REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.2
This Registration Rights Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of October 27, 2023, between VYNE Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of the several purchasers signatory hereto (each such purchaser, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, between the Company and each Purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”).
The Company and each Purchaser hereby agrees as follows:
1. Definitions.
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein that are defined in the Purchase Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Advice” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7(b).
"Cutback Effectiveness Date" means the date a Cutback Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission.
"Cutback Effectiveness Deadline" means, as to a Cutback Registration Statement, 120 days following the filing of such Cutback Registration Statement.
"Cutback Filing Deadline" means, if Cutback Shares are required to be included in a Cutback Registration Statement, the date that is the earlier of (i) the later of (A) six months from the Effectiveness Date or the then-most recent Cutback Effectiveness Date, as applicable, and (B) 60 days after the Company has been informed that substantially all of the Registrable Securities held by the Purchasers included in any Registration Statements previously declared effective hereunder have been sold in accordance therewith, or (ii) 30 days from the first date on which the Company is then permitted by the Commission to register such Cutback Shares.
"Cutback Registrable Securities" means, (i) any Cutback Shares not previously included in a Registration Statement, and (ii) any shares of capital stock of the Company (or any successor or assign of the Company, whether by merger, reorganization, consolidation, sale of assets or otherwise) which may be issued or issuable with respect to, in exchange for, or in substitution of the Cutback Shares, as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar event or otherwise; provided, however, that any Cutback Registrable Securities shall cease to be Cutback Registrable Securities when (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such securities are disposed of in accordance with such Registration Statement, or (b) such securities are sold in accordance with Rule 144, or (c) all of such securities are eligible to be sold by the holder thereof pursuant to Rule 144 without limitation, restriction or condition (including any current public information requirement) thereunder, or (d) when such securities are sold to the Company.
"Cutback Registration Statement" means a registration statement or registration statements of the Company filed under the Securities Act covering any Cutback Registrable Securities, including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any 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 any such registration statement.
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"Cutback Required Registration Amount" means the lesser of (i) any Cutback Shares not previously included in a Registration Statement, and (ii) such number of Registrable Securities as the Company is then permitted by the Commission to register pursuant to Rule 415.
"Cutback Shares" means, at any time on or after the Effectiveness Date, any of the Registrable Securities not included in all Registration Statements previously declared effective hereunder as a result of a limitation on the maximum number of shares of Common Stock permitted by the Commission to be registered pursuant to Rule 415.
“Effectiveness Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required to be filed hereunder, the 60th calendar day following the date hereof (or, in the event of a review by the Commission, the 90th calendar day following the date hereof); provided, however, that in the event the Company is notified by the Commission that the Initial Registration Statement 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 fifth Trading Day following the date on which the Company is so notified if such date precedes the dates otherwise required above, provided, further, if such Effectiveness Date falls on a day that is not a Trading Day, then the Effectiveness Date shall be the next succeeding Trading Day; provided, further, that if the Commission is closed for operations due to a government shutdown or lapse in appropriations, the Effectiveness Date shall be extended by the same number of days that the Commission remains closed for operations.
“Effectiveness Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
“Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Event Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(c).
“Filing Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement required hereunder, no later than the 30th calendar day following the date hereof.
“Holder” or “Holders” means the holder or holders, as the case may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
“Indemnified Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).
“Indemnifying Party” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(c).
“Initial Registration Statement” means the initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to this Agreement.
“Losses” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
“Plan of Distribution” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
“Prospectus” means the prospectus included in a Registration Statement (including a prospectus that includes any information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A or Rule 430B promulgated by the Commission pursuant to 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 pre- and post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
“Registrable Securities” means, as of any date of determination, (a) all Shares, (b) all Pre-Funded Warrant Shares then issued and issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants (assuming on such date the Pre-Funded Warrants are exercised in full without regard to any exercise limitations in the Transaction Documents), (c) any additional shares of Common Stock issued and issuable in connection with any anti-dilution provisions in the Pre-Funded Warrants (in each case, without giving effect to any limitations on exercise set forth in the Transaction Documents), and (d) any securities issued or then issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the foregoing; provided, however, that any such Registrable Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (and the Company shall not be required to maintain the effectiveness of any, or file another, Registration Statement hereunder with respect thereto) for so long as (a) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such Registrable Securities is declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act and such Registrable Securities have been sold or disposed of by the Holder in accordance with such effective Registration Statement (in which case, only any such security sold or disposed of by the holder shall cease to be a Registrable Security), (b) such Registrable Securities have been previously sold in accordance with Rule 144 (in which case, only any such security sold or disposed of by the holder shall cease to be a Registrable Security), (c) such securities become eligible for resale without volume or manner-of-sale restrictions and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144, (d) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding, or (e) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
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“Registration Statement” means any registration statement required to be filed hereunder pursuant to Section 2(a) and any additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2(b) or Section 4(c), including (in each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to any 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 any such registration statement.
“Rule 415” means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Selling Stockholder Questionnaire” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).
“SEC Guidance” means (i) any publicly-available written or oral guidance of the Commission staff, or any comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff and (ii) the Securities Act.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Underwriters’ Maximum Number” means, with respect to an underwritten offering, the lesser of (a) the number of Registrable Securities that can be sold in such offering and (b) the maximum number of Registrable Securities that may be included in such offering without adversely affecting the price per share of the Company’s equity securities to be sold in such offering.
