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EXHIBIT 10.41
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
entered into as of December 10, 1998, among Geron Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and the parties who have executed this Agreement
and whose names appear on Schedule I hereto (each party listed on Schedule I
hereto is sometimes individually referred to herein as a "Purchaser" and all
such parties are sometimes collectively referred to herein as the "Purchasers."
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Securities Purchase
Agreement, dated as of the date hereof among the Company and the Purchasers (the
"Purchase Agreement").
The Company and the Purchasers hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall
have the meanings given such terms in the Purchase Agreement. As used in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Advice" has meaning set forth in Section 3(o) hereof.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to any Person, any other Person
that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common control
with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, "control," when used with
respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to
direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "affiliated," controlling" and "controlled" have meanings
correlative to the foregoing.
"Allowable Grace Period" has the meaning set forth in Section
3(p) hereof.
"Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day
which shall be a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions in the
State of New York generally are authorized or required by law or other
government actions to close.
"Closing Date" shall mean the Tranche A Closing Date as defined
in the Purchase Agreement.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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"Common Stock" means the Company's Common Stock, par value $.001
per share.
"Debentures" means collectively, the Company's Series A Zero
Coupon Convertible Debentures and Series B Zero Coupon Convertible Debentures
issuable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
"Effectiveness Date" means the earlier of (i) the 90th day
following the Closing Date, or (ii) the fifth day after the Company has received
notice (written or oral) from the Commission that the Commission Staff will not
be reviewing the Registration Statement.
"Effectiveness Period" has the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)
hereof.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Event" has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.
"Filing Date" means as soon as practicable but in no event later
than the 30th day following the Closing Date.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case
may be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c)
hereof.
"Indemnifying Party" has the meaning set forth in Section 5(c)
hereof.
"Losses" has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.
"Person" means an individual or a corporation, partnership,
trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited
liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or political
subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
"Proceeding" means an action, claim, suit, investigation or
proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial
proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an effective
registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated under the
Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, with
respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all other amendments and
supplements to the Prospectus, including post-effective amendments, and all
material incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
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"Purchase Price" has the meaning set forth in Section 2(d)
hereof.
"Registrable Securities" means the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon (i) conversion of the Debentures, (ii) payment of interest in
respect of the Debentures, (iii) exercise of the Warrants, and (iv) any shares
of the Company's capital stock issued with respect to (i), (ii) and (iii) as a
result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, exchange or similar
event or otherwise.
"Registration Delay Payment" has the meaning set forth in Section
2(d) hereof.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statement and any
additional registration statements contemplated by Section 2(a), including (in
each case) the Prospectus, amendments and supplements to such registration
statement or Prospectus, including pre- and post-effective amendments, all
exhibits thereto, and all material incorporated by reference in such
registration statement.
"Xxxx Xxxx Agreements" means that certain Registration Rights
Agreement entered into by the Company and the Initial Investors (as defined
therein) in connection with the issuance of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
by the Company on March 27, 1998 and any successor or additional registration
rights agreements entered into by the Company and any of the Initial Investors.
"Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 158" means Rule 158 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Rule 416" means Rule 416 promulgated by the Commission pursuant
to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same effect as such Rule.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Special Counsel" means one special counsel to the Holders, for
which the Holders will be reimbursed by the Company pursuant to Section 4.
"Warrants" means the warrants issuable pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement.
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2. Shelf Registration
(a) The Company shall use its best efforts to prepare and file
with the Commission, on or prior to the Filing Date, the Registration Statement
covering all Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous
basis pursuant to a "Shelf" registration statement under Rule 415. The
Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 or any successor form (except if the
Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable Securities
on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another appropriate
form in accordance herewith, subject to the reasonable consent of the original
Holders of the Registrable Securities). The Registration Statement shall state,
to the extent permitted by Rule 416, that it also covers such indeterminate
number of shares of Common Stock as may be required to effect conversion of the
Debentures (and payment of interest thereon) or exercise of the Warrants, in
each case to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or
similar events, or by reason of changes in the Conversion Price in accordance
with the terms of the Debentures or by reason of changes in the Exercise Price
(as defined in the Warrants) in accordance with the terms of the Warrants. The
Company shall (i) not permit any securities other than the Registrable
Securities to be included in the Registration Statement and (ii) use its best
efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the
Securities Act as promptly as possible after the filing thereof, but in any
event on or prior to the Effectiveness Date, and to keep such Registration
Statement continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date which
is three years after the date that such Registration Statement is declared
effective by the Commission or such earlier date when all Registrable Securities
covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold without
volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 as determined by counsel to the Company
pursuant to a written opinion letter, addressed to the Company's transfer agent
to such effect (the "Effectiveness Period").
