SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND RELEASE
This Separation Agreement and Release (“Agreement”) is made between Scholar Rock, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx (the “Executive”). The Company together with the Executive shall be referred to as the “Parties”. Terms with initial capitalization not otherwise defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Employment Agreement (as defined below).
WHEREAS, the Parties entered into an Employment Agreement dated as of July 14, 2020 (the “Employment Agreement”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Employment Agreement, the Company agreed to provide the Executive with certain severance pay and benefits (the “Severance Benefits”) in the event of certain cessations of employment, subject to, among other things, the Executive entering into, not revoking and complying with a Separation Agreement and Release;
WHEREAS, the Executive’s employment with the Company is ending pursuant to Section 3(c) and Section 4(b) of the Employment Agreement effective July 29, 2021 (the “Date of Termination”);
WHEREAS, this Agreement is the Separation Agreement and Release referred to in the Employment Agreement;
WHEREAS, in exchange for, among other things, the Executive entering into and not revoking this Agreement and fully complying with the Continuing Obligations (as defined below), the Company shall provide the Executive with the Severance Benefits; and
WHEREAS, the payments and benefits set forth in this Agreement are the exclusive payments and benefits to be paid or provided to the Executive in connection with the ending of the Executive’s employment. By entering into this Agreement, the Executive acknowledges and agrees that he is not entitled to any other severance pay, benefits or equity rights including without limitation pursuant to any severance plan, program or arrangement.
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
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In addition, regardless of whether this Agreement becomes effective, the Executive will be provided with information regarding the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”) under separate cover, including payment obligations and information about the American Rescue Plan Act’s (“ARPA’s”) COBRA subsidy provisions. In accordance with and subject to the provisions of ARPA, if the Executive elects and remains eligible for COBRA, the Company will pay both the employer and employee portion of the COBRA premium until the earliest of (i) September 30, 2021, (ii) the date that the Executive becomes eligible for group health care coverage through other employment; or (iii) the end of the Executive’s eligibility under COBRA for continuation coverage for health care coverage. Any COBRA continuation coverage after September 30, 2021 will be at the Executive’s own cost, except as provided in Section 3(b) below.
The Executive will cease vesting in his equity awards on the Date of Termination. The unvested portion of any equity awards shall terminate as of the Date of Termination, and the vested portion of any equity awards shall be governed by the terms and conditions set forth in the Scholar Rock Holding Corporation’s 2018 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (as amended and/or restated from time to time) and the applicable stock option agreement (together, the “Equity Documents”).
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The amounts payable under this Section 3, to the extent taxable, shall be paid out in substantially equal installments over twelve (12) months in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice commencing on the first practicable payroll date following the Effective Date of this Agreement (as defined below). Each payment pursuant to this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2).
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, have executed this Agreement on the date(s) indicated below.
SCHOLAR ROCK, INC.
By:/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Chairman of the Board
Date: 8/4/2021
EXECUTIVE
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Date: 8/4/2021
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EXHIBIT A
Restrictive Covenant Agreement
Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation,
Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement
SCHOLAR ROCK, INC.
Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement
In consideration and as a condition of my employment, continued employment by or other service relationship with Scholar Rock, Inc. (the “Company”), I agree to the terms and conditions of this Employee Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation, Confidentiality and Assignment Agreement (the “Agreement”). For purposes of this Agreement, references to the employment relationship shall mean any employment, co-employment, independent contractor or other service relationship, whether directly or through a third party, that I may have with the Company.
1. Proprietary Information. I agree that all information, whether or not in writing, concerning the Company’s business, technology, business relationships or financial affairs which the Company has not released to the general public (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) is and will be the exclusive property of the Company. By way of illustration, Proprietary Information may include information or material which has not been made generally available to the public, such as: (a) corporate information, including plans, strategies, methods, policies, resolutions, negotiations or litigation; (b) marketing information, including strategies, methods, customer identities or other information about customers, prospect identities or other information about prospects, or market analyses or projections; (c) financial information, including cost and performance data, debt arrangements, equity structure, investors and holdings, purchasing and sales data and price lists; and (d) operational and technological information, including plans, specifications, manuals, forms, templates, pre-clinical and clinical testing data and strategies, software, designs, methods, procedures, formulas, discoveries, inventions, improvements, concepts and ideas; and (e) personnel information, including personnel lists, reporting or organizational structure, resumes, personnel data, compensation structure, performance evaluations and termination arrangements or documents. Proprietary Information also includes information received in confidence by the Company from its customers or suppliers or other third parties.