2. Resale Registration.
(a) On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the resale of all of the Registrable Securities that are not then registered on an effective Registration Statement for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 or, if Rule 415 is not available for offers and sales of the Registrable Securities, by such other means of distribution of Registrable Securities as the Holders may reasonably specify. Each Registration Statement filed hereunder shall be on Form S-3, or any successor short form registration statement available or resale that permits importation by reference at least to the same extent as such form (except if the Company is not then eligible to register the resale of the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, subject to the provisions of Section 2(d)) and shall contain (unless otherwise directed by at least 85% in interest of the Holders) substantially the “Plan of Distribution” attached hereto as Annex A and substantially the “Selling Stockholder” section attached hereto as Annex B; provided, however, that no Holder shall be required to be named as an “underwriter” without such Holder’s express prior written consent. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall use best efforts to cause a Registration Statement filed under this Agreement (including under Section 4(c)) to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than the applicable Effectiveness Date (including filing with the Commission a request for acceleration of effectiveness in accordance with Rule 461), and shall use best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date that all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement (i) have been sold, thereunder or pursuant to Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect, or (ii) may be sold without volume or manner of sale restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 and without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with the current public information requirement under Rule 144 (the “Effectiveness Period”). The Company shall telephonically request effectiveness of a Registration Statement as of 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day. The Company shall promptly notify the Holders via e-mail of the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto on the same Trading Day that the Commission confirms effectiveness with the Company, which shall be the date requested for effectiveness of such Registration Statement. The Company shall, by 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day after the effective date of such Registration Statement, file a final Prospectus with the Commission as required by Rule 424 and provide the Holders with copies of the final Prospectus to be used in connection with the sale or other disposition of the securities covered thereby (unless such Prospectus is available on the Commission’s XXXXX system).
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(b) Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in Section 2(a), if the Commission informs the Company that the resale of all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered as a secondary offering on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly inform each of the Holders thereof and shall prepare, and, as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than each Cutback Filing Deadline, file with the Commission a Cutback Registration Statement on Form S-3, or any successor short form registration statement available for such resale that permits incorporation by reference at least to the same extent as such form (except if the Company is not then eligible to register the resale of the Registrable Securities on Form S-3, subject to the provisions of Section 2(d)) to effect a registration for resale of the Registrable Securities covering the resale of the number of Cutback Registrable Securities equal to the Cutback Required Registration Amount. To the extent the staff of the Commission does not permit all of the Cutback Registrable Securities to be registered on a Cutback Registration Statement, the Company shall file Cutback Registration Statements successively trying to register on each such Cutback Registration Statement the maximum number of remaining Cutback Registrable Securities until all of the Cutback Registrable Securities have been registered with the Commission. Each Cutback Registration Statement prepared pursuant hereto shall register for resale at least that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Cutback Required Registration Amount as of the date such Cutback Registration Statement is initially filed with the Commission. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to have each Cutback Registration Statement declared effective by the Commission as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than the Cutback Effectiveness Deadline and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Cutback Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until such date on which there are no longer any Registrable Securities covered by such Cutback Registration Statement. Prior to filing the first Cutback Registration Statement, the Company shall be obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the SEC Guidance, including Compliance and Disclosure Interpretation 612.09. In the event of a cutback hereunder, unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on the Initial Registration Statement and any subsequent Cutback Registration Statement requiring a cutback will be reduced as follows:
a. First, the Company shall reduce or eliminate any securities to be included other than Registrable Securities;
b. Second, the Company shall reduce Registrable Securities represented by Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants (applied, in the case that some Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares may be registered, to the Holders on a pro rata basis based on the total number of such restricted Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants held by such Holders).
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(c) If: (i) a Registration Statement covering Registrable Securities and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) of this Agreement is not (a) filed with the Commission on or before the Filing Date or Cutback Filing Deadline, as applicable, (a "Filing Failure") or (b) declared effective by the Commission on or before the Effectiveness Date or Cutback Effectiveness Deadline, as applicable, (an "Effectiveness Failure") or (ii) on any day after a Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission, sales of all the Registrable Securities required to be included on such Registration Statement cannot be made for more than ten consecutive calendar days or more than an aggregate of 15 calendar days (which need not be consecutive calendar days) during any 12 month period pursuant to such Registration Statement for any reason (including by reason of a stop order or because of a failure to keep such Registration Statement effective by disclosing such information as is necessary for sales to be made pursuant to such Registration Statement) (a "Maintenance Failure," and each of a Filing Failure, an Effectiveness Failure and a Maintenance Failure being referred to as an "Event", and for purposes of clause (i), the date on which such Event occurs, and for purposes of clause (ii), the date on which such ten or 15 calendar day period, as applicable, is exceeded, being referred to as “Event Date”), then, in addition to any other rights the Holders may have hereunder or under applicable law, on each such Event Date and on each monthly anniversary of each such Event Date (pro rata for any portion thereof) (if the applicable Event shall not have been cured by such date) until the applicable Event is cured, the Company shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, equal to 1.0% of the aggregate amount invested by such Holder for the Registrable Securities pursuant to the Purchase Agreement held by such Holder as of the Event Date; provided, that the aggregate liquidated damages payable hereunder shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 6.0% of the aggregate amount invested by such Holder for the Registrable Securities; and provided further that in the event of a cutback limitation as described in Section 2(b), liquidated damages hereunder shall only accrue and be payable with respect to Cutback Shares such that the liquidated damages shall be reduced in the same proportion as the total number of Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares required to be registered hereunder, less the Cutback Shares, bear to the total number of Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares required to be registered hereunder. By way of example, if the total number of Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares required to be registered hereunder is 1,000,000 and the number of Cutback Shares is 250,000, then the liquidated damages shall be reduced by 75%. If the Company fails to pay any partial liquidated damages pursuant to this Section in full within ten (10) Business Days after the date payable, the Company will pay interest thereon at a rate of 12.0% 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 partial liquidated damages are due until such amounts, plus all such interest thereon, are paid in full. The partial liquidated damages pursuant to the terms hereof shall apply on a daily pro rata basis for any portion of a month prior to the cure of an Event. Notwithstanding anything contained herein, no liquidated damages shall accrue or be payable under this Section 2(c) on any securities that are not Registrable Securities.