(b) [Intentionally Omitted].
(c) [Intentionally Omitted].
(d) If (i) the Registration Statement covering all the applicable
Registrable Securities and required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this
Agreement is not (A) filed with the Commission on or before the Filing Date or
(B) declared effective by the Commission on or before the applicable
Effectiveness Date or (ii) on any day after the Registration Statement has been
declared effective by the Commission, other than days during an Allowable Grace
Period, (A) sales of all the Registrable Securities required to be included on a
Registration Statement cannot be made pursuant to the respective Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, because of a failure to keep the
Registration Statement effective, to disclose such information as is necessary
for sales to be made pursuant to the Registration Statement, or to register
sufficient shares of Common Stock) or (B) the Common Stock is not listed or
included for quotation on the National Market System of the Nasdaq Stock Market
("Nasdaq"), the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") or the American Stock Exchange
(the "AMEX") after being so listed or included for quotation, (each such event
specified in (i) and (ii) above, an "Event"), then, as partial relief for the
damages to any Holder by reason of any such delay in or reduction
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of its ability to sell the Registrable Securities (which remedy shall not be
exclusive of any other remedies available at law or in equity), the Company
shall pay to each Holder an amount in cash (a "Registration Delay Payment")
equal to the then outstanding principal amount of the Debentures (and, in the
case of Holders, the principal amount of Debentures from which such Registrable
Securities were converted) (the "Aggregate Price") multiplied by two hundredths
(.020) times the sum of: (i) the number of months (prorated for partial months)
after the end of the Effectiveness Date and prior to the date the Registration
Statement is declared effective by the Commission, provided, however, that there
shall be excluded from such period any delays which are solely attributable to
changes required by the Purchasers in the Registration Statement with respect to
information relating to the Purchasers, or to the failure of the Purchasers to
conduct their review of the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3(a);
(ii) the number of months (prorated for partial months) that sales cannot be
made pursuant to the Registration Statement after the Registration Statement has
been declared effective (including, without limitation, when sales cannot be
made by reason of the Company's failure to properly supplement or amend the
Prospectus in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, or otherwise, but
excluding when such sales cannot be made solely by reason of any act or omission
solely attributable to the Purchasers and excluding any days during an Allowable
Grace Period; and (iii) the number of months (prorated for partial months) that
the Common Stock is not listed or included for quotation on the Nasdaq, NYSE or
AMEX or that trading thereon is halted after the Registration Statement has been
declared effective.
(e) The Company represents and warrants that it meets the
registrant eligibility and transaction requirements for the use of Form S-3 (for
primary and secondary offerings) for the registration of the sale of Registrable
Securities by the Purchasers and any other Holders and the Company shall file
all reports required to be filed by the Company with the Commission in a timely
manner so as to maintain such eligibility for the use of Form S-3.
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company's registration obligations
hereunder, the Company shall:
(a) Use its best efforts to prepare and file with the Commission
on or prior to the Filing Date a Registration Statement on Form S-3 or its
successor form (or if the Company is not then eligible to register for resale
the Registrable Securities on Form S-3 such registration shall be on another
appropriate form in accordance herewith or in accordance with the method or
methods of distribution thereof as specified by the Holders (except if otherwise
directed by the Holders), and cause the Registration Statement to become
effective and remain effective as provided herein.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep the Registration Statement continuously effective for the
Effectiveness Period and prepare and file with the Commission such additional
Registration Statements in order to register for resale under the Securities Act
all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related Prospectus to be
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amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so
supplemented or amended to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or any similar
provisions then in force) promulgated under the Securities Act; (iii) respond as
promptly as possible to any comments received from the Commission with respect
to the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto; and (iv) comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the
intended methods of disposition by the Holders thereof set forth in the
Registration Statement as so amended or in such Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold and
their Special Counsel as promptly as possible (i)(A) when a Prospectus or any
Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement
is proposed to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether
there will be a "review" of such Registration Statement and whenever the
Commission comments in writing on such Registration Statement and (C) with
respect to the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment, when the
same has become effective; (ii) of any request by the Commission or any other
Federal or state governmental authority for amendments or supplements to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (iii) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the
initiation of any Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) if at any time any of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in any agreement
(including any underwriting agreement) contemplated hereby ceases to be true and
correct in all material respects; (v) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; and (vi) of the occurrence of any event that makes any statement made
in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or
that requires any revisions to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or other
documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, it will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(d) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or exemption
from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(e) [Intentionally Omitted].
