AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (this
“Agreement”) is dated as of August 2, 2007, originally effective November 9, 2005, between Novavax, Inc., a Delaware corporation having its principal
office at 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx., an individual with a mailing address of 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxxx 00000
(“Executive”). This Agreement is being amended and restated to provide for certain required changes.
The Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:
1. Employment. The Company hereby
employs Executive and Executive hereby accepts employment as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth. As used throughout
this Agreement, “Company” shall mean and include any and all of its present and future subsidiaries and any and all subsidiaries of a subsidiary. Executive warrants and represents
that he is free to enter into and perform this Agreement and is not subject to any employment, confidentiality, non-competition or other agreement which prohibits, restricts, or would be
breached by either his acceptance or his performance of this Agreement.
2. Duties. During the Term (as hereinafter
defined), Executive shall devote his full business time to the performance of services as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations of Novavax, Inc., performing such services, assuming
such responsibilities and exercising such authority as are set forth in the Bylaws of the Company for such offices and assuming such other duties and responsibilities as prescribed by the
President and CEO and Board of Directors. During the Term, Executive’s services shall be completely exclusive to the Company and he shall devote his entire business time, attention
and energies to the business of the Company and the duties which the Company shall assign to him from time to time. Executive agrees to perform his services faithfully and to the best of his
ability and to carry out the policies and directives of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it shall not be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to serve as a director of
any company whose products do not compete with those of the Company and to serve as a director, trustee, officer, or consultant to a charitable or non-profit entity; provided that such
service does not adversely affect Executive’s ability to perform his obligations hereunder. Executive agrees to take no action which is in bad faith and prejudicial to the interests of the
Company during his employment hereunder. Notwithstanding the location where Executive shall be based, as set forth in this Agreement, he also may be required from time to time to perform
duties hereunder for reasonably short periods of time outside of said area.
3. Term. The term of this Agreement shall be
for the period beginning on August 10, 2005 and continuing until September 1, 2008, unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 7 hereof (the “Term”) and shall
be renewable on the terms set forth herein upon agreement of the Company and Executive of the term of such renewal and the initial base compensation applicable to the renewal term. The
parties acknowledge that the employment hereunder is employment at will.
4. Compensation.
(a) Base Compensation. For all Executive’s services and
covenants under this Agreement, the Company shall pay Executive an annual salary, which is $238,392 as of this amendment and restatement, established by the Board of Directors or an
authorized committee thereof (in accordance with the management processes) and payable in accordance with the Company’s payroll policy as constituted from time to time. The
Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement all required federal, state, city or other taxes and all other deductions as may be required pursuant to any law or
government regulation or ruling.
(b) Bonus Program. The Company agrees to pay the Executive
a performance and incentive bonus in respect of Executive’s employment with the Company each year in an amount determined by the President and CEO and Board of Directors
(or any committee of the Board of Directors authorized to make that determination) to be appropriate based upon Executive’s, and the Company’s, achievement of certain
specified goals, with a maximum bonus of 40%, or any other percentage determined by the Board of Directors, of Executive’s base salary during the year to which the bonus relates.
Such bonus shall be payable no later than two and one-half months following the year for which the bonus applies. The bonus shall be paid out partly in cash and partly in shares of restricted
stock, in the discretion of the Board of Directors.
(c) Stock Awards. Executive will be eligible for additional
stock awards based upon performance subject to the approval of the President and Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors.
5. Reimbursable Expenses. Executive shall
be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by him in connection with the performance of his duties hereunder in accordance with such procedures and policies for
executive officers as the Company has heretofore or may hereafter establish.
6. Benefits. (a) Executive shall be entitled to four weeks of paid vacation time per year starting from January 1, 2006, calculated
and administered in accordance with Company policies for executive officers in effect from time to time. The Executive shall be entitled to all other benefits associated with normal full time
employment in accordance with Company policies.
(b) Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s Change of
Control Severance Benefit Plan adopted August 10, 2005.
