EXHIBIT 10.48
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
(Directors)
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into this ____ day of _____________,
1999 between Sequenom, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Corporation"), whose
address is 00000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 and
__________________ ("Director"), whose address is __________________.
RECITALS:
A. WHEREAS, Director, a member of the Board of Directors of Corporation,
performs a valuable service in such capacity for Corporation; and
B. WHEREAS, the Certificate of Incorporation of Corporation authorizes and
permits contracts between Corporation and the members of its Board of Directors
with respect to indemnification of such directors; and
C. WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Corporation have adopted Bylaws (the
"Bylaws") providing for the indemnification of the officers, directors, agents
and employees of Corporation to the maximum extent authorized by Section 145 of
the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the "Law"); and
D. WHEREAS, the Bylaws and the Law, as amended and in effect from time to
time or any successor or other statutes of Delaware having similar import and
effect, currently purports to be the controlling law governing Corporation with
respect to certain aspects of corporate law, including indemnification of
directors and officers; and
E. WHEREAS, in accordance with the authorization provided by the Law,
Corporation may from time to time purchase and maintain a policy or policies of
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance ("D & O Insurance"), covering certain
liabilities which may be incurred by its directors and officers in the
performance of services as directors and officers of Corporation; and
F. WHEREAS, as a result of developments affecting the terms, scope and
availability of D & O Insurance there exists general uncertainty as to the
extent and overall desirability of protection afforded members of the Board of
Directors by such D & O Insurance, if any, and by statutory and bylaw
indemnification provisions; and
G. WHEREAS, in order to induce Director to continue to serve as a member
of the Board of Directors of Corporation, Corporation has determined and agreed
to enter into this contract with Director.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Director's continued service as a
director after the date hereof, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. The following terms used in this Agreement shall
have the meanings set forth below. Other terms are defined where appropriate in
this Agreement.
(a) "Disinterested Director" shall mean a director of Corporation who
is not or was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification
is being sought by Director.
(b) "Expenses" shall include all direct and indirect costs
(including, without limitation, attorneys' fees, retainers, court costs,
transcripts, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs,
printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees,
all other disbursements or out-of-pocket expenses and reasonable compensation
for time spent by Director for which he or she is otherwise not compensated by
Corporation) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a Proceeding or
establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement,
applicable law or otherwise; provided, however, that "Expenses" shall not
include any Liabilities.
(c) "Final Adverse Determination" shall mean that a determination
that Director is not entitled to indemnification shall have been made pursuant
to Section 5 hereof and either (i) a final adjudication in a Delaware court or
decision of an arbitrator pursuant to Section 13(a) hereof shall have denied
Director's right to indemnification hereunder, or (ii) Director shall have
failed to file a complaint in a Delaware court or seek an arbitrator's award
pursuant to Section 13(a) for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days after
the determination made pursuant to Section 5 hereof.
(d) "Independent Legal Counsel" shall mean a law firm or member of a
law firm selected by Corporation and approved by Director (which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld) and that neither is presently nor in the past five
years has been retained to represent: (i) Corporation, in any material matter,
or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for
indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Independent
Legal Counsel" shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards
of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in
representing either Corporation or Director in an action to determine Director's
right to indemnification under this Agreement.
(e) "Liabilities" shall mean liabilities of any type whatsoever
including, but not limited to, any judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and
penalties, and penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect
of such judgments, fines, penalties or amounts paid in settlement) of any
proceeding.
(f) "Proceeding" shall mean any threatened, pending or completed
action, claim, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution mechanism,
investigation, administrative
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hearing or any other proceeding whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, including any appeal therefrom.
