Exhibit 10.9
CIPHERGEN BIOSYSTEMS, INC.
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
AND INVENTIONS AGREEMENT
In consideration of my employment or continued employment by Ciphergen
Biosystems (the "Company"), and the compensation now and hereafter paid to me, I
hereby agree as follows:
1. RECOGNITION OF COMPANY'S RIGHTS; NONDISCLOSURE. At all times during
the term of my employment and thereafter, I will hold in strictest confidence
and will not disclose, use, lecture upon or publish any of the Company's
Proprietary Information (defined below), except as such disclosure, use or
publication may be required in connection with my work for the Company, or
unless an officer of the Company expressly authorizes such in writing. I hereby
assign to the Company any rights I may have or acquire in such Proprietary
Information and recognize that all Proprietary Information shall be the sole
property of the Company and its assigns and the Company and its assigns shall be
the sole owner of all trade secret rights, patent rights, copyrights, mask work
rights and all other rights throughout the world (collectively, "Proprietary
Rights") in connection therewith.
The term "Proprietary Information" shall mean trade secrets,
confidential knowledge, data or any other proprietary information of the
Company. By way of illustration but not limitation, "Proprietary Information"
includes (a) trade secrets, inventions, mask works, ideas, processes, formulas,
source and object codes, data, programs, other works of authorship, know-how,
improvements, discoveries, developments, designs and techniques (hereinafter
collectively referred to as "Inventions"); and (b) information regarding plans
for research, development, new products, marketing and selling, business plans,
budgets and unpublished financial statements, licenses, prices and costs,
suppliers and customers; and information regarding the skills and compensation
of other employees of the Company.
2. THIRD PARTY INFORMATION. I understand, in addition, that the Company
has received and in the future will receive from third parties confidential or
proprietary information ("Third Party Information") subject to a duty on the
Company's part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it
only for certain limited purposes. During the term of my employment and
thereafter, I will hold Third Party Information in the strictest confidence and
will not disclose (to anyone other than Company personnel who need to know such
information in connection with their work for the Company) or use, except in
connection with my work for the Company, Third Party Information unless
expressly authorized by an officer of the Company in writing.
1.
3. ASSIGNMENT OF INVENTIONS.
1 ASSIGNMENT. I hereby assign to the Company all my right,
title and interest in and to any and all Inventions (and all Proprietary Rights
with respect thereto) whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright
or similar statutes, made or conceived or reduced to practice or learned by me,
either alone or jointly with others, during the period of my employment with the
Company which are related to or useful in the business of the Company or result
from tasks assigned to me by the Company or result from the use of premises
leased, owned or contracted for by the Company. Inventions assigned to or as
directed by the Company by this paragraph 3 are hereinafter referred to as
"Company Inventions." I recognize that this Agreement does not require
assignment of any invention which qualifies fully for protection under Section
2870 of the California Labor Code (hereinafter "Section 2870"), which provides
as follows:
(a) Any provision in an employment agreement which
provides that an employee shall assign, or offer to assign, any of his or her
rights in an invention to his or her employer shall not apply to an invention
that the employee developed entirely on his or her own time without using the
employer's equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information except
for those inventions that either:
(1) Relate at the time of conception or reduction to
practice of the invention to the employer's business, or actual or demonstrably
anticipated research or development of the employer; or
(2) Result from any work performed by the employee for
the employer.
(b) To the extent a provision in an employment agreement
purports to require an employee to assign an invention otherwise excluded from
being required to be assigned under subdivision (i), the provision is against
the public policy of this state and is unenforceable.
2 GOVERNMENT. I also assign to or as directed by the Company
all my right, title and interest in and to any and all Inventions, full title to
which is required to be in the United States by a contract between the Company
and the United States or any of its agencies.
3 WORKS FOR HIRE. I acknowledge that all original works of
authorship which are made by me (solely or jointly with others) within the scope
of my employment and which are protectable by copyright are "works made for
hire," as that term is defined in the United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C.,
Section 101).
