REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.29
AMENDED AND RESTATED
This AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is entered into as of February 15, 2009, by and among AETHLON MEDICAL, INC., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), and the parties who are signatories to this Agreement (collectively referred to as the "Holders").
WHEREAS, the Company and the Holders entered into certain Amended and Restated 12% Series A Convertible Promissory Notes (the “Notes”) as amendments of certain prior promissory notes (“Prior Notes”) and allonges (“Allonges”);
WHEREAS, in order to induce the Holders to amend the Prior Notes, the Company has entered into this Agreement to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Amended and Restated Class A Principal Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Class A Principal Warrants”), Amended and Restated Class A Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the “Class A Warrants”), Amended and Restated Class A-1 Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the “Class A-1 Warrants”) and the Class B Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the “Class B Warrants”) issued to the Holders in connection with the Notes.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings. Other capitalized terms in this Agreement will have the meanings set forth in the Notes and the Warrants, as the case may be.
1.1 "Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or the State of California are authorized or required by law or other government actions to close.
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1.2 "Effectiveness Date" means, with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder as to shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, the ninetieth (90th) calendar day following the Filing Date and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required hereunder, the ninetieth (90th) calendar day following the date on which the Company first knows, or reasonably should have known, that such additional Registration Statement is required hereunder; provided, however, if the Company is notified by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") that one of the above Registration Statements will not be reviewed or is no longer subject to further review and comments, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the tenth (10th) Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates required above; provided further, however, that if the period between the Filing Date and the corresponding Effective Date includes the date that is 135 days following the latest date of the Company’s financial statements included in its most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter (the "Financial Statement Stale Date") and the Commission has not declared the Registration Statement effective prior to the Financial Statement Stale Date, the Effectiveness Date as to such Registration Statement shall be the sixtieth (60th) day following the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the corresponding fiscal year-end.
1.3 "Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
1.4 "Filing Date" means, with respect to the initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder as to shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, July 31, 2010, and, with respect to any additional Registration Statements which may be required hereunder, the thirtieth (30th) day following the date on which the Company first knows, or reasonably should have known that such additional Registration Statement is required hereunder.
1.5 "Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
1.6 "Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.
1.7 "Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.
1.8 "Prospectus" means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement, and all other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
1.9 "Registrable Securities" means all of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants together with any securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing.
1.10 "Registration Statement" means the initial registration statement and any additional registration statements required to be filed hereunder, including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
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1.11 "Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
1.12 "Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as such Rule.
1.13 "Special Counsel" means one special counsel for the Holders, the cost of whose services will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.
1.14 "Warrants" shall mean the Class A Principal Warrants, Class A Warrants, Class A-1 Warrants and Class B Warrants issued to the Holders in connection with the Notes.
2. Shelf Registration.
2.1 On or prior to each Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a "Shelf" Registration Statement covering the resale of all Registrable Securities applicable to such Filing Date for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 (except if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on Form S-1 or another appropriate form in accordance herewith) and shall contain (except if otherwise directed by the Holders) the "Plan of Distribution" in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the applicable Effectiveness Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date which is two years after the expiration date of the Warrants or such earlier date when all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold pursuant to Rule 144, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and acceptable to the Company's transfer agent and the affected Holders (the "Effectiveness Period").
2.2 The Registration Statements to be filed hereunder shall include a number of shares of Common Stock equal to no less than the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise in full of the Registrable Securities subject to such Registration Statement.
2.3 The Company shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.4 if
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2.3.1 a Registration Statement is not filed on or prior to its respective Filing Date (if the Company files such Registration Statement without affording the Holder the opportunity to review and comment on the same as required by Section 3.1 hereof, the Company shall not be deemed to have satisfied this Subsection 2.3.1); or
2.3.2 a Registration Statement filed hereunder is not declared effective by the Commission on or prior to its Effectiveness Date; or
2.3.3 after a Registration Statement is filed with and declared effective by the Commission, such Registration Statement ceases to be effective as to all Registrable Securities to which it is required to relate at any time prior to the expiration of the Effectiveness Period without being succeeded within ten (10) Business Days by an amendment to such Registration Statement or by a subsequent Registration Statement filed with and declared effective by the Commission; or
2.3.4 the Common Stock shall be delisted or suspended from trading on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Stock Market or the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board (each, a "Subsequent Market") for more than twenty (20) Business Days (which need not be consecutive Business Days); or
Any failure or breach set forth in this Section 2.3 is referred to as an "Event." The following are referred to as "Event Date": for purposes of Subsections 2.3.1 and 2.3.2, the date on which such Event occurs, or for purposes of Subsections 2.3.3 and 2.3.4, the date on which such ten (10) and twenty (20) Business Day periods are exceeded.