2. Recognition of Company’s Rights. I will not, at any time, without the Company’s prior written permission, either during or after my employment, disclose any Proprietary Information to anyone outside of the Company, or use or permit to be used any Proprietary Information for any purpose other than the performance of my duties as an employee of the Company. I will cooperate with the Company and use my best efforts to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of all Proprietary Information. I will deliver to the Company all copies of Proprietary Information in my possession or control upon the earlier of a request by the Company or termination of my employment.
3. Rights of Others. I understand that the Company is now and may hereafter be subject to non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with third parties which require the Company to protect or refrain from unauthorized use of proprietary information. I agree to be bound by the terms of such
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agreements in the event I have access to such proprietary information.
4. Commitment to Company; Avoidance of Conflict of Interest. While an employee of the Company, I will devote my full-time efforts to the Company’s business and I will not engage in any other business activity that conflicts with my duties to the Company. I will advise the president of the Company or his or her nominee at such time as any activity of either the Company or another business presents me with a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest as an employee of the Company. I will take whatever action is requested of me by the Company to resolve any conflict or appearance of conflict which it finds to exist.
5. Developments. I will make full and prompt disclosure to the Company of all inventions, discoveries, designs, developments, methods, modifications, improvements, processes, algorithms, databases, computer programs, formulae, techniques, trade secrets, graphics or images, and audio or visual works and other works of authorship (collectively “Developments”), whether or not patentable or copyrightable, that are created, made, conceived or reduced to practice by me (alone or jointly with others) or under my direction during the period of my employment. I acknowledge that all work performed by me is on a “work for hire” basis, and I hereby do assign and transfer and, to the extent any such assignment cannot be made at present, will assign and transfer, to the Company and its successors and assigns all my right, title and interest in all Developments that (a) relate to the business of the Company or any of the products or services being researched, developed, manufactured or sold by the Company or which may be used with such products or services; or (b) result from tasks assigned to me by the Company; or (c) result from the use of premises, resources, proprietary information or know-how, or personal property (whether tangible or intangible) owned, leased or contracted for by the Company (“Company-Related Developments”), and all related patents, patent applications, trademarks and trademark applications, copyrights and copyright applications, and other intellectual property rights in all countries and territories worldwide and under any international conventions (“Intellectual Property Rights”).
To preclude any possible uncertainty, I have set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto a complete list of Developments that I have, alone or jointly with others, 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 (“Prior Inventions”). If disclosure of any such Prior Invention would cause me to violate any prior confidentiality agreement, I understand that I am not to list such Prior Inventions in Exhibit A but am only to disclose a cursory name for each such invention, a listing of the party(ies) to whom it belongs and the fact that full disclosure as to such inventions has not been made for that reason. I have also listed on Exhibit A all patents and patent applications in which I am named as an inventor, other than those which have been assigned to the Company (“Other Patent Rights”). If no such disclosure is attached, I represent that there are no Prior Inventions or Other Patent Rights. If, in the course of my employment with the Company, I incorporate a Prior Invention into a Company product, process or machine or other work done for the Company, I hereby grant to the Company a nonexclusive, royalty-free, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license (with the full right to sublicense) to make, have made, modify, use, sell, offer for sale and import such Prior Invention. Notwithstanding the foregoing, I will not incorporate, or permit to be incorporated, Prior Inventions in any Company-Related Development without the Company’s prior written consent.
This Agreement does not obligate me to assign to the Company any Development which, in the sole
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judgment of the Company, reasonably exercised, is developed entirely on my own time and does not relate to the business efforts or research and development efforts in which, during the period of my employment, the Company actually is engaged or reasonably would be engaged, and does not result from the use of premises, resources, proprietary information, know-how or equipment owned or leased by the Company. However, I will also promptly disclose to the Company any such Developments for the purpose of determining whether they qualify for such exclusion. I understand that to the extent this Agreement is required to be construed in accordance with the laws of any state which precludes a requirement in an employee agreement to assign certain classes of inventions made by an employee, this paragraph 5 will be interpreted not to apply to any invention which a court rules and/or the Company agrees falls within such classes. I also hereby waive all claims to any moral rights or other special rights which I may have or accrue in any Company-Related Developments.
6. Documents and Other Materials. I will keep and maintain adequate and current records of all Proprietary Information and Company-Related Developments developed by me during my employment, which records will be available to and remain the sole property of the Company at all times.