(d) If Form S-3 is not available for the registration of the resale of Registrable Securities hereunder, the Company shall (i) register the resale of the Registrable Securities on another appropriate form and (ii) undertake to register the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 as soon as such form is available, provided that the Company shall maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect until such time as a Registration Statement on Form S-3 covering the Registrable Securities has been declared effective by the Commission.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall the Company name or identify any Holder or affiliate of a Holder as a statutory “underwriter”; provided, that if the Commission requires that a Holder be identified as a statutory underwriter in a Registration Statement, such Holder will have the option, in its sole and absolute discretion, to either (i) withdraw from such Registration Statement upon its prompt written request to the Company or (ii) be included as such in the Registration Statement.
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3. Piggyback Registration.
(a) If, at any time while there still remain Registrable Securities, the Company proposes to file a new registration statement or a supplement or amendment to an existing registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of Common Stock for (i) the Company’s own account (other than a registration statement on Form S-4 or S-8 (or any substitute form that may be adopted by the Commission) or with respect to a Company at-the-market offering program (“ATM Program”) or Company dividend reinvestment plans) or (ii) the account of any holder of Common Stock (other than the Holders), then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to the Holders as soon as reasonably practicable (but in no event less than ten (10) Business Days before the anticipated filing date of such new registration statement), which notice shall describe the type and amount of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method of distribution and the name of the proposed managing underwriter, if any, in such offering . Upon a written request, given by Holders to the Company within three (3) Business Days after delivery of any such notice by the Company, to include Registrable Securities in such Registration (which request shall specify the number of Registrable Securities proposed to be included in such new registration statement if such registration statement is not a “pay as you go” Automatic Shelf Registration Statement), the Company shall include all such requested Registrable Securities in such new registration statement on the same terms and conditions as applicable to the Company’s or such holder’s Common Stock (a “Piggyback Registration”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time after giving written notice of such proposed filing and prior to the effective date of such new registration statement, the Company or such holders shall determine for any reason not to proceed with the proposed filing of the new registration statement, then the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to the Holders and, thereupon, will be relieved of its obligation to register the resale of any Registrable Securities in connection with such new registration statement.
(b) The Holders of Registrable Securities shall be permitted to withdraw all or any part of their shares from any Piggyback Registration at any time on or before (i) the second (2nd) Business Day prior to the planned effective date of such Piggyback Registration or (ii) if such Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering the second (2nd) Business Day prior to the anticipated filing date of the preliminary prospectus supplement with respect to an underwritten offering by the Company, except as otherwise provided in any written agreement with the Company’s underwriter(s), if any, establishing the terms and conditions under which such Holders would be obligated to sell such securities in such Piggyback Registration.
(c) If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, and the managing underwriter(s) advise the Company that in its or their reasonable opinion the number of securities proposed to be included in such underwritten offering exceeds the Underwriters’ Maximum Number, then the Company shall include in such underwritten offering (i) first, the number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be offered by the Company, (ii) second, the Registrable Securities of the Holders that have requested to participate in such underwritten offering, allocated pro rata among such Holders on the basis of the percentage of the Registrable Securities requested to be included in such offering by such Holders (or allocated among such Holders as such Holders shall mutually agree in writing to the Company) and (iii) third, any other securities that have been requested to be so included by any other person.
(d) If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering initiated by one or more other holders of Common Stock that have the contractual right to initiate such an underwritten offering (a “Third Party Holder”), and the managing underwriter(s) advise the Company that in its or their reasonable opinion the number of securities proposed to be included in such registration exceeds the Underwriters’ Maximum Number, then the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the securities held by the Third Party Holders that have requested, and have a contractual right, to participate in such underwritten offering, allocated pro rata among such Third Party Holders on the basis of the percentage of the Registrable Securities of the Third Party Holders requested to be included in such offering by such Third Party Holders, (ii) second, the Registrable Securities of the Holders that have requested to participate in such underwritten offering, allocated pro rata among such Holders on the basis of the percentage of the Registrable Securities by such Holders (or allocated among such Holders as such Holders shall mutually agree in writing to the Company) and (iii) third, any other securities that have been requested to be so included by any other person.