(g) "Change of Control" shall mean the occurrence of any of the
following events after the date of this Agreement:
(i) A change in the composition of the Board of Directors of
Corporation (the "Board"), as a result of which fewer than two-thirds (2/3) of
the incumbent directors are directors who either (1) had been directors of
Corporation twenty-four (24) months prior to such change or (2) were elected, or
nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a
majority of the directors who had been directors of Corporation 24 months prior
to such change and who were still in office at the time of the election or
nomination; or
(ii) Any "person" (as such term is used in section 13(d) and
14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) through the
acquisition or aggregation of securities is or becomes the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of securities of Corporation representing twenty percent
(20%) or more of the combined voting power of Corporation's then outstanding
securities ordinarily (and apart from rights accruing under special
circumstances) having the right to vote at elections of directors (the "Capital
Stock"), except that any change in ownership of Corporation's securities by any
person resulting solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding
shares of Capital Stock, and any decrease thereafter in such person's ownership
of securities, shall be disregarded until such person increases in any manner,
directly or indirectly, such person's beneficial ownership of any securities of
Corporation.
2. INDEMNITY OF DIRECTOR. Corporation hereby agrees to hold harmless and
indemnify Director to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the
provisions of the Law, as may be amended from time to time.
3. ADDITIONAL INDEMNITY. Subject only to the exclusions set forth in
Section 4 hereof, Corporation hereby further agrees to hold harmless and
indemnify Director:
(a) against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees), witness
fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by Director in connection with any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (including an action by or in the right of Corporation) to which
Director is, was or at any time becomes a party, or is threatened to be made a
party, by reason of the fact that Director is, was or at any time becomes a
director, officer, employee or agent of Corporation, or is or was serving or at
any time serves at the request of Corporation as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise; and
(b) otherwise to the fullest extent as may be provided to Director by
Corporation under the non-exclusivity provisions of the Bylaws of Corporation
and the Law.
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4. LIMITATIONS ON ADDITIONAL INDEMNITY. No indemnity pursuant to Section
3 hereof shall be paid by Corporation:
(a) except to the extent the aggregate of losses to be indemnified
thereunder exceeds the sum of such losses for which the Director is indemnified
pursuant to Section 2 hereof or reimbursed pursuant to any D & O Insurance
purchased and maintained by Corporation;
(b) in respect of remuneration paid to Director if it shall be
determined by a final judgment or other final adjudication that such
remuneration was in violation of law;
(c) on account of any action, suit or proceeding in which judgment is
rendered against Director for an accounting of profits made from the purchase or
sale by Director of securities of Corporation pursuant to the provisions of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments thereto or
similar provisions of any federal, state or local statutory law;
(d) on account of Director's conduct which is finally adjudged to
have been knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest, or to constitute
willful misconduct if such conduct has been established by a judgment or other
final adjudication adverse to Director (an "Adverse Judgment");
(e) provided there has been no Change of Control, on account of or
arising in response to any action, suit or proceeding (other than an action,
suit or proceeding referred to in Section 14(b) hereof) initiated by Director or
any of Director's affiliates against Corporation or any officer, director or
stockholder of Corporation unless such action, suit or proceeding was authorized
in the specific case by action of the Board of Directors of Corporation; or
(f) if a final decision by a Court having jurisdiction in the matter
shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful.
5. PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINATION OF ENTITLEMENT TO INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Whenever Director believes that he or she is entitled to
indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, Director shall submit a written
request for indemnification to Corporation. Any request for indemnification
shall include sufficient documentation or information reasonably available to
Director to support his or her claim for indemnification. Director shall submit
his or her claim for indemnification within a reasonable time not to exceed five
years after any judgment, order, settlement, dismissal, arbitration award,
conviction, acceptance of a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, final
termination or other disposition or partial disposition of any Proceeding,
whichever is the later date for which Director requests indemnification. The
President or the Secretary or other appropriate officer shall, promptly upon
receipt of Director's request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors
in writing that Director has made such a request. Determination of Director's
entitlement to indemnification
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shall be made not later than ninety (90) days after Corporation's receipt of his
or her written request for such indemnification.
(b) The Director shall be entitled to select the forum in which
Director's request for indemnification will be heard, which selection shall be
included in the written request for indemnification required in Section 5(a).