2.4 On an Event Date, the Company shall pay to each Holder, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, an amount in cash equal to one percent (1.0%) of the original principal amount of the Notes of such Holder. On every month after the Event Date until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, an amount in cash equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the original principal amount of the Notes. If the Warrants have been issued and are "in the money," the penalties shall be computed based on the value of any outstanding Warrants on an Event Date and on each month following an Event Date until the Event is cured. The value of the Warrants for such purposes shall be the difference between the closing price of the Common Stock on the Event Date (and after the Event Date, the average of the closing sales prices during the applicable month) and the exercise price multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. If the Company fails to pay any liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within seven (7) days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of twelve (12%) per annum (or such lesser maximum amount that is permitted to be paid by applicable law) to the Holder, accruing daily from the date such liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. At the option of the Company, shares of Common Stock may be issued to the Holder in lieu of a cash payment for such liquidated damages based upon the Conversion Price then in effect, provided that such shares have been registered for resale by such Holder and the Company provides the Holder with at least five (5) Business Days' irrevocable notice prior to the date such payment is due. The liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a pro-rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event.
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3. Registration Procedures. In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
3.1 Not less than five (5) Business Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), (i) furnish to the Holders and their Special Counsel copies of all such documents proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference) will be subject to the review of such Holders and their Special Counsel, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities and their Special Counsel shall reasonably object, provided the Company is notified of such objection no later than five (5) Business Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of such documents and provided, further, that such objections relate to the selling shareholder information, the plan of distribution, any information relating to the Holders, either directly or indirectly, or the compliance under the Securities Act of such Registration Statement or Prospectus as to form.
3.2 (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, to a Registration Statement and the Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep a Registration Statement continuously effective as to the applicable Registrable Securities for the Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible, and in any event within ten (10) days, to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as reasonably possible provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in such Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
3.3 On or prior to each anniversary of the date the initial Registration Statement was filed, file a Registration Statement covering any Registrable Securities issued after the filing of the most recently filed Registration Statement.
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3.4 Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold and their Special Counsel as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than five (5) Business Days prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one Business Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed; and (B) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such purpose; and (iv) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion therein or any statement made in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of a Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3.5 Promptly deliver to each Holder and their Special Counsel, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses, including each form of Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request. The Company hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.
3.6 Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders and their Special Counsel in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder requests in writing, to keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement; provided, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or subject the Company to any material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
3.7 Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by law, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holders may request.
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3.8 Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated this Section 3, as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including a post-effective amendment, to a Registration Statement or a supplement to the related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered, neither a Registration Statement nor such Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
3.9 Comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
3.10 Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
3.11 Furnish to each Holder and their Special Counsel, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
3.12 Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time or from time to time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company notifies the Holders in writing of the existence of a Potential Material Event (as defined below), the Holders shall not offer or sell any Securities from the time of the giving of notice with respect to a Potential Material Event until the Holders receive written notice from the Company that such Potential Material Event either has been disclosed to the public or no longer constitutes a Potential Material Event; provided, however, that, subject to Subsections 3.12.1 and 3.12.2, the Company may not so suspend the right to such holders of Securities for more than sixty (60) calendar days in the aggregate during any twelve-month period, and if such period is exceeded, such period shall be deemed an "Event" and the Company shall be liable to the Holder for liquidated damages pursuant to Section 2(c); provided, further, subject to Subsections 3.12.1 and 3.12.2, the failure to maintain a Registration Statement for not more than sixty (60) calendar days in the aggregate during any twelve (12) month period as a result of a Potential Material Event shall not be deemed a breach of this Agreement, provided the Company timely pays the Holder such liquidated damages. The Company must give the Holders at least thirty (30) calendar days' prior written notice that such a blackout period (without indicating the nature of such blackout period) will occur and such notice must be acknowledged in writing by the Holders. Failure to provide the Holders with such notice shall constitute an Event during the entire applicable period that the Registration Statement is suspended. "Potential Material Event" means any of the following:
3.12.1 The Board of Directors of the Company determines, in its good faith judgment, that the use of any Prospectus would require the disclosure of important information which the Company has a bona fide business purpose for preserving as confidential or the disclosure of which would impede the Company's ability to consummate a significant transaction, in which event such period may be extended for up to thirty (30) additional days in any twelve (12) month period;
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3.12.2 The Company consummates any business combination for purposes of Rule 3-05 or Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act, in which event such restricted period may be extended until the date on which the Company has filed such reports or obtained the financial information required by Rule 3-05 or Article 11 of Regulation S-X to be included in the Registration Statement, but in no event more sixty (60) additional days in any twelve (12) month period;
3.12.3 After one year from the Closing Date, the Company files or proposes to file a registration statement in an underwritten primary equity offering initiated by the Company (other than any registration by the Company on Form S-8, or a successor or substantially similar form, of (i) an employee stock option, stock purchase or compensation plan or of securities issued or issuable pursuant to any such plan, or (ii) a dividend reinvestment plan), for which the underwriters are reasonably acceptable to a majority in interest of the Holders, in which event such restricted period may be extended for thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the registration statement covering such underwritten primary equity offering and ending on the date specified by such managing underwriter in such written request to each Holder, which date shall be no more than thirty (30) days after such effective date, during which the Holder agrees, if requested in writing by the managing underwriter or underwriters administering such offering, not to effect any offer, sale or distribution of Company securities (or any option or right to acquire Company securities;
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings required to be made with the Nasdaq OTC Bulletin Board and any Subsequent Market on which the Common Stock is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders)); (ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses requested by the Holders); (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses; (iv) fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; and (v) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (vi) and fees and expenses of the Special Counsel up to $20,000. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required hereunder.