(f) Furnish to each Holder, their Special Counsel and any
managing underwriters, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, including financial
statements and schedules, all documents incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference, and all exhibits to the extent
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requested by such Person (including those previously furnished or incorporated
by reference) promptly after the filing of such documents with the Commission.
(g) Promptly deliver to each Holder, their Special Counsel, and
any underwriters, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or
Prospectuses (including each form of prospectus) and each amendment or
supplement thereto as such Persons may reasonably request; and the Company
hereby consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement
thereto by each of the selling Holders and any underwriters in connection with
the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto.
(h) Prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use
its best efforts to register or qualify or cooperate with the selling Holders,
and their Special Counsel in connection with the registration or qualification
(or exemption from such registration or qualification) of such Registrable
Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions within the United States as any Holder requests in writing, to
keep each such registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom) effective
during the Effectiveness Period and to do any and all other acts or things
necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement; provided, however,
that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in
any jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to general service of process in any such jurisdiction where it
is not then so subject or subject the Company to any material tax in any such
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(i) Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to
be sold pursuant to a Registration Statement, which certificates shall be free,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, of all restrictive legends, and to
enable such Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in
such names as any such managing underwriters or Holders may request at least two
(2) Business Days prior to any sale of Registrable Securities.
(j) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section
3(c)(vi), as promptly as possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including
a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such Prospectus
will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(k) Use its best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities
relating to such Registration Statement to be listed on Nasdaq and any other
securities exchange, quotation system, market or over-the-counter bulletin
board, if any, on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed
as and when required pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
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(l) [Intentionally Omitted].
(m) Make available for inspection by the selling Holders, any
representative of such Holders, any underwriter participating in any disposition
of Registrable Securities, and any attorney or accountant retained by such
selling Holders or underwriters, at the offices where normally kept, during
reasonable business hours, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate
documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the
officers, directors, agents and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries to
supply all information in each case reasonably requested by any such Holder,
representative, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the
Registration Statement; provided, however, that if any information is determined
in good faith by the Company in writing to be of a confidential nature at the
time of delivery of such information, then prior to delivery of such
information, the Company and the Holders shall enter into a confidentiality
agreement reasonably acceptable to the Company and the Holders providing that
such information shall be kept confidential, unless (i) disclosure of such
information is required by court or administrative order or is necessary to
respond to inquiries of regulatory authorities (provided, however, that the
Company shall be given notice of any such pending disclosure so that the Company
may seek a protective order); (ii) disclosure of such information, in the
opinion of counsel to such Person, is required by law; (iii) such information
becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure
or failure to safeguard by such Person; or (iv) such information becomes
available to such Person from a source other than the Company and such source is
not known by such Person to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with the
Company.
(n) Comply in all material respects with all applicable rules and
regulations of the Commission and make generally available to its security
holders earning statements satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
Securities Act and Rule 158 not later than 45 days after the end of any 12-month
period (or 90 days after the end of any 12-month period if such period is a
fiscal year) (i) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which
Registrable Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or best
efforts Underwritten Offering and (ii) if not sold to underwriters in such an
offering, commencing on the first day of the first fiscal quarter of the Company
after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which statement shall
conform to the requirements of Rule 158.
(o) The Company may require each selling Holder to furnish to the
Company information regarding such Holder and the distribution of such
Registrable Securities as is required by law to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement, and the Company may exclude from such registration the Registrable
Securities of any such Holder who unreasonably fails to furnish such information
within a reasonable time after receiving such request.