This forum shall be any one of the following:
(i) The stockholders of Corporation;
(ii) A quorum of the Board of Directors consisting of
Disinterested Directors;
(iii) Independent Legal Counsel, who shall make the
determination in a written opinion; or
(iv) A panel of three arbitrators, one selected by Corporation,
another by Director and the third by the first two arbitrators selected. If for
any reason three arbitrators are not selected within thirty (30) days after the
appointment of the first arbitrator, then selection of additional arbitrators
shall be made by the American Arbitration Association. If any arbitrator resigns
or is unable to serve in such capacity for any reason, the American Arbitration
Association shall select his or her replacement. The arbitration shall be
conducted pursuant to the commercial arbitration rules of the American
Arbitration Association now in effect.
If Director fails to make such designation, his or her claim shall be
determined by the forum selected by Corporation.
6. PRESUMPTION AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS. Upon making a request
for indemnification, Director shall be presumed to be entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement and Corporation shall have the burden of
proof to overcome that presumption in reaching any contrary determination. The
termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, arbitration award
or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent shall not
affect this presumption or, except as may be provided in Section 4 hereof,
establish a presumption with regard to any factual matter relevant to
determining Director's rights to indemnification hereunder. If the person or
persons so empowered to make a determination pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof
shall have failed to make the requested determination within thirty (30) days
after any judgment, order, settlement, dismissal, arbitration award, conviction,
acceptance of a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, or other disposition
or partial disposition of any Proceeding or any other event which could enable
Corporation to determine Director's entitlement to indemnification, the
requisite determination that Director is entitled to indemnification shall be
deemed to have been made.
7. CONTRIBUTION. If the indemnification provided in Sections 2 and 3 is
unavailable and may not be paid to Director for any reason other than those set
forth in Section 4, then in respect of any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding in which Corporation is or is alleged to be jointly
liable with Director (or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding),
Corporation shall contribute to the amount of expenses (including
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attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Director in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by Corporation on the
one hand and Director on the other hand from the transaction from which such
action, suit or proceeding arose, and (ii) the relative fault of Corporation on
the one hand and of Director on the other hand in connection with the events
which resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of
Corporation on the one hand and of Director on the other shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances
resulting in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts. Corporation
agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the foregoing equitable
considerations.
8. INSURANCE AND FUNDING. Corporation hereby represents and warrants
that it shall purchase and maintain insurance to protect itself and/or Director
against any Expenses and Liabilities in connection with any Proceeding to the
fullest extent permitted by the Law. In the event of a Change of Control,
Corporation shall establish a letter of credit, as provided in Section 9, to
ensure the payment of such amounts as may be necessary to effect indemnification
or advancement of Expenses as provided in this Agreement.
9. LETTER OF CREDIT.
(a) In order to secure the obligations of Corporation to indemnify
and advance Expenses to Director pursuant to this Agreement, Corporation shall
obtain at the time of any Change of Control, upon request of any director, an
irrevocable standby letter of credit naming the directors of the Corporation in
office at the time of a Change of Control as joint beneficiaries (the "Letter of
Credit"). The Letter of Credit shall be in an appropriate amount not less than
two million dollars ($2,000,000), shall be issued by a commercial bank
headquartered in the United States having assets in excess of $10 billion and
capital according to its most recent published reports equal to or greater than
the then applicable minimum capital standards promulgated by such bank's primary
federal regulator and shall contain terms and conditions reasonably acceptable
to all directors. The Letter of Credit shall provide that Director may from time
to time draw certain amounts thereunder, upon written certification by Director
to the issuer of the Letter of Credit that (i) Director has made written request
upon Corporation for an amount not less than the amount he or she is drawing
under the Letter of Credit and that Corporation has failed or refused to provide
him with such amount in full within thirty (30) days after receipt of the
request, and (ii) Director believes that he or she is entitled under the terms
of this Agreement to the amount which he or she is drawing upon under the Letter
of Credit. The issuance of the Letter of Credit shall not, in any way, diminish
Corporation's obligation to indemnify Director against Expenses and Liabilities
to the full extent required by this Agreement.
