STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL Anavex Life Sciences Corp.
Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
June 21, 2021
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer
Dear Xx. Xxxxxxxx:
This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (the “Company”) and X.X. Xxxxxxxxxx & Co., LLC (“Xxxxxxxxxx”), that Xxxxxxxxxx shall serve as the exclusive agent, advisor or underwriter in any offering (each, an “Offering”) of securities of the Company (the “Securities”) during the Term (as hereinafter defined) of this Agreement. The terms of each Offering and the Securities issued in connection therewith shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and Xxxxxxxxxx and nothing herein implies that Xxxxxxxxxx would have the power or authority to bind the Company and nothing herein implies that the Company shall have an obligation to issue any Securities. It is understood that Xxxxxxxxxx’x assistance in an Offering will be subject to the satisfactory completion of such investigation and inquiry into the affairs of the Company as Xxxxxxxxxx deems appropriate under the circumstances and to the receipt of all internal approvals of Xxxxxxxxxx in connection with an Offering. The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Xxxxxxxxxx’x involvement in an Offering is strictly on a reasonable best efforts basis and that the consummation of an Offering will be subject to, among other things, market conditions. The execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Xxxxxxxxxx to purchase the Securities and does not ensure a successful Offering of the Securities or the success of Xxxxxxxxxx with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company. Xxxxxxxxxx may retain other brokers, dealers, agents or underwriters on its behalf in connection with an Offering.
1. | Cash Fee. The Company shall pay to Xxxxxxxxxx a cash fee, or as to an underwritten Offering an underwriter discount, equal to 6.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in each Offering (the “Cash Fee”); provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled to allocate 1.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the first Offering to Cantor Xxxxxxxxxx & Co. as an independent financial advisory fee. For the avoidance of doubt, Xxxxxxxxxx shall be entitled to the entire Cash Fee that has not ultimately been allocated to such investment bank. |
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx x Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000 | 212.356.0500 | xxx.xxxxx.xxx
Member: FINRA/SIPC
2. | Expense Allowance. Out of the proceeds of each Closing, the Company also agrees to pay Xxxxxxxxxx $50,000 for non-accountable expenses; plus the additional amount payable by the Company pursuant to Paragraph D.3 hereunder and, if applicable, the costs associated with the use of a third-party electronic road show service (such as NetRoadshow); provided, however, that such amount in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. |
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1. | Underwritten Offering. If an Offering is an underwritten Offering, the Company and Xxxxxxxxxx shall enter into a customary underwriting agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Xxxxxxxxxx and its counsel. |
2. | Best Efforts Offering. If an Offering is on a best efforts basis, the sale of Securities to the investors in the Offering will be evidenced by a purchase agreement (“Purchase Agreement”) between the Company and such investors in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and Xxxxxxxxxx. Xxxxxxxxxx shall be a third party beneficiary with respect to the representations, warranties, covenants, closing conditions and closing deliverables included in the Purchase Agreement. Prior to the signing of any Purchase Agreement, officers of the Company with responsibility for financial affairs will be available to answer inquiries from prospective investors. |
3. | Escrow, Settlement and Closing. If each Offering is not settled via delivery versus payment (“DVP”), the Company and Xxxxxxxxxx shall enter into an escrow agreement with a third party escrow agent pursuant to which Xxxxxxxxxx’x compensation and expenses shall be paid from the gross proceeds of the Securities sold. If the Offering is settled in whole or in part via DVP, Xxxxxxxxxx shall arrange for its clearing agent to provide the funds to facilitate such settlement; provided, however, if the clearing firm provides the funds in a best efforts offering and subsequent to such delivery an investor fails to provide the necessary funds to the clearing agent for such purchase of Securities, Xxxxxxxxxx shall instruct the clearing agent to promptly return any such Securities to the Company and the Company shall promptly return such investor’s purchase price to the clearing agent. The Company shall pay Xxxxxxxxxx closing costs, which shall also include the reimbursement of the out-of-pocket cost of the escrow agent or clearing agent, as applicable, which closing costs shall not exceed $15,950. |
4. | FINRA Amendments. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event that Xxxxxxxxxx determines that any of the terms provided for hereunder shall not comply with a FINRA rule, including but not limited to FINRA Rule 5110, then the Company shall agree to amend this Agreement (or include such revisions in the final underwriting agreement) in writing upon the request of Xxxxxxxxxx to comply with any such rules; provided that any such amendments shall not provide for terms that are less favorable to the Company than are reflected in this Agreement. |
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1. | In connection with the Company’s engagement of Xxxxxxxxxx hereunder, the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Xxxxxxxxxx and its affiliates, and the respective controlling persons, directors, officers, members, shareholders, agents and employees of any of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnified Persons”), from and against any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings (including those of shareholders), damages, liabilities and expenses incurred by any of them (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel), as incurred, whether or not the Company is a party thereto (collectively a “Claim”), that are (A) related to or arise out of (i) any actions taken or omitted to be taken (including any untrue statements made or any statements omitted to be made) by the Company, or (ii) any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any Indemnified Person in connection with the Company’s engagement of Xxxxxxxxxx, or (B) otherwise relate to or arise out of Xxxxxxxxxx’x activities on the Company’s behalf under Xxxxxxxxxx’x engagement, and the Company shall reimburse any Indemnified Person for all expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) as incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such claim, action, suit or proceeding, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation in which any Indemnified Person is a party. The Company will not, however, be responsible for any Claim that is finally judicially determined to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of any such Indemnified Person for such Claim. The Company further agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability to the Company for or in connection with the Company’s engagement of Xxxxxxxxxx except for any Claim incurred by the Company as a result of such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. |