4. ENFORCEMENT OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS. I will assist the Company in
every proper way to obtain and from time to time enforce United States and
foreign Proprietary Rights relating to Company Inventions in any and all
countries. To that end I will execute, verify and deliver such documents and
perform such other acts (including appearances as a witness) as the
Company may reasonably request for use in applying for, obtaining, perfecting,
evidencing, sustaining and enforcing such Proprietary Rights and the assignment
thereof. In addition, I will execute, verify and deliver assignments of such
Proprietary Rights to the Company or its designee. My obligation to assist the
Company with respect to Proprietary Rights relating to such Company Inventions
in any and all countries shall continue beyond the termination of my employment,
but the Company shall compensate me at a reasonable rate after my termination
for the time actually spent by me at the Company's request on such assistance.
In the event the Company is unable for any reason, after reasonable
effort, to secure my signature on any document needed in connection with the
actions specified in the preceding paragraph, I hereby irrevocably designate
and appoint the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent
and attorney in fact, which appointment is coupled with an interest, to act for
and in my behalf to execute, verify and file any such documents and to do all
other lawfully permitted acts to further the purposes of the preceding paragraph
with the same legal force and effect as if executed by me. I hereby waive and
quitclaim to the Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, which I
now or may hereafter have for infringement of any Proprietary Rights assigned
hereunder to the Company.
5. OBLIGATION TO KEEP COMPANY INFORMED. During the period of my
employment and for six (6) months after termination of my employment with the
Company, I will promptly disclose to the Company fully and in writing all
Inventions authored, conceived or reduced to practice by me, either alone or
jointly with others. In addition, I will promptly disclose to the Company all
patent applications filed by me or on my behalf within a year after termination
of employment. At the time of each such disclosure, I will advise the Company in
writing of any Inventions that I believe fully qualify for protection under
Section 2870; and I will at that time provide to the Company in writing all
evidence necessary to substantiate that belief. The Company will keep in
confidence and will not disclose to third parties without my consent any
proprietary information disclosed in writing to the Company pursuant to this
Agreement relating to Inventions that qualify fully for protection under the
provisions of Section 2870. I will preserve the confidentiality of any Invention
that does not fully qualify for protection under Section 2870.
I agree to keep and maintain adequate and current records (in the
form of notes, sketches, drawings and in any other form that may be required by
the Company) of all Proprietary Information developed by me and all Inventions
made by me during the period of my employment at the Company, which records
shall be available to and remain the sole property of the Company at all times.
6. PRIOR INVENTIONS. Inventions, if any, patented or unpatented, which
I made prior to the commencement of my employment with the Company are excluded
from the scope of this Agreement. To preclude any possible uncertainty, I have
set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto a complete list of all Inventions that I
have, alone or jointly with others, conceived, developed or reduced to practice
or caused to be conceived, developed or reduced to practice prior to the
commencement of my employment with the Company, that I consider to be my
property or the property of third parties and that I wish to have excluded from
the scope of this Agreement. If
disclosure of any such Invention on Exhibit A would cause me to violate any
prior confidentiality agreement, I understand that I am not to list such
Inventions in Exhibit A but am to inform the Company that all such Inventions
have not been listed for that reason.
7. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES. I agree that during the period of my
employment by the Company I will not, without the Company's express written
consent, engage in any employment or business activity other than for the
Company. I agree further that for the period of my employment by the Company and
for one (1) year after the date of termination of my employment by the Company I
will not (i) induce any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the
Company or (ii) solicit the business of any client or customer of the Company
(other than on behalf of the Company).
8. NO IMPROPER USE OF MATERIALS. During my employment by the Company I
will not improperly use or disclose any confidential information or trade
secrets, if any, of any former employer or any other person to whom I have an
obligation of confidentiality, and I will not bring onto the premises of the
Company any unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former
employer or any other person to whom I have an obligation of confidentiality
unless consented to in writing by that former employer or person. I will use in
the performance of my duties only information which is generally known and used
by persons with training and experience comparable to my own, which is common
knowledge in the industry or otherwise legally in the public domain, or which is
otherwise provided or developed by the Company.
9. NO CONFLICTING OBLIGATION. I represent that my performance of all
the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of the Company does not and will
not breach any agreement to keep in confidence information acquired by me in
confidence or in trust prior to my employment by the Company. I have not entered
into, and I agree I will not enter into, any agreement either written or oral in
conflict herewith.