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(e) In any Piggyback Registration that is an underwritten offering pursuant to this Section 3, (i) except as set forth in an agreement with any other holder of the Company’s securities, the Company shall have the right to select the underwriter(s) for such underwritten offering and (ii) the Company shall not be required to include any Registrable Securities in such underwritten offering unless such selling Holders accept the terms of the underwritten offering as agreed upon by the Company and the underwriter(s).
(f) The Company shall not grant to any person the right to request the Company to register the resale of any shares of Company unless such rights are not more favorable than the provisions of Section 3.
4. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the Company’s registration obligations hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Not less than five (5) Trading Days prior to the filing of each Registration Statement and not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to the filing of any related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (including any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference), the Company shall (i) furnish to each Holder 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 (ii) respond and cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent registered public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary, in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to each Holder, to conduct a reasonable investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not file a Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities (or, in the case of a Piggyback Registration Statement, the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration Statement) shall reasonably object in good faith, provided that, the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than five (5) Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of a Registration Statement or one (1) Trading Day after the Holders have been so furnished copies of any related Prospectus or amendments or supplements thereto. Each Holder agrees to furnish to the Company a completed questionnaire in the form attached to this Agreement as Annex B (a “Selling Stockholder Questionnaire”) on or prior to the later of (x) a date that is not less than three (3) Trading Days prior to the Filing Date and (y) the end of the fourth (4th) Trading Day following the date on which such Holder receives draft materials in accordance with this Section. Each Holder shall provide any additional information as may be reasonably requested by the Company and is necessary for purposes of complying with requirements under applicable securities laws and regulations or rules of any applicable stock exchange where the Common Stock is then listed.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements, to each Registration Statement and each Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep such 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 the resale under the Securities Act of all of the Registrable Securities, (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required prospectus supplement (subject to the terms of this Agreement), and, as so supplemented or amended, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424, (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect to a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto and provide as promptly as reasonably possible to the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to the Commission relating to a Registration Statement (provided that, the Company shall excise any information contained therein that would constitute material non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), and (iv) comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to the terms of this Agreement) 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.
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(c) If during the Effectiveness Period, the number of Registrable Securities at any time exceeds 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock then registered in a Registration Statement, then the Company shall file as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any case prior to the applicable Filing Date, an additional Registration Statement that, together with the existing Registration Statements, covers the resale by the Holders of not less than the number of such Registrable Securities at such time, and thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to have such additional Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act.
(d) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which notice, if given pursuant to clauses (iii) through (vi) hereof, shall be accompanied by an instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes have been made) as promptly as reasonably possible (and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than one (1) Trading Day prior to such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in writing no later than one (1) Trading Day following the day (i) of any of the following (A) when a Prospectus or any prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed to be filed, (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be a “review” of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement (in which case the Company shall provide to each of the Holders true and complete copies of all comments that pertain (x) to such Holder as a “Selling Stockholder” or (y) to the “Plan of Distribution” and all written responses thereto, but not information that the Company believes would constitute material, non-public information, and (C) with respect to a Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to a Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information, (iii) of the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority 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, (iv) 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, (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in a Registration Statement ineligible for inclusion or incorporation by reference 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, and (vi) of the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with respect to the Company that the Company believes may be material and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best interest of the Company to allow continued availability of a Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided, however, that in no event shall any such notice contain any information that would constitute material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
(e) Use commercially reasonable efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued, obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order stopping or 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.
(f) Furnish to each Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each such Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference to the extent requested by such Person, 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, provided that any such item that is available on the XXXXX system (or successor thereto) need not be furnished in physical form.
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(g) Subject to the terms of this Agreement, 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, except after the giving of any notice pursuant to Section 4(d).
(h) Prior to any resale of Registrable Securities by a Holder, use its commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders in connection with the registration or qualification (or exemption from the registration or qualification) of the resale of such Registrable Securities (or, in the case of qualification, of such Registrable Securities for the resale) by the Holder under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder reasonably requests in writing, to keep each registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things reasonably necessary to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities covered by each 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, subject the Company to any material taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject or file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
(i) If requested by a Holder, promptly (and in any event within two (2) Trading Days of such request), at the Company’s sole expense, cooperate with such Holder to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates or book entry statements, as applicable, representing Registrable Securities to be delivered to a transferee pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free, to the extent permitted by the Purchase Agreement, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as any such Holder may request.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 4(d)(iii) through (vi)), as promptly as reasonably possible under the circumstances taking into account the Company’s good faith assessment of any adverse consequences to the Company and its stockholders of the premature disclosure of such event, 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. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses (iii) through (vi) of Section 4(d) above to suspend the use of any Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this Section 4(j) to suspend the availability of a Registration Statement and Prospectus, subject to the payment of partial liquidated damages otherwise required pursuant to Section 2(c), on up to two (2) occasions in any 12-month period for a period not to exceed 45 consecutive calendar days or a total of ninety calendar days, in each case in any such 12-month period. In the event the Company files a Registration Statement on a form other than Form S-3, as permitted hereunder, the Company’s rights under this Section 3(j) shall include suspensions of availability arising from the filing of a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement to update the Prospectus therein to include the information contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, which suspensions may extend for the amount of time reasonably required to respond to any comments of the staff of the Commission on such amendment.
