NEOSE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
2,500,000 SHARES(1)
COMMON STOCK
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
March __, 2000
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
U.S. BANCORP XXXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX XXXXXX READ LLC
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Neose Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the
Company), proposes to issue and sell 2,500,000 shares of its authorized but
unissued Common Stock, $.01 par value (herein called the Common Stock), (said
2,500,000 shares of Common Stock being herein called the Underwritten Stock).
The Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters (as hereinafter defined) an
option to purchase up to 375,000 additional shares of Common Stock (herein
called the Option Stock and with the Underwritten Stock herein collectively
called the Stock). The Common Stock is more fully described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus hereinafter mentioned.
The Company hereby confirms the agreements made with respect to the
purchase of the Stock by the several underwriters, for whom you are acting,
named in Schedule I hereto (herein collectively called the Underwriters, which
term shall also include any underwriter purchasing Stock pursuant to Section
3(b) hereof). You represent and warrant that you have been authorized by each of
the other Underwriters to enter into this Agreement on its behalf and to act for
it in the manner herein provided.
1. REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Company has filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (herein called the Commission) a registration statement on
Form S-3 (No. 333-30148), including the related preliminary prospectus, for the
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (herein called the
Securities Act) of the Stock. Copies of
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(1) Plus an option to purchase from the Company up to 375,000 additional shares
to cover over-allotments.
such registration statement and of each amendment thereto, if any, including the
related preliminary prospectus (meeting the requirements of Rule 430A of the
rules and regulations of the Commission) heretofore filed by the Company with
the Commission have been delivered to you.
The term Registration Statement as used in this agreement shall mean such
registration statement, including all documents incorporated by reference
therein, all exhibits and financial statements, all information omitted
therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the Prospectus referred to
below, in the form in which it became effective, and any registration statement
filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission
with respect to the Stock (herein called a Rule 462(b) registration statement),
and, in the event of any amendment thereto after the effective date of such
registration statement (herein called the Effective Date), shall also mean (from
and after the effectiveness of such amendment) such registration statement as so
amended (including any Rule 462(b) registration statement). The term Prospectus
as used in this Agreement shall mean the prospectus, including the documents
incorporated therein, relating to the Stock first filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A (or if no such filing is required, as
included in the Registration Statement) and, in the event of any supplement or
amendment to such prospectus after the Effective Date, shall also mean (from and
after the filing with the Commission of such supplement or the effectiveness of
such amendment) such prospectus as so supplemented or amended. The term
Preliminary Prospectus as used in this Agreement shall mean each preliminary
prospectus, including the documents incorporated therein, included in such
registration statement prior to the time it becomes effective.
The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the Securities
Act, and no post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been
filed as of the date of this Agreement. The Company has caused to be delivered
to you copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and has consented to the use of
such copies for the purposes permitted by the Securities Act.
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
(a) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries hereby represents and warrants
as follows:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, has full corporate power and authority to own or lease its
properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus and as being conducted, and is duly qualified
as a foreign corporation and in good standing in all jurisdictions in which
the character of the property owned or leased or the nature of the business
transacted by it makes qualification necessary (except where the failure to
be so qualified would not have a material adverse effect on the business,
properties, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and
its subsidiaries, taken as a whole).
(ii) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any
materially adverse change in the business, properties, financial condition
or results of operations of the
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Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from
transactions in the ordinary course of business, other than as set forth in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and since such dates, except
in the ordinary course of business, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has entered into any material transaction not referred to in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(iii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply, and on the
Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and any later date on which Option
Stock is to be purchased, the Prospectus will comply, in all material
respects, with the provisions of the Securities Act [and the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (herein called the Exchange Act)] and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; on the Effective Date,
the Registration Statement did not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact and did not omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading; and, on the Effective Date the Prospectus did not and, on the
Closing Date and any later date on which Option Stock is to be purchased,
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided, however, that none of the representations and warranties in this
subparagraph (iii) shall apply to statements in, or omissions from, the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information herein or otherwise furnished in writing to the
Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters for use in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus.
(iv) The Stock will be, when issued and sold to the Underwriters as
provided herein, duly and validly authorized and issued, fully paid and
nonassessable and conforms to the description thereof in the Prospectus. No
further approval or authority of the stockholders or the Board of Directors
of the Company will be required for the issuance and sale of the Stock as
contemplated herein.