All files, letters, notes, memoranda, reports, records, data, sketches, drawings, notebooks, layouts, charts, quotations and proposals, specification sheets, or other written, photographic or other tangible material containing Proprietary Information, whether created by me or others, which come into my custody or possession, are the exclusive property of the Company to be used by me only in the performance of my duties for the Company. Any property situated on the Company’s premises and owned by the Company, including without limitation computers, disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by the Company at any time with or without notice. In the event of the termination of my employment for any reason, I will deliver to the Company all files, letters, notes, memoranda, reports, records, data, sketches, drawings, notebooks, layouts, charts, quotations and proposals, specification sheets, or other written, photographic or other tangible material containing Proprietary Information, and other materials of any nature pertaining to the Proprietary Information of the Company and to my work, and will not take or keep in my possession any of the foregoing or any copies.
7. Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. I will cooperate fully with the Company, both during and after my employment with the Company, with respect to the procurement, maintenance and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Company-Related Developments. I will sign, both during and after the term of this Agreement, all papers, including without limitation copyright applications, patent applications, declarations, oaths, assignments of priority rights, and powers of attorney, which the Company may deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Company-Related Development. If the Company is unable, after reasonable effort, to secure my signature on any such papers, I hereby grant a power of attorney by designating and appointing each officer of the Company as my agent and attorney-in-fact to execute any such papers on my behalf, and to take any and all actions as the Company may deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Company-Related Development.
8. Restrictive Covenants.
A. | Non-Competition Restrictive Covenants |
In order to protect the Company’s Proprietary Information and good will, during my employment
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and for a period of one (1) year following the termination of my employment for any reason, unless the Company terminates my employment without Cause or lays me off, or such shorter period as the Company designates in writing to me in connection with the ending of my employment relationship (the “Restricted Period”), I will not directly or indirectly, anywhere in the United States, whether as owner, partner, shareholder, director, manager, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, or otherwise, engage in, participate in, or perform: (a) any job, position, function, role, or activity that (i) is the same as or similar to that which I performed for the Company during any part of the two-year period immediately preceding the end of my employment with the Company and (ii) involves products, services, or a line of business (in each case, including but not limited to the research, development, manufacture, or commercialization of any products, services, or line of business) that is competitive with or that substitutes for or that eliminates the need for, any products, services, or a line of business (in each case, including but not limited to the research, development, manufacture, or commercialization of any products, services, or a line of business) of the Company at any time during the two-year period immediately preceding the end of my employment with the Company; or (b) any other job, position, function, role, or activity that would likely or inevitably, even if unintentionally, require or result in the use or disclosure of the Company’s Proprietary Information or the use of the Company’s customer goodwill, provided that this shall not prohibit any possible investment in publicly traded stock of a company representing less than one percent of the stock of such company. Furthermore, I acknowledge and agree that the Company shall have the option of enforcing the aforementioned non-competition restriction, up to and including the full duration of the Restricted Period. In the event the Company elects to enforce said non-competition restriction, the Company will cause to be paid to me fifty percent (50%) of my highest annualized base salary paid by the Company within the two (2) years preceding the termination of my employment, for as long as the Company elects to enforce said non-competition restriction, subject further to limitations on payments owed to an employee who has breached a fiduciary duty owed to the Company or who has unlawfully taken Company property to the extent permitted by applicable law. I acknowledge and agree that any payments I receive pursuant to this paragraph 8(a) shall reduce (and shall not be in addition to) any severance or separation pay that I am otherwise entitled to receive from the Company pursuant to an agreement, plan or otherwise.
B. | Non-Solicitation Restrictive Covenants |
In order to protect the Company’s Proprietary Information and good will, during the Restricted Period, I will not, directly or indirectly, in any manner, other than for the benefit of the Company, (a) call upon, solicit, divert, take away, accept or conduct any business from or with any of the customers or prospective customers of the Company or any of its suppliers, and/or (b) solicit, entice, attempt to persuade any other employee or consultant of the Company to leave the Company for any reason or otherwise participate in or facilitate the hire, directly or through another entity, of any person who is employed or engaged by the Company or who was employed or engaged by the Company within six months of any attempt to hire such person.
I acknowledge that this covenants in this paragraph 8 are necessary because the Company’s legitimate business interests cannot be adequately protected solely by the other covenants in this Agreement. I further acknowledge and agree that if I violate any of the provisions of this paragraph 8, the running of the Restricted Period will be extended by the time during which I engage in such violation(s).
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9. Government Contracts. I acknowledge that the Company may have from time to time agreements with other persons or with the United States Government or its agencies which impose obligations or restrictions on the Company regarding inventions made during the course of work under such agreements or regarding the confidential nature of such work. I agree to comply with any such obligations or restrictions upon the direction of the Company. In addition to the rights assigned under paragraph 5, I also assign to the Company (or any of its nominees) all rights which I have or acquired in any Developments, full title to which is required to be in the United States under any contract between the Company and the United States or any of its agencies.