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(b) Once Corporation has obtained the Letter of Credit, Corporation
shall maintain and renew the Letter of Credit or substitute letter of credit
meeting the criteria of Section 9(a) during the term of this Agreement so that
the Letter of Credit shall have an initial term of five years, be renewed for
successive five-year terms, and always have at least one year of its term
remaining.
10. CONTINUATION OF OBLIGATIONS. All agreements and obligations of
Corporation contained herein shall continue during the period Director is a
director, officer, employee or agent of Corporation (or is or was serving at the
request of Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Director shall be subject
to any possible claim or threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal or investigative, by reason of the fact that
Director was serving Corporation or such other entity in any capacity referred
to herein.
11. NOTIFICATION AND DEFENSE OF CLAIM. Promptly after receipt by Director
of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, Director will,
if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against Corporation under this
Agreement, notify Corporation of the commencement thereof; but the omission so
to notify Corporation will not relieve it from any liability which it may have
to Director otherwise than under this Agreement. With respect to any such
action, suit or proceeding as to which Director notifies Corporation of the
commencement thereof:
(a) Corporation will be entitled to participate therein at its own
expense;
(b) Except as otherwise provided below, to the extent that it may
wish, Corporation jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified
will be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to Director. After notice from Corporation to Director of its
election to assume the defense thereof, Corporation will not be liable to
Director under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by Director in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation or as otherwise provided below. Director shall
have the right to employ his or her own counsel in such action, suit or
proceeding but the fees and expenses of such counsel incurred after notice from
Corporation of its assumption of the defense thereof shall be at the expense of
Director unless (i) the employment of counsel by Director has been authorized by
Corporation, (ii) Director shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a
conflict of interest between Corporation and Director in the conduct of the
defense of such action or (iii) Corporation shall not in fact have employed
counsel to assume the defense of such action, in each of which cases the fees
and expenses of Director's separate counsel shall be at the expense of
Corporation. Corporation shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any
action, suit or proceeding brought by or on behalf of Corporation or as to which
Director shall have made the conclusion provided for in (ii) above; and
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(c) Provided there has been no Change of Control, Corporation shall
not be liable to indemnify Director under this Agreement for any amounts paid in
settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Corporation shall be permitted to
settle any action except that it shall not settle any action or claim in any
manner which would impose any penalty, out-of-pocket liability, or limitation on
Director without Director's written consent.
12. ADVANCEMENT AND REPAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
(a) In the event that Director employs his or her own counsel
pursuant to Section 11(b)(i) through (iii) above, Corporation shall advance to
Director, prior to any final disposition of any threatened or pending action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative,
any and all reasonable expenses (including legal fees and expenses) incurred in
investigating or defending any such action, suit or proceeding within ten (10)
days after receiving copies of invoices presented to Director for such expenses.
(b) Director agrees that Director will reimburse Corporation for all
reasonable expenses paid by Corporation in defending any civil or criminal
action, suit or proceeding against Director in the event and only to the extent
it shall be ultimately determined by a final judicial decision (from which there
is no right of appeal) that Director is not entitled, under the provisions of
the Law, the Bylaws, this Agreement or otherwise, to be indemnified by
Corporation for such expenses.
13. REMEDIES OF DIRECTOR.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination pursuant to Section 5
hereof is made that Director is not entitled to indemnification, (ii) advances
of Expenses are not made pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) payment has not been
timely made following a determination of entitlement to indemnification pursuant
to this Agreement, or (iv) Director otherwise seeks enforcement of this
Agreement, Director shall be entitled to a final adjudication in an appropriate
court of his or her rights. Alternatively, Director at his or her option may
seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to
the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association now in
effect, whose decision is to be made within ninety (90) days following the
filing of the demand for arbitration. The Corporation shall not oppose
Director's right to seek any such adjudication or arbitration award.