3. PURCHASE OF THE STOCK BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
(a) On the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the
terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell
2,500,000 shares of the Underwritten Stock to the several Underwriters, and each
of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company the respective aggregate
number of shares of Underwritten Stock set forth opposite its name in Schedule
I. The price at which such shares of Underwritten Stock shall be sold by the
Company and purchased by the several Underwriters shall be $___ per share. The
obligation of each Underwriter to the Company shall be to purchase from the
Company that number of shares of the Underwritten Stock which represents the
same proportion of the total number of shares of the Underwritten Stock to be
sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement as the number of shares of the
Underwritten Stock set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I
hereto represents of the total number of shares of the Underwritten Stock to be
purchased by all Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, as adjusted by you in
such manner as you deem advisable to avoid fractional shares. In making this
Agreement, each Underwriter is contracting severally and not jointly; except as
provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Section 3, the agreement of each
Underwriter is to purchase only the respective number of shares of the
Underwritten Stock specified in Schedule I.
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(b) If for any reason one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse
(otherwise than for a reason sufficient to justify the termination of this
Agreement under the provisions of Section 8 or 9 hereof) to purchase and pay for
the number of shares of the Stock agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or
Underwriters, the Company shall immediately give notice thereof to you, and the
non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the right within 24 hours after the
receipt by you of such notice to purchase, or procure one or more other
Underwriters to purchase, in such proportions as may be agreed upon between you
and such purchasing Underwriter or Underwriters and upon the terms herein set
forth, all or any part of the shares of the Stock which such defaulting
Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase. If the non-defaulting
Underwriters fail so to make such arrangements with respect to all such shares
and portion, the number of shares of the Stock which each non-defaulting
Underwriter is otherwise obligated to purchase under this Agreement shall be
automatically increased on a pro rata basis to absorb the remaining shares and
portion which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase;
provided, however, that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated
to purchase the shares and portion which the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed to purchase if the aggregate number of such shares of the
Stock exceeds 10% of the total number of shares of the Stock which all
Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder. If the total number of shares of the
Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase shall
not be purchased or absorbed in accordance with the two preceding sentences, the
Company shall have the right, within 24 hours next succeeding the 24-hour period
above referred to, to make arrangements with other underwriters or purchasers
satisfactory to you for purchase of such shares and portion on the terms herein
set forth. In any such case, either you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date determined as provided in Section 5 hereof for not
more than seven business days after the date originally fixed as the Closing
Date pursuant to said Section 5 in order that any necessary changes in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any other documents or arrangements
may be made. If neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall
make arrangements within the 24-hour periods stated above for the purchase of
all the shares of the Stock which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters
agreed to purchase hereunder, this Agreement shall be terminated without further
act or deed and without any liability on the part of the Company to any
non-defaulting Underwriter and without any liability on the part of any
non-defaulting Underwriter to the Company. Nothing in this paragraph (b), and no
action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability
in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
(c) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not
jointly, up to 375,000 shares in the aggregate of the Option Stock from the
Company at the same price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the
Underwritten Stock. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments
in the sale of the Underwritten Stock by the Underwriters and may be exercised
in whole or in part at any time (but not more than once) on or before the
thirtieth day after the date of this Agreement upon written or telegraphic
notice by you to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of shares of the
Option Stock as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option.
Delivery of certificates for the shares of Option Stock, and payment therefor,
shall be made as provided in Section 5 hereof. The number of shares of the
Option Stock to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of
the total number of shares of the Option Stock to be purchased by the several
Underwriters as such Underwriter is
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purchasing of the Underwritten Stock, as adjusted by you in such manner as you
deem advisable to avoid fractional shares.
4. OFFERING BY UNDERWRITERS.
(a) The terms of the initial public offering by the Underwriters of the
Stock to be purchased by them shall be as set forth in the Prospectus. The
Underwriters may from time to time change the public offering price after the
closing of the initial public offering and increase or decrease the concessions
and discounts to dealers as they may determine.
(b) The information set forth [in the last paragraph on the front cover
page and] under "Underwriting" in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus relating to the Stock filed by the Company
(insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters) constitutes the only
information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company for inclusion in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, and you
on behalf of the respective Underwriters represent and warrant to the Company
that the statements made therein are correct.
5. DELIVERY OF AND PAYMENT FOR THE STOCK.
(a) Delivery of certificates for the shares of the Underwritten Stock and
the Option Stock (if the option granted by Section 3(c) hereof shall have been
exercised not later than 7:00 A.M., San Francisco time, on the date two business
days preceding the Closing Date), and payment therefor, shall be made at the
office of ______________, ________________, at 7:00 a.m., San Francisco time, on
the [fourth] business day after the date of this Agreement, or at such time on
such other day, not later than seven full business days after such [fourth]
business day, as shall be agreed upon in writing by the Company and you. The
date and hour of such delivery and payment (which may be postponed as provided
in Section 3(b) hereof) are herein called the Closing Date.