(k) Otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Rule 172 under the Securities Act, file any final Prospectus, including any supplement or amendment thereof, with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, promptly inform the Holders in writing if, at any time during the Effectiveness Period, the Company does not satisfy the conditions specified in Rule 172 and, as a result thereof, the Holders are required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with any disposition of Registrable Securities and take such other actions as may be reasonably necessary to facilitate the registration of the resale of the Registrable Securities.
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(l) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the Company a certified statement as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder and, if required by the Commission, the natural persons thereof that have voting and dispositive control over the shares. During any periods that the Company is unable to meet its obligations hereunder with respect to the registration of the Registrable Securities solely because any Holder fails to furnish such information within three Trading Days of the Company’s request, any liquidated damages that are accruing at such time as to such Holder only shall be tolled and any Event that may otherwise occur solely because of such delay shall be suspended as to such Holder only, until such information is delivered to the Company.
(m) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or market, if any, on which the shares of Common Stock are listed.
(n) The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain eligibility for use of Form S-3 (or any successor form thereto) for the registration of the resale of the Registrable Securities.
5. Registration and Underwritten Offering 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 a Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing sentence shall include (i) all registration and filing fees (including fees, expenses and disbursements of the Company’s counsel and independent registered public accountants) (A) with respect to filings made with the Commission, (B) with respect to filings required to be made with any Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for trading, and (C) in compliance with applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws reasonably agreed to by the Company in writing (including fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities or the resale thereof), (ii) printing expenses (including expenses of printing certificates for Registrable Securities), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel for the Company, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including the Company’s transfer agent. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in connection with the registration and consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including 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. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or similar commissions or any underwriter commissions or expenses of any Holder or, except to the extent provided for in the Transaction Documents, any legal fees or other costs or expenses of the Holders.
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6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Holder and its Affiliates and each of their respective officers, directors, members, partners, agents and other representatives, brokers, employees, shareholders, equity holders (regardless of whether such interests are held directly or indirectly), principals, managers, portfolio managers, trustees, investment advisors, predecessors, successors and assigns, subsidiaries, attorneys and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such any such Holder or any Affiliate thereof (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, partners, agents and other representatives, brokers, employees, shareholders, equity holders (regardless of whether such interests are held directly or indirectly), principals, managers, portfolio managers, trustees, investment advisors, predecessors, successors and assigns, subsidiaries, attorneys and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person (each a “Holder Indemnified Person”), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, costs (including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees), expenses, obligations, contingencies and Proceedings (collectively, “Losses”), joint or several, that any Holder Indemnified Person may suffer or incur, as incurred, in connection with, arising out of, as a result of, relating to or based upon (1) 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, form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading or (2) any violation or alleged violation by the Company or its agents of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder, in connection with the performance or non-performance of its obligations under this Agreement or any action or inaction required of the Company in connection with any registration, except to the extent, that (i) such untrue statements, alleged 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 in any amendment or supplement thereto (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose) or (ii) in the case of an occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 4(d)(iii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated, defective or otherwise unavailable for use by such Holder and prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 7(b) and will reimburse such Holder Indemnified Person for legal and other expenses reasonably incurred as such expenses are incurred by such Holder Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, defending, preparing to defend, providing evidence in, preparing to serve or serving as a witness with respect to, settling, compromising or paying such Loss. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding in connection with, arising out of, as a result of, relating to or based upon the transactions contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of such indemnified person and shall survive the transfer of any Registrable Securities by any of the Holders in accordance with Section 7(e).
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company and its officers, directors, members, partners, agents and other representatives, brokers, employees, shareholders, equity holders (regardless of whether such interests are held directly or indirectly), principals, managers, portfolio managers, trustees, investment advisors, predecessors, successors and assigns, subsidiaries, attorneys and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each of them, each Person who controls such any such Holder or any Affiliate thereof (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers, directors, members, partners, agents and other representatives, brokers, employees, shareholders, equity holders (regardless of whether such interests are held directly or indirectly), principals, managers, portfolio managers, trustees, investment advisors, predecessors, successors and assigns, subsidiaries, attorneys and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles, notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of each such controlling Person (each a “Company Indemnified Person”), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as incurred, to the extent in connection with, arising out of, as a result of, relating to or based solely upon: any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement, any 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 supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading (i) to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information regarding such Holder so furnished in writing by such Holder to the Company expressly for inclusion in such Registration Statement or such Prospectus or (ii) to the extent that such information relates to such Holder’s information provided in the Selling Stockholder Questionnaire or the proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and that was reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in a Registration Statement (it being understood that the Holder has approved Annex A hereto for this purpose), such Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto. In no event shall the aggregate liability of a selling Holder under this Section 6(b) and Section 6(d) be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 6 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
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(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall be brought or asserted against, or any circumstance shall exist which would reasonably be expected to give rise to a demand or claim or the commencement of any Proceeding 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 relating to or 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 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 materially and adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying Party.
