA
|
18
|
|
Code
|
9
|
ERISA
Affiliate
|
18
|
|
Common
Certificate
|
7
|
Exchange
Act
|
13
|
|
Common
Merger Consideration
|
7
|
Filed
SEC Documents
|
12
|
|
Company
|
4
|
Financial
Advisor
|
22
|
|
Company
Acquisition Agreement
|
35
|
Intellectual
Property
|
20
|
|
Company
Adverse Recommendation Change
|
35
|
Laws
|
17
|
|
Company
Benefit Plans
|
18
|
Leased
Real Property
|
22
|
|
Company
Board Recommendation
|
35
|
License
Agreement
|
62
|
|
Company
Charter Documents
|
12
|
Merger
|
4
|
|
Company
Common Stock
|
6
|
Merger
Sub
|
4
|
|
Company
Disclosure Schedule
|
11
|
NASDAQ
|
13
|
|
Company
Employees
|
41
|
Newco
I
|
4
|
|
Company
Intellectual Property
|
20
|
Newco
II
|
4
|
|
Company
Material Contract
|
23
|
Option
|
10
|
|
Company
Preferred Stock
|
14
|
Option
Consideration
|
10
|
|
Company
Rights Plan
|
54
|
Parent
|
4
|
|
Company
SEC Documents
|
15
|
Parent
Disclosure Schedule
|
25
|
|
Company
Securities
|
14
|
Parent
Plans
|
41
|
|
Company
Stock Plan
|
10
|
Paying
Agent
|
7
|
|
Company
Stockholder Approval
|
13
|
Permits
|
17
|
|
Company
Stockholders Meeting
|
32
|
Proxy
Statement
|
13
|
|
Company
Termination Fee
|
47
|
Representatives
|
34
|
|
Company
Termination Protection Program
|
55
|
Restraints
|
44
|
|
Confidentiality
Agreements
|
55
|
Restricted
Stock Award
|
11
|
|
DGCL
|
4
|
Restricted
Stock Consideration
|
11
|
|
Dissenting
Shares
|
10
|
SEC
|
13
|
58
Securities
Act
|
13
|
Surviving
Corporation
|
5
|
|
Series
A Preferred Stock
|
14
|
Takeover
Proposal
|
36
|
|
Series
B Preferred Stock
|
6
|
Taxing
Authority
|
60
|
|
Shared
Service Agreements
|
44
|
Vaccines
Asset Transfer Agreement
|
4
|
|
Special
Committee
|
4
|
Walk-Away
Date
|
46
|
|
Superior
Proposal
|
36
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Agreements
|
5
|
Section
8.13 Certain
Claims.
(a) There
are
certain pending disputes between the parties concerning, among other things,
sales of products and services by Parent and its Affiliates and other matters
relating to the License Agreement dated July 23, 2003 between the Company and
IGEN LS LLC, an Affiliate of Parent (the “License
Agreement”).
(b) From
and
after the date hereof and until the earlier of the Effective Time or the
termination of this Agreement, the Company and Parent agree to suspend and
not
pursue in any respect all reviews, audits, field monitoring, dispute resolution
efforts, arbitrations or other proceedings under or with respect to the License
Agreement, and not to otherwise assert any claims for breach under the License
Agreement; provided,
however,
that the
Company and Parent shall not suspend the field monitor process for 2005
currently being conducted by Ernst & Young LLP; provided,
further,
that the
Company and Parent shall jointly instruct the field monitor that until the
earlier of the Effective Time or the termination of this Agreement, the field
monitor shall not publish a report or disclose the contents of its reviews,
audits, or field monitoring to the Company, Parent, any of their Affiliates
or
any third party.
Section
8.14 Interpretation.
When a
reference is made in this Agreement to an Article, a Section, Exhibit or
Schedule, such reference shall be to an Article of, a Section of, or an Exhibit
or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of contents
and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Whenever the words “include”,
“includes”
or
“including”
are used
in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without
limitation.”
The words
“hereof,” “herein”
and
“hereunder”
and words
of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement
as a
whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. All terms defined
in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any document
made
or delivered pursuant hereto unless otherwise defined therein. The definitions
contained in this Agreement are applicable to the singular as well as the plural
forms of such terms and to the masculine as well as to the feminine and neuter
genders of such term. Any agreement, instrument or statute defined or referred
to herein or in any agreement or instrument that is referred to herein means
such agreement, instrument or statute as from time to time amended, modified
or
supplemented, including (in the case of agreements or instruments) by waiver
or
consent and (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor
statutes and references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated
therein. References to a Person are also to its permitted successors and
assigns.
59
(a) The
parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of
this
Agreement and, in the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation
arises, this Agreement shall be construed as jointly drafted by the parties
hereto and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring
any party by virtue of the authorship of any provision of this
Agreement.
[signature
page follows]
60
IN
WITNESS
WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed
and
delivered as of the date first above written.
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxx
|
||
Title:
Director
|
By:
|
/s/ Beat Kraehenmann | |
Name: Beat
Kraehenmann
|
||
Title:
Director
|
LILI
ACQUISITION CORPORATION
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Claus-Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Claus-Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title: Vice
President and Secretary
|
BIOVERIS
CORPORATION
|
||
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
|
||
Title: Chairman
&
Chief
Executive Officer
|