7. Termination
of Employment.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Executive’s
employment may be terminated, without such action constituting a breach of this Agreement:
(i) By the Company, for “Cause,” as defined in Section 7(b) below;
(ii) By the
Company, upon 30 days’ notice to Executive, if he should be prevented by illness, accident or other disability (mental or physical) from discharging his duties hereunder for one or
more periods totaling three consecutive months during any twelve-month period;
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(iii) By the Executive with
“Good Reason”, as defined in Section 7(c) below, within 30 days of the occurrence or commencement of such Good Reason;
(iv) By the
event of Executive’s death during the Term.
(b) “Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s willful failure or refusal
to perform in all material respects the services required of him hereby, (ii) Executive’s willful failure or refusal to carry out any proper and material direction by the President and CEO
or Board of Directors with respect to the services to be rendered by him hereunder or the manner of rendering such services, (iii) Executive’s willful misconduct in the performance of his
duties hereunder, (iv) Executive’s commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement or theft or a felony involving moral turpitude, (v) Executive’s use or disclosure of Confidential
Information (as defined in Section 10 of this Agreement), other than for the benefit of the Company in the course of rendering services to the Company or (vi) Executive’s
engagement in any activity prohibited by Section 11 of this Agreement. For purposes of this Section 7, the Company shall be required to provide Executive a specific written warning with
regard to any occurrence of subsections (b)(i), (ii) and (iii) above, which warning shall include a statement of corrective actions and a 30 day period for the Executive to respond to and
implement such actions, prior to any termination of employment by the Company pursuant to Section 7(a)(i) above.
(c) “Good Reason” shall mean the Company’s material
reduction or diminution of Executive’s responsibilities and authority, other than for Cause, without his consent.
8. Separation Pay. (a) Subject
to Executive’s execution and delivery to the company of the Company’s standard form of Separation and Release Agreement, the Company shall pay Executive an amount equal
to the Separation Pay, or Change of Control Separation Pay, as applicable and as defined in Section 8(b) below, upon the occurrence of the applicable Separation Event, as defined in
Section 8(c) below, but in no case later than two and one-half months following the year in which the Separation Event occurs. Separation Pay, Change of Control Separation Pay shall each
be payable in accordance with the Company’s payroll policy as constituted from time to time, and shall be subject to withholding of all applicable federal, state and local taxes and any
other deductions required by applicable law. In the event of Executive’s death, the Company’s obligation to pay further compensation hereunder shall cease forthwith,
except that Executive’s legal representative shall be entitled to receive his fixed compensation for the period up to the last day of the month in which such death shall have
occurred.
(b) “Separation Pay” shall mean a lump sum amount equal to six
months of Executive’s then effective salary.
(c) “Separation
Event” shall mean: (i) the Company’s termination of Executive’s employment by the Company without
Cause, during the Term; or (ii) the termination of Executive’s employment by the Executive for Good Reason.
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9. All
Business to be Property of the Company; Assignment of Intellectual
Property.
(a) Executive agrees that any and all presently existing business of the Company
and all business developed by him or any other employee of the Company including without limitation all contracts, fees, commissions, compensation, records, customer or client lists,
agreements and any other incident of any business developed, earned or carried on by Executive for the Company is and shall be the exclusive property of the Company, and (where applicable)
shall be payable directly to the Company.
(b) Executive hereby acknowledges that any plan, method, data, know-how,
research, information, procedure, development, invention, improvement, modification, discovery, design, process, work of authorship, documentation, formula, technique, trade secret
or intellectual property right whatsoever or any interest therein whether patentable or non-patentable, patents and applications therefor, trademarks and applications therefor or copyrights
and applications therefor (herein sometimes collectively referred to as “Intellectual Property”) made, conceived, created, invested, developed, reduced to practice and/or
acquired by Executive solely or jointly with others during the Term is the sole and exclusive property of the Company, as work for hire, and that he has no personal right in any such
Intellectual Property. Executive hereby grants to the Company (without any separate remuneration or compensation other than that received by him from time to time in the course of
his employment) his entire right, title and interest throughout the world in and to, all Intellectual Property, which is made, conceived, created, invested, developed, reduced to practice and/or
acquired by him solely or jointly with others during the Term.