10. Prior Agreements. I hereby represent that, except as I have fully disclosed previously in writing to the Company, I am not bound by the terms of any agreement with any previous employer or other party to refrain from using or disclosing any trade secret or confidential or proprietary information in the course of my employment with the Company or to refrain from competing, directly or indirectly, with the business of such previous employer or any other party. I further represent that my performance of all the terms of this Agreement as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information, knowledge or data acquired by me in confidence or in trust prior to my employment with the Company. I will not disclose to the Company or induce the Company to use any confidential or proprietary information, know-how or material belonging to any previous employer or others.
11. Remedies Upon Breach. I understand that the restrictions contained in this Agreement are necessary for the protection of the business and goodwill of the Company and I consider them to be reasonable for such purpose. Any breach of this Agreement is likely to cause the Company substantial and irrevocable damage and therefore, in the event of such breach, the Company, in addition to such other remedies which may be available, will be entitled to specific performance and other injunctive relief, without the posting of a bond. In the event of any litigation concerning this Agreement, the Company and I agree that the prevailing party shall be entitled to costs relating to such litigation, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses.
12. Publications and Public Statements. I will obtain the Company’s written approval before publishing or submitting for publication any material that relates to and/or incorporates any Proprietary Information.
13. No Employment Obligation. I understand that this Agreement does not create an obligation on the Company or any other person to continue my employment. I acknowledge that, unless otherwise agreed in a formal written employment agreement signed on behalf of the Company by an authorized officer, my employment with the Company is at will and therefore may be terminated by the Company or me at any time and for any reason, with or without cause.
14. Survival and Assignment by the Company. I understand that my obligations under this Agreement will continue in accordance with its express terms regardless of any changes in my title, position, duties, salary, compensation or benefits or other terms and conditions of employment. I further understand that my obligations under this Agreement will continue following the termination of my employment regardless of the manner of such termination and will be binding upon my heirs, executors and administrators. The Company will have the right to assign this Agreement to its affiliates, successors and assigns. I expressly consent to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement for the benefit of the Company or any parent, subsidiary or affiliate to whose employ I may be transferred without the necessity that this Agreement be resigned at the time of such transfer.
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15. Exit Interview. If and when I depart from the Company, I may be required to attend an exit interview. For twelve (12) months following termination of my employment, I will notify the Company of any change in my address and of each subsequent employment or business activity, including the name and address of my employer or other post-Company employment plans and the nature of my activities. If I am named an inventor in one or more patent applications that resulted during my employment with the Company, I agree to use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Company apprised of my contact information for an additional twenty-four (24) months.
16. Disclosure to Future Employers. During the Restricted Period, I will provide a copy of this Agreement to any prospective employer, partner or co-venturer prior to entering into an employment, partnership or other business relationship with such person or entity.
17. Severability. In case any provisions (or portions thereof) contained in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the other provisions of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein. If, moreover, any one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall for any reason be held to be excessively broad as to duration, geographical scope, activity or subject, it shall be construed by limiting and reducing it, so as to be enforceable to the extent compatible with the applicable law as it shall then appear.
18. Interpretation. This Agreement will be deemed to be made and entered into in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will in all respects be interpreted, enforced and governed under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I hereby agree to consent to personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts situated within Suffolk County, Massachusetts for purposes of enforcing this Agreement, and waive any objection that I might have to personal jurisdiction or venue in those courts.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AGREEMENT AFFECTS IMPORTANT RIGHTS. BY SIGNING BELOW, I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ IT CAREFULLY AND AM SATISFIED THAT I UNDERSTAND IT COMPLETELY. I ACKNOWLEDGE I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE COMPANY OF THE RIGHT TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL OF MY OWN CHOOSING PRIOR TO SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT, AND THAT I WAS GIVEN A COPY OF THIS AGREEMENT BY THE EARLIER OF (i) RECEIPT OF A FORMAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT, OR (ii) NOT LESS THAN 10 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT.
I ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT WILL APPLY TO MY ENTIRE SERVICE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMPANY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY PERIOD OF SERVICE PRIOR TO THE DATE OF MY SIGNATURE BELOW.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this agreement as a sealed instrument as of the date set forth below.
Signed: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
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Type or print name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
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Date: | July 14, 2020 |
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Scholar Rock, Inc.
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Authorized Signatory
Date: 7/14/2020
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EXHIBIT A
To: Scholar Rock, Inc.
From: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Date: July 14, 2020
SUBJECT: Prior Inventions
The following is a complete list of all inventions or improvements relevant to the subject matter of my employment by 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:
x No inventions or improvements
¨ See below:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
¨ Additional sheets attached
The following is a list of all patents and patent applications in which I have been named as an inventor:
x None
¨ See below:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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