(b) In the event that a determination that Director is not entitled
to indemnification, in whole or in part, has been made pursuant to Section 5
hereof, the decision in the judicial proceeding or arbitration provided in
paragraph (a) of this Section 13 shall be made de novo and Director shall not be
prejudiced by reason of a determination that he or she is not entitled to
indemnification.
(c) If a determination that Director is entitled to indemnification
has been made pursuant to Section 5 hereof or otherwise pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement, Corporation shall be bound by such determination in the absence
of (i) a misrepresentation of a
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material fact by Director or (ii) a specific finding (which has become final) by
an appropriate court that all or any part of such indemnification is expressly
prohibited by law.
(d) In any court proceeding pursuant to this Section 13, Corporation
shall be precluded from asserting that the procedures and presumptions of this
Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable. The Corporation shall
stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that Corporation is
bound by all the provisions of this Agreement and is precluded from making any
assertion to the contrary.
(e) Expenses reasonably incurred by Director in connection with his
or her request for indemnification under this Agreement, meeting enforcement of
this Agreement or to recover damages for breach of this Agreement shall be borne
by Corporation.
(f) Corporation and Director agree herein that a monetary remedy for
breach of this Agreement, at some later date, will be inadequate, impracticable
and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach would cause Director
irreparable harm. Accordingly, Corporation and Director agree that Director
shall be entitled to temporary and permanent injunctive relief to enforce this
Agreement without the necessity of proving actual damages or irreparable harm.
The Corporation and Director further agree that Director shall be entitled to
such injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary
injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bond or
other undertaking in connection therewith. Any such requirement of bond or
undertaking is hereby waived by Corporation, and Corporation acknowledges that
in the absence of such a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required by the
court.
14. ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Corporation expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered
into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on Corporation hereby in
order to induce Director to continue as a director of Corporation, and
acknowledges that Director is relying upon this Agreement in continuing in such
capacity.
(b) In the event Director is required to bring any action to enforce
rights or to collect moneys due under this Agreement and is successful in such
action, the Corporation shall reimburse Director for all Director's reasonable
fees and expenses in bringing and pursuing such action.
15. SEPARABILITY. Each of the provisions of this Agreement is a separate
and distinct agreement and independent of the others, so that if any or all of
the provisions hereof shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent
for any reason, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the
validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof, or the obligation of
the Corporation to indemnify the Director to the full extent provided by the
Bylaws or the Law, and the affected provision shall be construed and enforced so
as to effectuate the parties' intent to the maximum extent possible.
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16. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted
and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware.
17. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Corporation and Director each
irrevocably consent to jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware for
all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or
relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the State of Delaware.
18. BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement shall be binding upon Director and
upon Corporation, its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Director, his or her heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives
and assigns and to the benefit of Corporation, its successors and assigns.
19. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement represents the entire agreement
between the parties hereto and there are no other agreements, contracts or
understandings between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of
this Agreement, except as specifically referred to herein. This Agreement
supersedes any and all agreements regarding indemnification heretofore entered
into by the parties.
20. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. No amendment, modification, waiver,
termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective for any purpose
unless set forth in writing signed by both parties hereto.
21. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement,
Corporation shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the
rights of recovery of Director, who shall execute all documents required and
shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable
Corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
22. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on Director by this
Agreement shall not be exclusive of any other right which Director may have or
hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of Corporation's Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or directors, or
otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in
another capacity while holding office.
23. SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS. The rights conferred on Director by this
Agreement shall continue after Director has ceased to be a director, officer,
employee or other agent of Corporation or such other entity and shall inure to
the benefit of Director's heirs, executors and administrators.
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24. NOTICES. All notices, requests, demands and other communications
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be addressed to Director or to
Corporation, as the case may be, at the address shown on page 1 of this
Agreement, or to such other address as may have been furnished by either party
to the other, and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by
hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication
shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so
mailed.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and
as of the day and year first above written.
DIRECTOR: CORPORATION:
SEQUENOM, INC.
___________________________________ By:___________________________________
(Signature) (Signature)
___________________________________ ______________________________________
Printed Name Printed Name and Title
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