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, expenses and disbursements of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such fees, expenses and disbursements, (2) 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 (3) in the reasonable judgment of counsel to such Indemnified Party, representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. In the event of the circumstances described in the foregoing clauses (1)-(3), the fees, expenses and disbursements of such separate counsel and other expenses related to such participation shall be reimbursed by the Indemnifying Party as incurred (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 the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel shall be at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any settlement of or entry of any judgment with respect to any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. No Indemnifying Party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Party, unless such settlement or judgment (i) imposes no liability or obligation on the Indemnified Party, (ii) includes an unconditional release from the party bringing such indemnified claims of such Indemnified Party from all liability in respect of or arising out of on such claims or Proceedings or claims or Proceedings that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and (iii) does not include any admission of fault, culpability, wrongdoing or malfeasance by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all reasonable 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 Trading Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party, provided that the Indemnified Party shall promptly reimburse the Indemnifying Party for that portion of such fees and expenses applicable to such actions for which such Indemnified Party is finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which determination is not subject to appeal or further review) not to be entitled to indemnification hereunder.
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(d) Contribution. If the indemnification under Section 6(a) or 6(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless for any Losses, then each Indemnifying Party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result of such Loss 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 not taken or made by, in the case of an omission), or relates to information supplied by (or not supplied by, in the case of an omission), or on behalf of, 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; provided, however, that no Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. 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 this Agreement, any reasonable attorneys’ or other fees, charges 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.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6(d) 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. In no event shall the contribution obligation of a Holder of Registrable Securities be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 6 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission) received by it upon the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such contribution obligation.
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 6(d) are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the Indemnified Parties and are not in diminution or limitation of the indemnification provisions under the Purchase Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, in no event shall the aggregate liability of a selling Holder under Section 6(b) and this Section 6(d) be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds (net of all expenses paid by such Holder in connection with any claim relating to this Section 5 and the amount of any damages such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission) received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
7. Miscellaneous.
(a) Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Holders and the Company will be entitled to specific performance and injunctive or other equitable relief under this Agreement, without the necessity of posting a bond. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in this Agreement and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, each party hereto agrees that it shall not have a remedy of punitive or consequential damages against the other and hereby waives any right or claim to punitive or consequential damages it may now have or may arise in the future.
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(b) Discontinued Disposition. By its acquisition of Registrable Securities, each Holder agrees that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 4(d)(iii) through (vi), such Holder will, subject to the limitations on suspension of the use of a Registration Statement or Prospectus contained therein set forth in Section 4, forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities under a Registration Statement until it is advised in writing (the “Advice”) by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus (as it may have been supplemented or amended) may be resumed. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as is practicable. The Company agrees and acknowledges that any periods during which the Holder is required to discontinue the disposition hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2(c).
(c) Amendments and Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of a supplement, amendment or modification, by the Company and Holders of 50.1% or more of the then outstanding Registrable Securities (including Registrable Securities issuable upon exercise or conversion of any Security) (or, prior to the Closing, the Company and each Purchaser) or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Holder (or subset of Holders), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Holder (or each member of such subset of Holders) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Holder (or subset of Holders) relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Holders shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Holder (or each member of such subset of Holders). Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 7(c) shall be binding upon each Holder. If a Registration Statement does not register all of the Registrable Securities pursuant to a waiver or amendment done in compliance with the previous sentence, then the number of Registrable Securities to be registered for each Holder shall be reduced pro rata among all Holders and each Holder shall have the right to designate which of its Registrable Securities shall be omitted from such Registration Statement. 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 a Holder or some Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given only by such Holder or Holders of all 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 first sentence of this Section 7(c). No consideration shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to this Agreement.
(d) 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.
(e) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon and enforceable by the successors and permitted assigns of each of the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not assign (except by merger) its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of all of the Holders of the then outstanding Registrable Securities. Each Holder may assign their respective rights hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under Section 5.7 of the Purchase Agreement. This Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be enforceable by any other person.
(f) Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., xxx.xxxxxxxx.xxx) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
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(g) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Purchase Agreement and Sections 5.8 and 5.19 of the Purchase Agreement are hereby incorporated herein mutatis mutandi.
(h) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are cumulative and not exclusive of any other remedies provided by law.
(i) 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 commercially 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.
(j) Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.
(k) Independent Nature of Holders’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Holder hereunder are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Holder hereunder, and no Holder shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Holder hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Holder pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Holders as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Holders are in any way acting in concert or as a group (including a “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) or entity with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Holders are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or transactions. Each Holder shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any other Holder to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. Each Holder has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. The Company has elected to provide all Holders with the same terms and Agreement for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Holders. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement is between the Company and a Holder, solely, and not between the Company and the Holders collectively and not between and among Holders.
(l) 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. 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.
(m) Construction. Wherever required by the context of this Agreement, the singular shall include the plural and vice versa, and the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders and vice versa, and references to any agreement, document or instrument shall be deemed to refer to such agreement, document or instrument as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time. All article, section, paragraph or clause references not attributed to a particular document shall be references to such parts of this Agreement, and all exhibit, annex, letter and schedule references not attributed to a particular document shall be references to such exhibits, annexes, letters and schedules to this Agreement. In addition, the word “or” is not exclusive; the words “including,” “includes,” “included” and “include” are deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”; and the terms “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph or subdivision.