10. RETURN OF COMPANY DOCUMENTS. When I leave the employ of the Company,
I will deliver to the Company any and all drawings, notes, memoranda,
specifications, devices, formulas, and documents, together with all copies
thereof, and any other material containing or disclosing any Company Inventions,
Third Party Information or Proprietary Information of the Company. I further
agree that any property situated on the Company's premises and owned by the
Company, including disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work
areas, is subject to inspection by Company personnel at any time with or without
notice. Prior to leaving, I will cooperate with the Company in completing and
signing the Company's termination statement for technical and management
personnel.
11. LEGAL AND EQUITABLE REMEDIES. Because my services are personal and
unique and because I may have access to and become acquainted with the
Proprietary Information of the Company, the Company shall have the right to
enforce this Agreement and any of its provisions by injunction, specific
performance or other equitable relief, without bond and without prejudice to any
other rights and remedies that the Company may have for a breach of this
Agreement.
12. NOTICES. Any notices required or permitted hereunder shall be given
to the appropriate party at the address specified below or at such other address
as the party shall specify in writing. Such notice shall be deemed given upon
personal delivery to the appropriate address or if sent by certified or
registered mail, three days after the date of mailing.
13. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
1 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of
the State of California as those laws are applied to contracts entered into and
to be performed entirely in California by California residents.
2 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement is the final, complete and
exclusive agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes and merges all prior discussions between us. No modification of or
amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Agreement,
will be effective unless in writing and signed by the party to be charged. Any
subsequent change or changes in my duties, salary or compensation will not
affect the validity or scope of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the
period of my employment includes any time during which I may be retained by the
Company as a consultant.
3 SEVERABILITY. If one or more of the provisions in this
Agreement are deemed unenforceable by law, then such provision will be deemed
stricken from this Agreement and the remaining provisions will continue in full
force and effect.
4 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement will be binding upon my
heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives and will be for
the benefit of the Company, its successors, and its assigns.
5 SURVIVAL. The provisions of this Agreement shall survive the
termination of my employment and the assignment of this Agreement by the Company
to any successor in interest or other assignee.
6 EMPLOYMENT. I agree and understand that nothing in this
Agreement shall confer any right with respect to continuation of employment by
the Company, nor shall it interfere in any way with my right or the Company's
right to terminate my employment at any time, with or without cause.
7 WAIVER. No waiver by the Company of any breach of this
Agreement shall be a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach. No waiver by
the Company of any right under this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of
any other right. The Company shall not be required to give notice to enforce
strict adherence to all terms of this Agreement.
This Agreement shall be effective as of the first day of my employment
with the Company, namely: _____________, 200 .
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AGREEMENT AFFECTS MY RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS I MAKE
DURING MY EMPLOYMENT, AND RESTRICTS MY RIGHT TO DISCLOSE OR USE THE COMPANY'S
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION DURING OR SUBSEQUENT TO MY EMPLOYMENT.
I HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY AND UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS. I HAVE
COMPLETELY FILLED OUT EXHIBIT A TO THIS AGREEMENT.
Dated: __________________, 200 ____ ________________________________________
Signature
________________________________________
Name of Employee
Address: ________________________________________
________________________________________
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:
Ciphergen Biosystems
By:______________________________
Name:____________________________
Title: ____________________________
EXHIBIT A
Ciphergen Biosystems
000 Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx,
Xxxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
14. The following is a complete list of all inventions or improvements
relevant to the subject matter of my employment by Ciphergen Biosystems (the
"Company") that have been made or conceived or first reduced to practice by me
alone or jointly with others prior to my engagement by the Company:
/ / No inventions or improvements.
/ / See below:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
/ / Due to confidentiality agreements with prior
employer, I cannot disclose certain inventions that
would otherwise be included on the above-described
list.
/ / Additional sheets attached.
15. I propose to bring to my employment the following devices, materials
and documents of a former employer or other person to whom I have an obligation
of confidentiality that are not generally available to the public, which
materials and documents may be used in my employment pursuant to the express
written authorization of my former employer or such other person (a copy of
which is attached hereto):
/ / No material.
1.
/ / See below:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
/ / Additional sheets attached.
Date:______________, 200___
Very truly yours,
________________________________________________
Employee
2.