(b) If the option granted by Section 3(c) hereof shall be exercised after
7:00 a.m., San Francisco time, on the date two business days preceding the
Closing Date, delivery of certificates for the shares of Option Stock, and
payment therefor, shall be made at the office of __________, ________, at 7:00
a.m., San Francisco time, on the third business day after the exercise of such
option.
(c) Payment for the Stock purchased from the Company shall be made to the
Company or its order, in each case by wire transfer in immediately available
funds to the accounts specified by the Company to you. Such payment shall be
made upon delivery of certificates for the Stock to you for the respective
accounts of the several Underwriters against receipt therefor signed by you.
Certificates for the Stock to be delivered to you shall be registered in such
name or names and shall be in such denominations as you may request at least two
business days before the Closing Date, in the case of Underwritten Stock, and at
least two business days prior to the purchase thereof, in the case of the Option
Stock. Such certificates will be made available to the Underwriters for
inspection, checking and packaging at the offices of Lewco Securities
Corporation, 0 Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 on the business day prior to
the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Stock, by 3:00 p.m., New York
time, on the business day preceding the date of purchase.
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It is understood that you, individually and not on behalf of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment to the Company
for shares to be purchased by any Underwriter whose wire transfer shall not have
been received by you on the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Stock
is purchased for the account of such Underwriter. Any such payment by you shall
not relieve such Underwriter from any of its obligations hereunder.
6. FURTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE COMPANY. The Company covenants and agrees as
follows:
(a) The Company will (i) prepare and timely file with the Commission
under Rule 424(b) a Prospectus containing information previously omitted at
the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule
430A and (ii) not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or
supplement to the Prospectus of which you shall not previously have been
advised and furnished with a copy or to which you shall have reasonably
objected in writing or which is not in compliance with the Securities Act
or the rules and regulations of the Commission.
(b) The Company will promptly notify each Underwriter in the event of
(i) the request by the Commission for amendment of the Registration
Statement or for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional
information, (ii) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, (iii) the
institution or notice of intended institution of any action or proceeding
for that purpose, (iv) the receipt by the Company of any notification with
respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Stock for sale in any
jurisdiction, or (v) the receipt by it of notice of the initiation or
threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will make every
reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of such a stop order and, if such
an order shall at any time be issued, to obtain the withdrawal thereof at
the earliest possible moment.
(c) The Company will (i) on or before the Closing Date, deliver to you
a signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each
amendment thereto filed prior to the time the Registration Statement
becomes effective and, promptly upon the filing thereof, a signed copy of
each post-effective amendment, if any, to the Registration Statement
(together with, in each case, all exhibits thereto unless previously
furnished to you) and will also deliver to you, for distribution to the
Underwriters, a sufficient number of additional conformed copies of each of
the foregoing (but without exhibits) so that one copy of each may be
distributed to each Underwriter, (ii) as promptly as possible deliver to
you and send to the several Underwriters, at such office or offices as you
may designate, as many copies of the Prospectus as you may reasonably
request, and (iii) thereafter from time to time during the period in which
a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or
dealer, likewise send to the Underwriters as many additional copies of the
Prospectus and as many copies of any supplement to the Prospectus and of
any amended prospectus, filed by the Company with the Commission, as you
may reasonably request for the purposes contemplated by the Securities Act.
(d) If at any time during the period in which a prospectus is required
by law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer any event relating to or
affecting the
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Company, or of which the Company shall be advised in writing by you, shall
occur as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for
the Company or of counsel for the Underwriters, to supplement or amend the
Prospectus in order to make the Prospectus not misleading in the light of
the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser of
the Stock, the Company will forthwith prepare and file with the Commission
a supplement to the Prospectus or an amended prospectus so that the
Prospectus as so supplemented or amended will not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
existing at the time such Prospectus is delivered to such purchaser, not
misleading. If, after the initial public offering of the Stock by the
Underwriters and during such period, the Underwriters shall propose to vary
the terms of offering thereof by reason of changes in general market
conditions or otherwise, you will advise the Company in writing of the
proposed variation, and, if in the opinion either of counsel for the
Company or of counsel for the Underwriters such proposed variation requires
that the Prospectus be supplemented or amended, the Company will forthwith
prepare and file with the Commission a supplement to the Prospectus or an
amended prospectus setting forth such variation. The Company authorizes the
Underwriters and all dealers to whom any of the Stock may be sold by the
several Underwriters to use the Prospectus, as from time to time amended or
supplemented, in connection with the sale of the Stock in accordance with
the applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the applicable rules
and regulations thereunder for such period.