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(n) Current Public Information. With a view to making available to the Holders the benefits of Rule 144 (or its successor rule) and any other rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit the Holders to sell shares of Common Stock to the public without registration, the Company covenants and agrees to: (i) make and keep adequate current public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144, until the earlier of (A) six months after the date as all of the Registrable Securities may be sold without restriction by the holders hereof pursuant to Rule 144 or any other rule of similar effect and (B) such date as there are no longer Registrable Securities; (ii) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act; and (iii) furnish electronically to each Holder upon request, as long as such Holder owns any Registrable Securities, (A) a written statement by the Company that it has complied with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, (B) a copy of or electronic access to the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and (C) such other information as may be reasonably requested in order to avail such Holder of any rule or regulation of the Commission that permits the selling of any such Registrable Securities without registration.
(Signature Pages Follow)
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In Witness Whereof, the parties have executed this Registration Rights Agreement as of the date first written above.
VYNE Therapeutics Inc. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS FOLLOWS]
[SIGNATURE PAGE OF HOLDERS TO RRA]
Name of Holder: |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: |
Name of Authorized Signatory: |
Title of Authorized Signatory: |
Annex A
Plan of Distribution
Each selling stockholder of the securities and any of their pledgees, assignees, donees, transferees or other successors-in-interest (each, a “Selling Stockholder” and collectively, the “Selling Stockholders”) may, from time to time, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any or all of their securities covered hereby on the principal Trading Market or any other stock exchange, market or trading facility on which the securities are traded or in private transactions. These sales may be at fixed or negotiated prices. A Selling Stockholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling securities:
· | ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which the broker-dealer solicits purchasers; |
· | block trades in which the broker-dealer will attempt to sell the securities as agent but may position and resell a portion of the block as principal to facilitate the transaction; |
· | purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its account; |
· | to or through underwriters; |
· | an exchange distribution in accordance with the rules of the applicable exchange; |
· | privately negotiated transactions; |
· | settlement of short sales entered into after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part; |
· | in transactions through broker-dealers that agree with the Selling Stockholders to sell a specified number of such securities at a stipulated price per security; |
· | through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether through an options exchange or otherwise; |
· | through the distribution of the securities by any Selling Stockholder to its partners, members or stockholders; |
· | directly to one or more purchasers; |
· | through delayed delivery requirements; |
· | by pledge to secured debts and other obligations or any transfer upon the foreclosure under such pledges; |
· | a combination of any such methods of sale; or |
· | any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law. |
The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities under Rule 144 or any other exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), if available, rather than under this prospectus.
Annex-1
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 securities, from the purchaser) in amounts to be negotiated, but, except as set forth in a supplement to this Prospectus, in the case of an agency transaction not in excess of a customary brokerage commission in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121; and in the case of a principal transaction a markup or markdown in compliance with FINRA Rule 2121.
In connection with the sale of the securities or interests therein, the Selling Stockholders may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions, which may in turn engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume. The Selling Stockholders may also sell securities short and deliver these securities to close out their short positions, or loan or pledge the securities to broker-dealers that in turn may sell these securities. The Selling Stockholders may also enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or create one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of securities offered by this prospectus, which securities such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell pursuant to this prospectus (as supplemented or amended to reflect such transaction). The Selling Stockholders also may transfer the securities in other circumstances in which the transferees, pledgees, donees 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 securities may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with such sales (it being understood that the Selling Stockholders shall not be deemed to be underwriters solely as a result of their participation in this offering). In such event, any commissions received by such broker-dealers or agents and any profit on the resale of the securities purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. Each Selling Stockholder has informed the Company that it does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the securities.
The Company is required to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the Company incident to the registration of the securities. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling Stockholders against certain losses, claims, damages and liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
We agreed to keep this prospectus effective until the earlier of (i) the date on which the securities may be resold by the Selling Stockholders without registration and without regard to any volume or manner-of-sale limitations by reason of Rule 144, or (ii) all of the securities have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other rule of similar effect. The resale securities will be sold only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers if required under applicable state securities laws. In addition, in certain states, the resale securities covered hereby may not be sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in the applicable state or an exemption from the registration or qualification requirement is available and is complied with.
Under applicable rules and regulations under the Exchange Act, any person engaged in the distribution of the resale securities may not simultaneously engage in market making activities with respect to the common stock for the applicable restricted period, as defined in Regulation M, prior to the commencement of the distribution. In addition, the Selling Stockholders will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of the common stock by the Selling Stockholders or any other person. We will make copies of this prospectus available to the Selling Stockholders and have informed them of the need to deliver a copy of this prospectus to each purchaser at or prior to the time of the sale (including by compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
The common stock being offered by the selling stockholders are those previously issued to the Selling Stockholders, and those issuable to the Selling Stockholders, upon exercise of the warrants. For additional information regarding the issuances of those shares of common stock and warrants, see “Private Placement of Common Shares and Warrants” above. We are registering the offer and resale of the shares of common stock in order to permit the Selling Stockholders to offer the shares for resale from time to time. Except for the ownership of the shares of common stock and the warrants, the Selling Stockholders have not had any material relationship with us within the past three years.