10. Confidentiality. Executive acknowledges his obligation of
confidentiality with respect to all proprietary, confidential and non-public information of the Company, including all Intellectual Property. Executive shall not, either during the Term or
thereafter, use for any purpose other than the furtherance of the Company’s business, or disclose to any person other than a person with a need to know such confidential, proprietary or
non-public information for the furtherance of the Company’s business who is obligated to maintain the confidentiality of such information, any information concerning any Intellectual
Property, or other confidential, proprietary or non-public information of the Company, whether Executive has such information in his memory or such information is embodied in writing or
other tangible form. All originals and copies of any of the foregoing, however and whenever produced, shall be the sole property of the Company. Upon the termination of Executive’s
employment in any manner or for any reason, Executive shall promptly surrender to the Company all copies of any of the foregoing, together with any documents, materials, data,
information and equipment belonging to or relating to the Company’s business and in his possession, custody or control, and Executive shall not thereafter retain or deliver to any other
person any of the foregoing or any summary or memorandum thereof.
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11. Non-Competition Covenant. As the Executive has been
granted options to purchase stock in the Company and as such has a financial interest in the success of the Company’s business and as Executive recognizes that the Company would
be substantially injured by Executive competing with the Company, Executive agrees and warrants that within the United States, he will not, unless acting with the Company’s
express prior written consent, directly or indirectly, while an employee of the Company and during the Non-Competition Period, as defined below, own, operate, join, control, participate in,
or be connected as an officer, director, employee, partner, stockholder, consultant or otherwise, with any business or entity which competes with the business of the Company (or its successors
or assigns) as such business is now constituted or as it may be constituted at any time during the Term of this Agreement; provided, however, that Executive may own, and exercise rights with
respect to, less than one percent of the equity of a publicly traded company. The “Non-Competition Period” shall be a period of six months following termination of
employment.
Executive and the Company are of the belief that the period of time and the area herein specified are reasonable in view of the nature of the business in which the
Company is engaged and proposes to engage, the state of its business development and Executive’s knowledge of this business; however, if such period or such area should be
adjudged unreasonable in any judicial proceeding, then the period of time shall be reduced by such number of months or such area shall be reduced by elimination of such portion of such area,
or both, as are deemed unreasonable, so that this covenant may be enforced in such area and during such period of time as is adjudged to be reasonable.
12. Non-Solicitation Agreement. Executive agrees and
covenants that he will not, unless acting with the Company’s express written consent, directly or indirectly, during the Term of this Agreement or during the Non-Competition Period
(as defined in Section 11 above) solicit, entice or attempt to entice away or interfere in any manner with the Company’s relationships or proposed relationships with any customer,
officer, employee, consultant, proposed customer, vendor, supplier, proposed vendor or supplier or person or entity or person providing or proposed to provide research and/or development
services to, on behalf of or with the Company.
13. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on actual receipt after having been delivered by hand, mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, or sent by Federal Express or
similar overnight delivery services, as follows: (a) if to Executive, at the address shown at the head of this Agreement, or to such other person(s) or address(es) as Executive shall have
furnished to the Company in writing and, if to the Company, to it at the address set forth in the preamble hereto with a copy to Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq., White White & Van Etten, LLP, 00
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, or to such other person(s) or address(es) as the Company shall have furnished to Executive in writing.
14. Assignability. In the event of a change of control (as
defined in the Company’s Change of Control Severance Benefit Plan adopted August 10, 2005), the terms of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be
assumed by, the acquiring person (as defined in the Company’s Change of Control Severance Benefit Plan adopted August 10, 2005). This Agreement shall not be assignable
by Executive, but it shall be binding upon, and to the extent provided in Section 8 shall inure to the benefit of, his heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives.