(e) Prior to the filing thereof with the Commission, the Company will
submit to you, for your information, a copy of any post-effective amendment
to the Registration Statement and any supplement to the Prospectus or any
amended prospectus proposed to be filed.
(f) The Company will cooperate, when and as requested by you, in the
qualification of the Stock for offer and sale under the securities or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions as you may reasonably request and, during
the period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an
Underwriter or dealer, in keeping such qualifications in good standing
under said securities or blue sky laws; provided, however, that the Company
shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or
to qualify as a foreign corporation in any jurisdiction in which it is not
so qualified. The Company will, from time to time, prepare and file such
statements, reports, and other documents as are or may be required to
continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period as you may
reasonably request for distribution of the Stock.
(g) During a period of three years commencing with the date hereof,
the Company will furnish to you, and to each Underwriter who may so request
in writing, copies of all periodic and special reports furnished to
stockholders of the Company and of all information, documents and reports
filed with the Commission (including the Report on Form SR required by Rule
463 of the Commission under the Securities Act).
(h) Not later than the 45th day following the end of the fiscal
quarter first occurring after the first anniversary of the Effective Date,
the Company will make generally available to its security holders an
earnings statement in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act
and Rule 158 thereunder.
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(i) The Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including all costs
and expenses incident to (i) the preparation, printing and filing with the
Commission and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
("NASD") of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, (ii) the furnishing to the Underwriters of copies of any
Preliminary Prospectus and of the several documents required by paragraph
(c) of this Section 6 to be so furnished, (iii) the printing of this
Agreement and related documents delivered to the Underwriters, (iv) the
preparation, printing and filing of all supplements and amendments to the
Prospectus referred to in paragraph (d) of this Section 6, (v) the
furnishing to you and the Underwriters of the reports and information
referred to in paragraph (g) of this Section 6 and (vi) the printing and
issuance of stock certificates, including the transfer agent's fees.
(j) The Company agrees to reimburse you, for the account of the
several Underwriters, for blue sky fees and related disbursements
(including counsel fees and disbursements and cost of printing memoranda
for the Underwriters) paid by or for the account of the Underwriters or
their counsel in qualifying the Stock under state securities or blue sky
laws and in the review of the offering by the NASD.
(k) The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent
of Chase Securities, Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company will
not, for a period of 90 days following the commencement of the public
offering of the Stock by the Underwriters, directly or indirectly, (i)
sell, offer, contract to sell, make any short sale, pledge, sell any option
or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any
option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of
any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for or any rights to purchase or acquire Common
Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in
whole or in part, any of the economic consequences or ownership of Common
Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above
is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in
cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Stock
to be sold to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, (B) shares of
Common Stock issued by the Company upon the exercise of options granted
under the stock option plans of the Company (the "Option Plans") or upon
the exercise of warrants outstanding as of the date hereof, all as
described under the caption "Capitalization" in the Preliminary Prospectus,
and (C) the granting of options to purchase Common Stock under the Option
Plans.
(l) The Company is familiar with the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, and has in the past conducted its affairs, and will in the
future conduct its affairs, in such a manner to ensure that the Company was
not and will not be an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
"investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
7. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION.
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(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and
each person (including each partner or officer thereof) who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to
which such indemnified parties or any of them may become subject under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the common law or otherwise, and the
Company agrees to reimburse each such Underwriter and controlling person for any
legal or other expenses (including, except as otherwise hereinafter provided,
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the respective
indemnified parties in connection with defending against any such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities or in connection with any investigation or
inquiry of, or other proceeding which may be brought against, the respective
indemnified parties, in each case arising out of or based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (including the Prospectus as part thereof and any Rule
462(b) registration statement) or any post-effective amendment thereto
(including any Rule 462(b) registration statement), or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or as supplemented if the
Company shall have filed with the Commission any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however,
that (1) the indemnity agreements of the Company contained in this paragraph (a)
shall not apply to any such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses if
such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished as herein stated or otherwise furnished in writing to the
Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus
or the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, (2) the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph (a)
with respect to any Preliminary Prospectus shall not inure to the benefit of any
Underwriter from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses purchased the Stock which is the subject thereof (or to
the benefit of any person controlling such Underwriter) if at or prior to the
written confirmation of the sale of such Stock a copy of the Prospectus (or the
Prospectus as amended or supplemented) was not sent or delivered to such person
(excluding the documents incorporated therein by reference) and the untrue
statement or omission of a material fact contained in such Preliminary
Prospectus was corrected in the Prospectus (or the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented) unless the failure is the result of noncompliance by the Company
with paragraph (c) of Section 6 hereof. The indemnity agreements of the Company
contained in this paragraph (a) and the representations and warranties of the
Company contained in Section 2 hereof shall remain operative and in full force
and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
indemnified party and shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Stock.