Annex A-2
The table below lists the Selling Stockholders and other information regarding the beneficial ownership of the shares of common stock by each of the Selling Stockholders. The second column lists the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by each Selling Stockholder, based on its ownership of the shares of common stock and warrants, as of ________, 2023, assuming exercise of the warrants held by the Selling Stockholders on that date.
The third column lists the shares of common stock being offered by this prospectus by the Selling Stockholders.
In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement with the Selling Stockholders, this prospectus generally covers the resale of the sum of (i) the number of shares of common stock issued to the Selling Stockholders in the “Private Placement of Common Shares and Warrants” described above and (ii) the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the related warrants, determined as if the outstanding warrants were exercised in full as of the trading day immediately preceding the date this registration statement was initially filed with the SEC, each as of the trading day immediately preceding the applicable date of determination and all subject to adjustment as provided in the registration right agreement, without regard to any limitations on the exercise of the warrants. The fourth reflects the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by each Selling Stockholder, assuming the sale of all of the shares offered by the Selling Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus.
Under the terms of the warrants, a Selling Stockholders may not exercise the warrants to the extent such exercise would cause such Selling Stockholders, together with its affiliates and attribution parties, to beneficially own a number of shares of common stock which would exceed 4.99% or 9.99%, as applicable, of our then outstanding common stock following such exercise, excluding for purposes of such determination shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants which have not been exercised. The number of shares in the second and fourth columns do not reflect this limitation. The Selling Stockholders may sell all, some or none of their shares in this offering. See “Plan of Distribution.”
Name of Selling |
Number of
shares of |
Maximum Number
of |
Number of
shares of | |||
Annex A-3
Annex B
VYNE THERAPEUTICS INC.
Selling Stockholder Notice and Questionnaire
The undersigned beneficial owner of Common Stock (the “Registrable Securities”) of VYNE Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), understands that the Company has filed or intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) for the registration under Rule 415 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the resale of the Registrable Securities, in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 27, 2023 to which the Company and the undersigned are parties (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is available from the Company upon request at the address set forth below. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Certain legal consequences arise from being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus. Accordingly, holders and beneficial owners of Registrable Securities are advised to consult their own securities law counsel regarding the consequences of being named or not being named as a selling stockholder in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus.
NOTICE
The undersigned beneficial owner (the “Selling Stockholder”) of Registrable Securities hereby elects to include the Registrable Securities owned by it in the Registration Statement.
The undersigned hereby provides the following information to the Company and represents and warrants that such information is accurate as of the date hereof:
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. | Name. |
(a) | Full Legal Name of Selling Stockholder | |
(b) | Full Legal Name of Registered Holder (if not the same as (a) above) through which Registrable Securities are held: | |
(c) | Full Legal Name of Natural Control Person (which means a natural person who directly or indirectly alone or with others has power to vote or dispose of the securities covered by this Questionnaire): | |
Annex B-1
2. | Address for Notices to Selling Stockholder: |
Telephone: | |
E-mail: | |
Contact Person: |
3. | Broker-Dealer Status: |
(a) | Are you a broker-dealer? |
Yes ¨ No ¨
(b) | If “yes” to Section 3(a), did you receive your Registrable Securities as compensation for investment banking services to the Company? |
Yes ¨ No ¨
Note: | If “no” to Section 3(b), the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement. |
(c) | Are you an affiliate of a broker-dealer? |
Yes ¨ No ¨
(d) | If you are an affiliate of a broker-dealer, do you certify that you purchased the Registrable Securities in the ordinary course of business, and at the time of the purchase of the Registrable Securities to be resold, you had no agreements or understandings, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the Registrable Securities? |
Yes ¨ No ¨
Note: | If “no” to Section 3(d), the Commission’s staff has indicated that you should be identified as an underwriter in the Registration Statement. |
Annex B-2
4. | Beneficial Ownership of Securities of the Company Owned by the Selling Stockholder. |
Except as set forth below in this Item 4, the undersigned is not the beneficial or registered owner of any securities of the Company other than the securities issuable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
(a) | Type and Amount of other Company securities beneficially owned by the Selling Stockholder: | |
5. | Relationships with the Company: |
Except as set forth below, the undersigned has not held any position or office or had any other material relationship with the Company (or its predecessors or affiliates) during the past three years.
State any exceptions here:
The undersigned agrees to promptly notify the Company of any material inaccuracies or changes in the information provided herein that may occur subsequent to the date hereof at any time while the Registration Statement remains effective; provided, that the undersigned shall not be required to notify the Company of any changes to the number of securities held or owned by the undersigned or its affiliates.
By signing below, the undersigned consents to the disclosure of the information contained herein in its answers to Items 1 through 5 and the inclusion of such information in the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, to the extent (but only to the extent) required by Regulation S-K. The undersigned understands that such information will be relied upon by the Company in connection with the preparation or amendment of the Registration Statement and the related prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto.
In Witness Whereof the undersigned, by authority duly given, has caused this Notice and Questionnaire to be executed and delivered either in person or by its duly authorized agent.
Date: | ||
Date: | Beneficial Owner: | |||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
PLEASE EMAIL A .PDF COPY OF THE COMPLETED AND EXECUTED NOTICE AND QUESTIONNAIRE TO:
Annex B-3