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15. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire
agreement between the Company and Executive with respect to the subject matter hereof and there have been no oral or other prior agreements of any kind whatsoever as a condition
precedent or inducement to the signing of this Agreement or otherwise concerning this Agreement or the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive acknowledges
that he is required as a condition to continued employment, to comply at all times, with the Company’s policies affecting employees, including the Company’s published Code
of Ethics, as in effect from time to time. Executive also acknowledges that the Non-Disclosure and Non-Competition Agreement he signed upon becoming an employee remains in full force
and effect despite the changes in his employment status with the Company.
16. Equitable Relief. Executive recognizes and agrees that the
Company’s remedy at law for any breach of the provisions of Sections 9, 10, 11 or 12 hereof would be inadequate, and he agrees that for breach of such provisions, the Company shall,
in addition to such other remedies as may be available to it at law or in equity or as provided in this Agreement, be entitled to injunctive relief and to enforce its rights by an action for specific
performance. Should Executive engage in any activities prohibited by this Agreement, he agrees to pay over to the Company all compensation, remuneration or monies or property of any sort
received in connection with such activities; such payment shall not impair any rights or remedies of the Company or obligations or liabilities of Executive which such parties may have under this
Agreement or applicable law.
17. Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended, nor
shall any change, waiver, modification, consent or discharge be effected except by written instrument executed by the Company and Executive.
18. Severability. If any part of any term or provision of this
Agreement shall be held or deemed to be invalid, inoperative or unenforceable to any extent by a court of competent jurisdiction, such circumstances shall in no way affect any other term or
provision of this Agreement, the application of such term or provision in any other circumstances, or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement. Executive agrees that the
restrictions set forth in Sections 11 and 12 above (including, but not limited to, the geographical scope and time period of restrictions) are fair and reasonable and are reasonably required for the
protection of the interests of the Company and its affiliates. In the event that any provision of Section 11 or 12 relating to time period and/or areas of restriction shall be declared by a court of
competent jurisdiction to exceed the maximum time period or areas such court deems reasonable and enforceable, said time period and/or areas of restriction shall be deemed to become and
thereafter be the maximum time period and/or areas which such court deems reasonable and enforceable.
19. Paragraph Headings. The paragraph headings used in
this Agreement are included solely for convenience and shall not affect, or be used in connection with, the interpretation hereof.
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20. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed and enforced in accordance with the law of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof.
21. Resolution of Disputes. With the exception of
proceedings for equitable relief brought pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement, any disputes arising under or in connection with this Agreement including, without limitation, any assertion
by any party hereto that the other party has breached any provision of this Agreement, shall be resolved by arbitration, to be conducted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in accordance with the
rules and procedures of the American Arbitration Association. The parties shall bear equally the cost of such arbitration, excluding attorneys’ fees and disbursements which shall be borne
solely by the party incurring the same; provided, however, that if the arbitrator rules in favor of Executive, Company shall be solely responsible for the payment of all costs, fees and expenses
(including without limitation Executive’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) of such arbitration. The provisions of this Section 21 shall survive the
termination for any reason of the Term (whether such termination is by the Company, by Executive or upon the expiration of the Term).
22. Indemnification; Insurance. The Executive shall be
entitled to liability and expense indemnification and reimbursement to the fullest extent permitted by the Company’s current By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation, whether or
not the same are subsequently amended. During the Term, the Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain in effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance
no less favorable to Executive than that in effect as of the date of this Agreement.
23. Survival. Sections 8 through 21 shall survive the
expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement, for the period and to the extent specified therein.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed or caused to be
executed under seal this Agreement as of the date first above written.
| NOVAVAX, INC. | ||
| [SEAL] | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx |
|
| Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer | |
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx. |
||
| Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx. | ||
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