If the Registration Statement refers to any Holder by name or
otherwise as the holder of any securities of the Company, then such Holder shall
have the right to require (if such reference to such Holder by name or otherwise
is not required by the Securities Act or any similar Federal statute then in
force) the deletion of the reference to such Holder in any amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement filed or prepared subsequent to the
time that such reference ceases to be required.
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Each Holder covenants and agrees that (i) it will not sell any
Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until it has received
copies of the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented as contemplated in
Section 3(g) and notice from the Company that such Registration Statement and
any post-effective amendments thereto have become effective as contemplated by
Section 3(c) and (ii) it and its officers, directors or Affiliates, if any, will
comply with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as
applicable to them in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement.
Each Holder agrees by its acquisition of such Registrable
Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company of the occurrence of
any event of the kind described in Section 3(c)(ii), 3(c)(iii), 3(c)(iv),
3(c)(v) or 3(c)(vi), such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such
Registrable Securities under the Registration Statement until such Holder's
receipt of the copies of the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration
Statement contemplated by Section 3(j), or until it is advised in writing (the
"Advice") by the Company that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be
resumed, and, in either case, has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in such Prospectus or Registration Statement.
(p) If (a) there is material non-public information regarding the
Company which the Company's Board of Directors reasonably determines not to be
in the Company's best interest to disclose and which the Company is not
otherwise required to disclose, or (b) there is a significant business
opportunity (including but not limited to the acquisition or disposition of
assets (other than in the ordinary course of business) or any merger,
consolidation, tender offer or other similar transaction) available to the
Company which the Company's Board of Directors determines not to be in the
Company's best interest to disclose, then the Company may postpone or suspend
filing or effectiveness of a registration statement for a period not to exceed
20 consecutive days (an "Allowable Grace Period"), provided that the Company may
not postpone or suspend its obligation under this Section 3(p) for more than 30
days in the aggregate during any 365-day period and there shall be an aggregate
of not more than two (2) such suspensions during any 365-day period; provided,
however, that no such postponement or suspension shall be permitted for
consecutive 20 day periods, arising out of the same set of facts, circumstances
or transactions.
4. Registration Expenses
(a) All fees and expenses incident to the performance of or
compliance with this Agreement by the Company, except as and to the extent
specified in Section 4(b), shall be borne by the Company whether or not pursuant
to an Underwritten Offering and whether or not the Registration Statement is
filed or becomes effective and whether or not any Registrable Securities are
sold pursuant to the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to
in the foregoing sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all
registration and filing fees (including, without limitation, fees and expenses
(A) with respect to filings required to be made with Nasdaq and each other
securities exchange or market on which Registrable Securities are required
hereunder to be listed and (B) in compliance with state securities or Blue Sky
laws
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(including, without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Holders in connection with Blue Sky qualifications of the Registrable Securities
and determination of the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for
investment under the laws of such jurisdictions as the managing underwriters, if
any, or the Holders of a majority of Registrable Securities may designate)),
(ii) printing expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of printing
certificates for Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses if the
printing of prospectuses is requested by the managing underwriters, if any, or
by the holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities included in the
Registration Statement), (iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv)
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and Special Counsel for the
Holders, (v) Securities Act liability insurance, if the Company so desires such
insurance, and (vi) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained by the
Company in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall be responsible for all of its
internal expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including, without limitation, all
salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
accounting duties), the expense of any annual audit, and the fees and expenses
incurred in connection with the listing of the Registrable Securities on any
securities exchange as required hereunder.
5. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall,
notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless
each Holder, the officers, directors, agents (including any underwriters
retained by such Holder in connection with the offer and sale of Registrable
Securities), brokers (including brokers who offer and sell Registrable
Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or any failure to perform under
a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors and employees of each of
them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within the meaning of Section 15
of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) and the officers,
directors, agents and employees of each such controlling Person, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, costs of preparation
and attorneys' fees) and expenses (collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, arising
out of or relating to any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any form of
prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary
prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein (in the case of any Prospectus or form of prospectus or
supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made)
not misleading (in the case of any Prospectus or form of Prospectus or
supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under which they were made),
except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or
omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Holder furnished in
writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein, which
information was reasonably relied on by the Company for use therein or to the
extent that such information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed
method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly
approved in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration
Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto (provided that
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the Company amended any disclosure with respect to the method of distribution
upon written notice from the Holders that such section of the Prospectus should
be revised in any way). In addition, the Company shall not be liable for any
Losses to any Holder with respect to any untrue or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged omission if such statement or omission was made in a
preliminary Prospectus that is corrected in a final Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) if the person asserting such Losses purchased Common
Stock from a Holder in reliance upon such preliminary Prospectus (or a
Prospectus which was subsequently amended or supplemented) or the Prospectus, as
subsequently amended or supplemented, that was made available by the Company to
such Holder at or prior to written confirmation of the sale of the Common Stock
to such person in any case where such delivery of such Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) is required, unless such failure to deliver such final Prospectus
(as amended or supplemented) was a result of noncompliance by the Company with
Section 3(g) of this Agreement. The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of
the institution, threat or assertion of any Proceeding of which the Company is
aware in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and
not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses, as
incurred, arising solely out of or based solely upon any untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Prospectus, or any
form of prospectus, or arising solely out of or based solely upon any omission
of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading to the extent, but only to the extent, that
such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information so furnished
in writing by such Holder to the Company specifically for inclusion in the
Registration Statement or such Prospectus and that such information was
reasonably relied upon by the Company for use in the Registration Statement,
such Prospectus or such form of prospectus or to the extent that such
information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of
distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved
in writing by such Holder expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such
Prospectus or such form of prospectus. In no event shall the liability of any
selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the net
proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the Registrable Securities
giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding
shall be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder
(an "Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party promptly shall notify the
Person from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and
the Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the
employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the
payment of all fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof;
provided, however, that the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice
shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities
pursuant to this Agreement, except (and only) to the extent that it shall be
finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction (which
42
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determination is not subject to appeal or further review) that such failure
shall have proximately and materially adversely prejudiced the Indemnifying
Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate
counsel in any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but
the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such
Indemnified Party or Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in
writing to pay such fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have
failed promptly to assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel
reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3)
the named parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such
Indemnified Party shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest
is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party
and the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies
the Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at
the expense of the Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the
right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of
the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party shall, without
the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any settlement of any
pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party is a party, unless
such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Party from
all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.
All fees and expenses of the Indemnified Party (including
reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred in connection with
investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a manner not
inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified Party, as
incurred, within 10 Business Days of written notice thereof to the Indemnifying
Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified
Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that the
Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to reimburse
all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined
that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section
5(a) or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party because of a failure or
refusal of a governmental authority to enforce such indemnification in
accordance with its terms (by reason of public policy or otherwise), then each
Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Party as a result
of such Losses, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
fault of the Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party in connection with the
actions, statements or omissions that resulted in such Losses as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of such Indemnifying
Party and Indemnified Party shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission of a material fact,
has been taken or made by, or relates to information supplied by, such
Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the parties' relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
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13
such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a
result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other reasonable fees or
expenses incurred by such party in connection with any Proceeding to the extent
such party would have been indemnified for such fees or expenses if the
indemnification provided for in this Section was available to such party in
accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
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 indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this
Section are in addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have
to the Indemnified Parties.
6. Rule 144
As long as any Holder owns Registrable Securities, the Company
covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file
within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the
Company after the date hereof pursuant to Section 13(a) or l5(d) of the Exchange
Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all
such filings. As long as any Holder owns Registrable Securities, if the Company
is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, it will prepare and furnish to the Holders and make publicly
available in accordance with Rule 144(c) promulgated under the Securities Act
annual and quarterly financial statements, together with a discussion and
analysis of such financial statements in form and substance substantially
similar to those that would otherwise be required to be included in reports
required by Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as well as any other
information required thereby, in the time period that such filings would have
been required to have been made under the Exchange Act. The Company further
covenants that it will take such further action as any Holder may reasonably
request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Person to
sell Underlying Shares without registration under the Securities Act within the
limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the
Securities Act, including providing any legal opinions referred to in the
Purchase Agreement. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to
such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether
it has complied with such requirements.
7. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. In the event of a breach by the Company or by a
Holder of any of their obligations under this Agreement, each Holder or the
Company, as the case may be, in addition to being entitled to exercise all
rights granted by law and under this Agreement, including recovery of damages,
will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this
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Agreement. The Company and each Holder agree that monetary damages would not
provide adequate compensation for any losses incurred by reason of a breach by
it of any of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby further agrees that, in
the event of any action for specific performance in respect of such breach, it
shall waive the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company shall use its best
efforts to cause the Xxxx Xxxx Agreements to be consistent in all material
respects with the rights granted to the Holders pursuant to this Agreement and
to cause such Xxxx Xxxx Agreements to not conflict with any of the terms,
provisions or rights granted hereunder. Other than the Xxxx Xxxx Agreements,
neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has, as of the date hereof, nor
shall the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on or after the date of this
Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is
inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. Except as disclosed in Schedule
2.1(r) of the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
subsidiaries has previously entered into any agreement granting any registration
rights with respect to any of its securities to any Person. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, without the written consent of the Holders of a
majority of the then outstanding Registrable Securities, the Company shall not
grant to any Person the right to request the Company to register any securities
of the Company under the Securities Act unless the rights so granted are subject
in all respects to the prior rights in full of the Holders set forth in Section
2 herein, and are not otherwise in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions
of this Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Purchase Agreement, contain
the entire understanding of the parities with respect tot he subject matter
hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written,
with respect to such matters.
(c) No Piggyback on Registrations. Except as disclosed on
Schedule 7(c) of the Purchase Agreement, neither the Company nor any of its
security holders (other than the Holders in such capacity pursuant hereto) may
include securities of the Company in the Registration Statements and the Company
shall not after the date hereof enter into any agreement providing such right to
any of its securityholders, unless the right so granted is subject in all
respects to the prior rights in full of the Holders set forth herein, and is not
otherwise in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Piggy-Back Registrations. If at any time when there is not an
effective Registration Statement covering the Registrable Securities, the
Company shall determine to prepare and file with the Commission a registration
statement relating to an offering for its own account or the account of others
under the Securities Act of any of its equity securities, other than on Form S-4
or Form S-8 (each as promulgated under the Securities Act) or their then
equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection with
any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in
connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, the Company shall
send to each Holder of Registrable Securities written notice of such
determination and, if within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such notice, any
such Holder shall so request in writing, (which request shall specify the
Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by the Purchasers), the
Company will use reasonable efforts to effect
45
15
the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities which
the Company has been so requested to register by the holder, to the extent
requisite to permit the disposition of the Registrable Securities so to be
registered, provided that if at any time after giving written notice of its
intention to register any securities and prior to the effective date of the
registration statement filed in connection with such registration, the Company
shall determine for any reason not to register or to delay registration of such
securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such
determination to such Holder and, thereupon, (i) in the case of a determination
not to register, shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable
Securities in connection with such registration (but not from its obligation to
pay expenses in accordance with Section 4 hereof), and (ii) in the case of a
determination to delay registering, shall be permitted to delay registering any
Registrable Securities being registered pursuant to this Section 7(d) for the
same period as the delay in registering such other securities. The Company shall
include in such registration statement all or any part of such Registrable
Securities such Holder requests to be registered; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be required to register any Registrable Securities pursuant to
this Section 7(d) that are eligible for sale pursuant to Rule 144(k) of the
Securities Act. In the case of an underwritten public offering, if the managing
underwriter(s) or underwriter(s) should reasonably object to the inclusion of
the Registrable Securities in such registration statement, then if the Company
after consultation with the Underwriter's Representative should reasonably
determine that the inclusion of such Registrable Securities, would materially
adversely affect the offering contemplated in such registration statement, and
based on such determination recommends inclusion in such registration statement
of fewer Registrable Securities then proposed to be sold by the Holders, then
(x) the number of Registrable Securities of the Holders included in such
registration statement shall be reduced pro-rata among such Holders (based upon
the number of Registrable Securities requested to be included in the
registration); provided, however, that if securities are being offered for the
account of other persons or entities as well as the Company, such reduction
shall not represent a greater fraction of the number of Registrable Securities
intended to be offered by the Holders than the fraction of similar reductions
imposed on such other persons or entities (other than the Company).