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5. Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, brokers (including brokers who offer and sell Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, costs of preparation and attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3.4(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6.5. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
5.2 Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers, agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject to appeal or review) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or to the extent that (i) such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(d)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(e). In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
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5.3 Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings.
5.3.1 If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an "Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
5.3.2 An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (i) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; or (ii) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (iii) the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
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5.3.3 All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as incurred, within ten (10) Business Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
5.4 Contribution.
5.4.1 If a claim for indemnification under Section 5.1 or 5.2 is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5.3, any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in accordance with its terms.
5.4.2 The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5.4 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.4, no Holder shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
5.4.3 The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties.
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6. Miscellaneous.
6.1 Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company and the Holders of at least two-thirds of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by Holders of at least a majority of the Registrable Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
6.2 No Inconsistent Agreements. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered, as of the date hereof, nor shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities, that would have the effect of impairing the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as and to the extent specified in Schedule 6.2 hereto, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person that have not been satisfied in full.
6.3 No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as and to the extent specified in Schedule 6.3 hereto, neither the Company nor any of its security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may include securities of the Company in the Registration Statement other than the Registrable Securities, and the Company shall not after the date hereof enter into any agreement providing any such right to any of its security holders.
6.4 Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement.
6.5 Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Sections 3.4, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement contemplated by Section 3.8, or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
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6.6 Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time during the Effectiveness Period there is not an effective Registration Statement covering all of the Registrable Securities and the Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4 or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, then the Company shall send to each Holder written notice of such determination and, if within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such notice, any such Holder shall so request in writing, the Company shall include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable Securities such holder requests to be registered, subject to customary underwriter cutbacks applicable to all Holders of registration rights; provided, that, the Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 6.6 that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
6.7 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be delivered as set forth in the Purchase Agreement.
6.8 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Holder. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase Agreement.
6.9 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
6.10 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of San Diego, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. If either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Agreement, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorney’s fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Proceeding.
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6.11 Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
6.12 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
6.13 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
6.14 Independent Nature of Purchasers' Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
AETHLON MEDICAL, INC. | |
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Title: Senior Vice President - Finance |
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HOLDER SIGNATURE PAGE TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
______________________________
By:___________________
Its:___________________
Outstanding Principal Amount of Notes: $__________
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EXHIBIT A
Plan of Distribution
The Selling Stockholders and any of their pledgees, assignees and successors-in-interest may, from time to time, sell any or all of their shares of Common Stock on any stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the shares are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. The Selling Stockholders may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:
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ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
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block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the shares as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction;
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purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account;
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an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange;
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privately negotiated transactions;
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short sales;
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broker-dealers may agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such shares at a stipulated price per share;
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a combination of any such methods of sale; and
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any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
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The Selling Stockholders may also sell shares under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, if available, rather than under this prospectus. Broker-dealers engaged by the Selling Stockholders may arrange for other brokers-dealers to participate in sales. Broker-dealers may receive commissions or discounts from the Selling Stockholders (or, if any broker-dealer acts as agent for the purchaser of shares, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated. The Selling Stockholders do not expect these commissions and discounts to exceed what is customary in the types of transactions involved.
The Selling Stockholders may from time to time pledge or grant a security interest in some or all of the Shares or Common Stock or Warrant owned by them and, if they default in the performance of their secured obligations, the pledgees or secured parties may offer and sell the shares of common stock from time to time under this prospectus, or under an amendment to this prospectus under Rule 424(b)(3) or other applicable provision of the Securities Act amending the list of Selling Stockholders to include the pledgee, transferee or other successors in interest as Selling Stockholders under this prospectus.
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The Selling Stockholders also may transfer the shares of Common Stock in other circumstances, in which case the transferees, pledgees or other successors in interest will be the selling beneficial owners for purposes of this prospectus.
The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers or agents that are involved in selling the shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The Selling Stockholders have informed the Company that it does not have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Common Stock.
The Company is required to pay all fees and expenses incident to the registration of the shares. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
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