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement on his own
behalf or pursuant to a power of attorney, each of its directors, and each other
Underwriter and each person (including each partner or officer thereof) who
controls the Company or any such other Underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, joint or several, to which such indemnified parties or any of
them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, or the
common law or otherwise and to reimburse each of them for any legal or other
expenses (including,
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except as otherwise hereinafter provided, reasonable fees and disbursements of
counsel) incurred by the respective indemnified parties in connection with
defending against any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities or in
connection with any investigation or inquiry of, or other proceeding which may
be brought against, the respective indemnified parties, in each case arising out
of or based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement (including the Prospectus
as part thereof and any Rule 462(b) registration statement) or any
post-effective amendment thereto (including any Rule 462(b) registration
statement) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Prospectus (as amended or as supplemented if the
Company shall have filed with the Commission any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
as herein stated or otherwise furnished in writing to the Company by or on
behalf of such indemnifying Underwriter for use in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The
indemnity agreement of each Underwriter contained in this paragraph (b) shall
remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation
made by or on behalf of any indemnified party and shall survive the delivery of
and payment for the Stock.
(c) Each party indemnified under the provision of paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this Section 7 agrees that, upon the service of a summons or other initial legal
process upon it in any action or suit instituted against it or upon its receipt
of written notification of the commencement of any investigation or inquiry of,
or proceeding against, it in respect of which indemnity may be sought on account
of any indemnity agreement contained in such paragraphs, it will promptly give
written notice (herein called the Notice) of such service or notification to the
party or parties from whom indemnification may be sought hereunder. No
indemnification provided for in such paragraphs shall be available to any party
who shall fail so to give the Notice if the party to whom such Notice was not
given was unaware of the action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding to
which the Notice would have related and was prejudiced by the failure to give
the Notice, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party or parties of
any such service or notification shall not relieve such indemnifying party or
parties from any liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party
for contribution or otherwise than on account of such indemnity agreement. Any
indemnifying party shall be entitled at its own expense to participate in the
defense of any action, suit or proceeding against, or investigation or inquiry
of, an indemnified party. Any indemnifying party shall be entitled, if it so
elects within a reasonable time after receipt of the Notice by giving written
notice (herein called the Notice of Defense) to the indemnified party, to assume
(alone or in conjunction with any other indemnifying party or parties) the
entire defense of such action, suit, investigation, inquiry or proceeding, in
which event such defense shall be conducted, at the expense of the indemnifying
party or parties, by counsel chosen by such indemnifying party or parties and
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or parties; provided, however,
that (i) if the indemnified party or parties reasonably determine that there may
be a conflict between the positions of the indemnifying party or parties and of
the indemnified party or parties in conducting the defense of such action, suit,
investigation, inquiry or proceeding or that there may be legal defenses
available to such indemnified party or parties different from or in addition to
those available to the indemnifying party or parties, then counsel for the
indemnified
-10-
party or parties shall be entitled to conduct the defense to the extent
reasonably determined by such counsel to be necessary to protect the interests
of the indemnified party or parties and (ii) in any event, the indemnified party
or parties shall be entitled to have counsel chosen by such indemnified party or
parties participate in, but not conduct, the defense. If, within a reasonable
time after receipt of the Notice, an indemnifying party gives a Notice of
Defense and the counsel chosen by the indemnifying party or parties is
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party or parties, the indemnifying
party or parties will not be liable under paragraphs (a) through (c) of this
Section 7 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the
indemnified party or parties in connection with the defense of the action, suit,
investigation, inquiry or proceeding, except that (A) the indemnifying party or
parties shall bear the legal and other expenses incurred in connection with the
conduct of the defense as referred to in clause (i) of the proviso to the
preceding sentence and (B) the indemnifying party or parties shall bear such
other expenses as it or they have authorized to be incurred by the indemnified
party or parties. If, within a reasonable time after receipt of the Notice, no
Notice of Defense has been given, the indemnifying party or parties shall be
responsible for any legal or other expenses incurred by the indemnified party or
parties in connection with the defense of the action, suit, investigation,
inquiry or proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 7 is applicable by
its terms but is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
party under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 7, then each indemnifying
party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the
amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages or liabilities referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this
Section 7 (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by each indemnifying party from the offering of the Stock or
(ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the
relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
each indemnifying party in connection with the statements or omissions that
resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, or actions in respect
thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the
other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net
proceeds from the offering of the Stock received by the Company and the total
underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, as set forth in the table on
the cover page of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate public offering price of
the Stock. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information
supplied by each indemnifying party and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue
statement or omission.
The parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions
pursuant to this paragraph (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation
(even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any
other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable
considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph (d). The
amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages
or liabilities, or actions in respect thereof, referred to in the first sentence
of this paragraph (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigation,
preparing to defend or defending against any action or claim which is the
subject of this paragraph (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph
(d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the
underwriting
-11-
discount applicable to the Stock purchased by such Underwriter. No person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in
this paragraph (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
underwriting obligations and not joint.
Each party entitled to contribution agrees that upon the service of a
summons or other initial legal process upon it in any action instituted against
it in respect of which contribution may be sought, it will promptly give written
notice of such service to the party or parties from whom contribution may be
sought, but the omission so to notify such party or parties of any such service
shall not relieve the party from whom contribution may be sought from any
obligation it may have hereunder or otherwise (except as specifically provided
in paragraph (c) of this Section 7).
(e) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of each
Underwriter, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any
pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter or any
person who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act is a party to such claim,
action, suit or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of such Underwriter and each such controlling
person from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
8. TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated by you at any time prior
to the Closing Date by giving written notice to the Company if after the date of
this Agreement trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended, or if
there shall have occurred (i) the engagement in hostilities or an escalation of
major hostilities by the United States or the declaration of war or a national
emergency by the United States on or after the date hereof, (ii) any outbreak of
hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in
economic or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak, calamity,
crisis or change in economic or political conditions in the financial markets of
the United States would, in the Underwriters' reasonable judgment, make the
offering or delivery of the Stock impracticable, (iii) suspension of trading in
securities generally or a material adverse decline in value of securities
generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or The
Nasdaq Stock Market, or limitations on prices (other than limitations on hours
or numbers of days of trading) for securities on either such exchange or system,
(iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any federal or
state statute, regulation, rule or order of, or commencement of any proceeding
or investigation by, any court, legislative body, agency or other governmental
authority which in the Underwriters' reasonable opinion materially and adversely
affects or will materially or adversely affect the business or operations of the
Company, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by either federal or New York
State authorities or (vi) the taking of any action by any federal, state or
local government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in
the Underwriters' reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the
securities markets in the United States. If this Agreement shall be terminated
pursuant to this Section 8, there shall be no liability of the Company to the
Underwriters and no liability of the Underwriters to the Company; provided,
however, that in the event of any such termination the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the
-12-
Company under this Agreement, including all reasonably incurred costs and
expenses referred to in paragraphs (i) and (j) of Section 6 hereof.
9. CONDITIONS OF UNDERWRITERS' OBLIGATIONS. The obligations of the several
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Stock shall be subject to the
performance by the Company of all its obligations to be performed hereunder at
or prior to the Closing Date or any later date on which Option Stock is to be
purchased, as the case may be, and to the following further conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective; and no
stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and
no proceedings therefor shall be pending or threatened by the Commission.
(b) The legality and sufficiency of the sale of the Stock hereunder
and the validity and form of the certificates representing the Stock, all
corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the foregoing,
and the form of the Registration Statement and of the Prospectus (except as
to the financial statements contained therein), shall have been approved at
or prior to the Closing Date by Dechert Price & Xxxxxx, counsel for the
Underwriters.
(c) You shall have received from Xxxxxx, Xxxxx & Bockius LLP, counsel
for the Company, and from _________, patent counsel for the Company,
opinions, addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date and in
forms satisfactory to the Underwriters and their counsel, and if Option
Stock is purchased at any date after the Closing Date, additional opinions
from each such counsel, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such later
date, confirming that the statements expressed as of the Closing Date in
such opinions remain valid as of such later date.
(d) You shall be satisfied that (i) as of the Effective Date, the
statements made in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were true
and correct in all material respects and neither the Registration Statement
nor the Prospectus omitted to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, respectively,
not misleading, (ii) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred which
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Prospectus
which has not been set forth in such a supplement or amendment, (iii) since
the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement in the form in which it originally became effective and the
Prospectus contained therein, there has not been any material adverse
change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change
in or affecting the business, properties, financial condition or results of
operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether
or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, and,
since such dates, except in the ordinary course of business, neither the
Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any material
transaction not referred to in the Registration Statement in the form in
which it originally became effective and the Prospectus contained therein,
(iv) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any material
contingent obligations which are not disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, (v) there are not any pending or known
threatened legal proceedings to which the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is a party or of which property of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries is the subject which are material and which are not
-13-
disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (vi) there are
not any franchises, contracts, leases or other documents which are required
to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which have not been
filed as required, (vii) the representations and warranties of the Company
herein are true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date
or any later date on which Option Stock is to be purchased, as the case may
be, and (viii) there has not been any material change in the market for
securities in general or in political, financial or economic conditions
from those reasonably foreseeable as to render it impracticable in your
reasonable judgment to make a public offering of the Stock, or a material
adverse change in market levels for securities in general (or those of
companies in particular) or financial or economic conditions which render
it inadvisable to proceed.