(e) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and the Holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding Registrable
Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from
the provisions hereof with respect to a matter that relates exclusively to the
rights of Holders and that does not directly or indirectly affect the rights of
other Holders may be given by Holders of at least a majority of the Registrable
Securities to which such waiver or consent relates; provided, however, that the
provisions of this sentence may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except
in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence.
(f) Notices. Any notice or other communication required or
permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been received (a) upon hand delivery (receipt acknowledged) or delivery by telex
(with correct answer back received), telecopy or facsimile (with transmission
confirmation report) at the address or number designated
46
16
below (if received by 8:00 p.m. EST where such notice is to be received), or the
first business day following such delivery (if delivered on a business day after
during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the
second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service,
fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such
mailing, whichever shall first occur. The addresses for such communications are
(i) if to the Company to Geron Corporation, 000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 attn: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, fax no. (000) 000-0000 and (ii) if to
any Purchaser to the address set forth on the signature pages hereto with copies
to Akin, Gump, Strauss, Xxxxx & Xxxx, L.L.P., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx
Xxxx 00000, Attn: Xxxxx Xxxx, fax no. (000) 000-0000 or such other address as
may be designated in writing hereafter, in the same manner, by such Person.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of each of
the parties and shall inure to the benefit of each Holder. The Company may not
assign its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of
a majority in interest of the Holders. Each Purchaser may assign its rights
hereunder in the manner and to the Persons as permitted under the Purchase
Agreement.
(h) Assignment of Registration Rights. The rights of each Holder
hereunder, including the right to have the Company register for resale
Registrable Securities in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, shall be
automatically assignable by each Holder if: (i) the Holder agrees in writing
with the transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such
agreement is furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such
assignment, (ii) the Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or
assignment, furnished with written notice of (a) the name and address of such
transferee or assignee, and (b) the securities with respect to which such
registration rights are being transferred or assigned, (iii) following such
transfer or assignment the further disposition of such securities by the
transferee or assignees is restricted under the Securities Act and applicable
state securities laws, (iv) at or before the time the Company receives the
written notice contemplated by clause (ii) of this Section, the transferee or
assignee agrees in writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions
of this Agreement, and (v) such transfer shall have been made in accordance with
the applicable requirements of the Purchase Agreement. The rights to assignment
shall apply to the Holders (and to subsequent) successors and assigns.
(i) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original
and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In
the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such
signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or
on whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and
effect as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(j) Governing Law. The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall
govern all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and the
Purchasers as its stockholders. All other questions concerning the
construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
47
17
the laws of the State of New York, without regard to principles of
conflicts of law. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the
City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any
dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction
contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives,
and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court,
that such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby
irrevocably waives personal service of process and consent to process
being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy
thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this
Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and
sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained
herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in
any manner permitted by law.
(k) Cumulative Remedies. The remedies provided herein are
cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.
(l) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction
of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative
means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated
by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and
declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the
remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of
such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(m) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(n) [Intentionally Omitted]
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]
48
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
GERON CORPORATION
By:
---------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
XXXXX XXXXXXX STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, LTD.
By:
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
---------------------------------------
Title: Principal
Residence: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
XXXXX XXXXXXX STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, L.P.
By:
---------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Title: Principal
Residence: New York, New York
LB I GROUP INC.
By:
---------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President
Residence: New York, New York
49
19
RGC INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS, LDC
By: Xxxx Xxxx Capital Management, L.P., Investment Manager
BY: RGC GENERAL PARTNER CORP.,
AS GENERAL PARTNER
By:
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Managing Director
Residence: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
50
20
SCHEDULE I
Company
-------
GERON CORPORATION
000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Purchasers:
-----------
XXXXX XXXXXXX STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, L.P.
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Debentures
Warrants
XXXXX XXXXXXX STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, LTD.
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Debentures
Warrants
LB I GROUP INC.
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers, Inc.
3 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10285
Attn: Xxxxx Jenirs
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Debentures
Warrants
RGC International Investors, LDC
c/o Xxxx Xxxx Capital Management, L.P.
0 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Debentures
Warrants