2. | The Company further agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of Wainwright, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened Claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such Claim), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional, irrevocable release of each Indemnified Person from any and all liability arising out of such Claim. |
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3. | Promptly upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of any complaint or the assertion or institution of any Claim with respect to which indemnification is being sought hereunder, such Indemnified Person shall notify the Company in writing of such complaint or of such assertion or institution but failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have hereunder, except and only to the extent such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses. If the Company is requested by such Indemnified Person, the Company will assume the defense of such Claim, including the employment of counsel for such Indemnified Person and the payment of the fees and expenses of such counsel, provided, however, that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the Indemnified Person and provided further that if the legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably determines that the use of counsel chosen by the Company to represent such Indemnified Person would present such counsel with a conflict of interest or if the defendant in, or target of, any such Claim, includes an Indemnified Person and the Company, and legal counsel to such Indemnified Person reasonably concludes that there may be legal defenses available to it or other Indemnified Persons different from or in addition to those available to the Company, such Indemnified Person will employ its own separate counsel (including local counsel, if necessary) to represent or defend him, her or it in any such Claim and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. If such Indemnified Person does not request that the Company assume the defense of such Claim, such Indemnified Person will employ its own separate counsel (including local counsel, if necessary) to represent or defend him, her or it in any such Claim and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if the Company fails timely or diligently to defend, contest, or otherwise protect against any Claim, the relevant Indemnified Person shall have the right, but not the obligation, to defend, contest, compromise, settle, assert crossclaims, or counterclaims or otherwise protect against the same, and shall be fully indemnified by the Company therefor, including without limitation, for the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel and all amounts paid as a result of such Claim or the compromise or settlement thereof. In addition, with respect to any Claim in which the Company assumes the defense, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to participate in such Claim and to retain his, her or its own counsel therefor at his, her or its own expense. |
4. | The Company agrees that if any indemnity sought by an Indemnified Person hereunder is held by a court to be unavailable for any reason then (whether or not Xxxxxxxxxx is the Indemnified Person), the Company and Xxxxxxxxxx shall contribute to the Claim for which such indemnity is held unavailable in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Xxxxxxxxxx on the other, in connection with Xxxxxxxxxx’x engagement referred to above, subject to the limitation that in no event shall the amount of Xxxxxxxxxx’x contribution to such Claim exceed the amount of fees actually received by Xxxxxxxxxx from the Company pursuant to Xxxxxxxxxx’x engagement. The Company hereby agrees that the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and Xxxxxxxxxx on the other, with respect to Xxxxxxxxxx’x engagement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (a) the total value paid or proposed to be paid or received by the Company pursuant to the applicable Offering (whether or not consummated) for which Xxxxxxxxxx is engaged to render services bears to (b) the fee paid or proposed to be paid to Xxxxxxxxxx in connection with such engagement. |
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5. | The Company’s indemnity, reimbursement and contribution obligations under this Agreement (a) shall be in addition to, and shall in no way limit or otherwise adversely affect any rights that any Indemnified Person may have at law or at equity and (b) shall be effective whether or not the Company is at fault in any way. |
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I. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be fully performed therein. Any disputes that arise under this Agreement, even after the termination of this Agreement, will be heard only in the state or federal courts located in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the foregoing courts in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly waive any rights they may have to contest the jurisdiction, venue or authority of any court sitting in the City and State of New York. In the event Xxxxxxxxxx or any Indemnified Person is successful in any action, or suit against the Company, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the final judgment or award entered shall be entitled to have and recover from the Company the costs and expenses incurred in connection therewith, including its reasonable attorneys’ fees. Any rights to trial by jury with respect to any such action, proceeding or suit are hereby waived by Xxxxxxxxxx and the Company.
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In acknowledgment that the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding reached by Xxxxxxxxxx and the Company, please sign in the space provided below, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding Agreement as of the date indicated above.
Very truly yours, | ||
X.X. XXXXXXXXXX & CO., LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxx X. Viklund | |
Name: | /s/ Xxxx X. Viklund | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
Date: | June 21, 2021 |
Accepted and Agreed: | ||
ANAVEX LIFE SCIENCES CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, PhD | |
Name: | Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, PhD | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
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