(e) You shall have received on the Closing Date and on any later date
on which Option Stock is purchased a certificate, dated the Closing Date or
such later date, as the case may be, and signed by the President and the
Chief Financial Officer of the Company, stating that the signer of said
certificate has examined the Registration Statement in the form in which it
originally became effective and the Prospectus contained therein and any
supplements or amendments thereto, and that the statements included in
clauses (i) through (vii) of paragraph (d) of this Section 9 are, to the
best of such officer's knowledge, true and correct.
(f) You shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, a letter or
letters, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date and any
later date on which Option Stock is purchased, confirming that they are
independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the
meaning of the Securities Act and the applicable published rules and
regulations thereunder and based upon the procedures described in their
letter delivered to you concurrently with the execution of this Agreement
(herein called the Original Letter), but carried out to a date not more
than three business days prior to the Closing Date or such later date on
which Option Stock is purchased (i) confirming, to the extent true, that
the statements and conclusions set forth in the Original Letter are
accurate as of the Closing Date or such later date, as the case may be, and
(ii) setting forth any revisions and additions to the statements and
conclusions set forth in the Original Letter which are necessary to reflect
any changes in the facts described in the Original Letter since the date of
the Original Letter or to reflect the availability of more recent financial
statements, data or information. The letters shall not disclose any change,
or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the
business or properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, in
your sole judgment, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the
public offering of the Stock or the purchase of the Option Stock as
contemplated by the Prospectus.
(g) You shall have received from Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP a letter stating
that their review of the Company's system of internal accounting controls,
to the extent they deemed necessary in establishing the scope of their
examination of the Company's financial statements as at December 31, 1999,
did not disclose any weakness in internal controls that they considered to
be material weaknesses.
-14-
(h) You shall have been furnished evidence in usual written or
telegraphic form from the appropriate authorities of the several
jurisdictions, or other evidence satisfactory to you, of the qualification
referred to in paragraph (f) of Section 6 hereof.
(i) Prior to the Closing Date, the Stock to be issued and sold by the
Company shall have been duly authorized for listing by the Nasdaq National
Market upon official notice of issuance.
(j) On or prior to the Closing Date, you shall have received from all
directors and officers, and certain beneficial holders of more than 5% of
the outstanding Common Stock stockholders agreements, in substantially the
form set forth in Annex A and relating to sales and certain other
dispositions of shares of stock.
All the agreements, opinions, certificates and letters mentioned above or
elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the
provisions hereof only if Dechert Price & Xxxxxx, counsel for the Underwriters,
shall be satisfied that they comply in form and scope.
In case any of the conditions specified in this Section 9 shall not be
fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by you by giving notice to the
Company. Any such termination shall be without liability of the Company to the
Underwriters and without liability of the Underwriters to the Company; provided,
however, that (i) in the event of such termination, the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including all costs and expenses referred to in paragraphs (i) and (j) of
Section 6 hereof, and (ii) if this Agreement is terminated by you because of any
refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any
agreement herein, to fulfill any of the conditions herein, or to comply with any
provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters,
the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel)
that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby.
10. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATION OF THE COMPANY. The obligation of the
Company to deliver the Stock shall be subject to the conditions that (a) the
Registration Statement shall have become effective and (b) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness thereof shall be in effect and no proceedings
therefor shall be pending or threatened by the Commission.
In case either of the conditions specified in this Section 10 shall not be
fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Company by giving notice to
you. Any such termination shall be without liability of the Company to the
Underwriters and without liability of the Underwriters to the Company; provided,
however, that in the event of any such termination the Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters from all costs or expenses incident
to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement,
including all costs and expenses referred to in paragraphs (i) and (j) of
Section 6 hereof.
11. REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN EXPENSES. In addition to its other obligations
under Section 7 of this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse on a
quarterly basis the
-15-
Underwriters for all reasonable legal and other expenses incurred in connection
with investigating or defending any claim, action, investigation, inquiry or
other proceeding arising out of or based upon any statement or omission, or any
alleged statement or omission, described in paragraph (a) of Section 7 of this
Agreement, notwithstanding the absence of a judicial determination as to the
propriety and enforceability of the obligations under this Section 11 and the
possibility that such payments might later be held to be improper; provided,
however, that (i) to the extent any such payment is ultimately held to be
improper, the persons receiving such payments shall promptly refund them and
(ii) such persons shall provide to the Company, upon request, reasonable
assurances of their ability to effect any refund, when and if due.
12. PERSONS ENTITLED TO BENEFIT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of the Company and the several Underwriters and, with respect to the
provisions of Section 7 hereof, the several parties (in addition to the Company
and the several Underwriters) indemnified under the provisions of said Section
7, and their respective personal representatives, successors and assigns.
Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other
person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in
respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term
"successors and assigns" as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such
purchaser, of any of the Stock from any of the several Underwriters.
13. NOTICES. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications
hereunder shall be in writing or by telegraph and, if to the Underwriters, shall
be mailed, telegraphed or delivered to Chase Securities Inc., Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000; and if to the Company, shall be mailed,
telegraphed or delivered to it at its office, 000 Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: P. Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, President and Chief Financial
Officer. All notices given by telegraph shall be promptly confirmed by letter.
14. MISCELLANEOUS. The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution
agreements contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and
covenants in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of
(a) any termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of
the Company or their respective directors or officers, and (c) delivery and
payment for the Stock under this Agreement; provided, however, that if this
Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing Date, the provisions of paragraphs
(l) and (n) of Section 6 hereof shall be of no further force or effect.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and
the same instrument.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the
laws of the State of New York.
-16-
Please sign and return to the Company in care of the Company the enclosed
duplicates of this letter, whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement
between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
NEOSE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
By
-----------------------
[Name]
[Title]
The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first
above written.
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
U.S. BANCORP XXXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX XXXXXX READ LLC
c/o Chase Securities Inc.
By
-------------------------------
Managing Director
Acting on behalf of the several Underwriters,
including themselves, named in Schedule I hereto.
-17-
SCHEDULE I
UNDERWRITERS
NUMBER OF SHARES
UNDERWRITERS TO BE PURCHASED
CHASE SECURITIES INC.
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
U.S. BANCORP XXXXX XXXXXXX
XXXXXXX XXXXXX READ LLC
Total ........................................... -------
-18-
ANNEX A
FORM OF LOCK-UP LETTER
February 1, 2000
Chase Securities, Inc.
Prudential Vector Healthcare Group
US Bancorp Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Read LLC
As Representatives of the
Several Underwriters
c/o Chase Securities, Inc.
Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned is a shareholder of Neose Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") and
wishes to facilitate the public offering (the "Offering") of Common Stock of the
Company ("Common Stock") pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the
"Registration Statement") to be transmitted for filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on or about February 8, 2000.
In consideration of the foregoing, and in order to induce you to act as
underwriters in the Offering, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that it
will not, directly or indirectly, sell, offer, contract to sell, transfer the
economic risk of ownership in, make any short sale, pledge or otherwise dispose
of any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable
or exercisable for or any other rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock,
without the prior written consent of Chase Securities, Inc. (or its successor
entity) acting alone for a period of 90 days from the effective date of the
Registration Statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the undersigned is an individual, he or she
may transfer any shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for the Company's Common Stock either during his or
her lifetime or on death by will or intestacy to his or her immediate family or
to a trust the beneficiaries of which are exclusively the undersigned and/or a
member or members of his or her immediate family; provided, however, that prior
to any such transfer each transferee shall execute an agreement, satisfactory to
Chase Securities, Inc., pursuant to which each transferee shall agree to receive
and hold such shares of Common Stock, or securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for the Common Stock, subject to the provisions
hereof, and there shall be no further transfer except in accordance with the
provisions hereof. For the purposes of this paragraph, "immediate family" shall
mean spouse, lineal descendant, father, mother, brother or sister of the
transferor.
-19-
Chase Securities, Inc.
Prudential Vector Healthcare Group
US Bancorp Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Read LLC
As Representatives of the
Several Underwriters
February 1, 2000
Page 2
The undersigned hereby waives any rights of the undersigned to sell shares of
Common Stock or any other security issued by the Company pursuant to the
Registration Statement, and acknowledges and agrees that for a period of 90 days
from the effective date of the Registration Statement the undersigned has no
right to require the Company to register under the Securities Act of 1933 such
Common Stock or other securities issued by the Company and beneficially owned by
the undersigned.
The undersigned understands that the agreements of the undersigned are
irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned's heirs, legal
representatives, successors and assigns and that such agreements shall benefit
any successor entity of any of the Representatives. The undersigned agrees and
consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company's transfer
agent against the transfer of Common Stock or other securities of the Company
held by the undersigned except in compliance with this agreement.
Very truly yours,
Dated:
-------------------- ----------------------------------
Signature
----------------------------------
Printed Name and Title
-20-
