UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 6-K

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the month of July 2022

 

Commission File Number: 001-41440

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

(Registrant’s Name)

 

30 Broadwick Street

London, W1F 8LX

United Kingdom

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F Form 40-F

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):

 

 

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On July 20, 2022, Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement with Boustead Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters, in connection with its initial public offering (“IPO”) of 1,350,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) at a price of $5.00 per share. The Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-263694) for the IPO, originally filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on March 18, 2022 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) was declared effective by the Commission on June 30, 2022. A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference. The Company issued Representative’s Warrant to purchase up to 108,675 ordinary shares at $6.00 per share, dated July 20, 2022, to Boustead Securities, LLC, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 4.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Other Events.

 

In connection with the IPO, the Company adopted a code of conduct and ethics, an audit committee charter, a compensation committee charter, a nominating and corporate governance committee charter, an insider trading policy, and a whistleblower policy, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 14.1, 99.1, 99.2, 99.3, 99.4, and 99.5 hereto, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

On July 20, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing the pricing of the IPO, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.6 to this Current Report on Form 6-K.

 


Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

The following exhibits are being filed herewith:

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement, dated July 20, 2022, by and between the Company and Boustead Securities, LLC.

4.1

 

Representative’s Warrants.

14.1

 

Code of Conduct and Ethics.

99.1

 

Audit Committee Charter.

99.2

 

Compensation Committee Charter.

99.3

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter.

99.4

 

Insider Trading Policy

99.5

 

Whistleblower Policy

99.6

 

Press Release, dated July 20, 2022.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

 

 

By:

/s/ James Foster

 

Name:

James Foster

 Date: July 26, 2022

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 


Exhibit 1.1

 

1,350,000 ORDINARY SHARES

 

VIRAX BIOLABS GROUP LIMITED

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

July 20, 2022

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

As the Representative of the Several underwriters, if any, named in Schedule I hereto

c/o Boustead Securities, LLC

6 Venture, Suite 395

Irvine, CA 92618

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Virax Biolabs Group Limited, a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement as being subsidiaries or affiliates of Virax Biolabs Group Limited, the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement ”) with the several underwriters (such underwriters, including the Representative (as defined below), the “Underwriters” and each an “Underwriter”) named in Schedule I hereto for which Boustead Securities, LLC is acting as representative to the several Underwriters (the “Representative” and if there are no Underwriters other than the Representative, references to multiple Underwriters shall be disregarded and the term Representative as used herein shall have the same meaning as Underwriter) on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public offering of the Public Shares as soon as the Representative deems it advisable to do so. The Public Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the public offering price set forth in the Prospectus.

 

It is further understood that you will act as the Representative for the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Closing Shares and, if any, the Option Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE I.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(k).

 

Affiliate” means with respect to any Person, any other Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with such Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

 

 

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

 

Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Closing Shares pursuant to Section 2.1.

 


Closing Date” means the hour and the date on the Trading Day on which all conditions precedent to (i) the Underwriters’ obligations to pay the Closing Purchase Price and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Closing Shares, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date hereof or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company.

 

Closing Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b), which aggregate purchase price shall be net of the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Closing Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Company Auditor ” means BF Borgers CPA PC, with offices located at 5400 W Cedar Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226.

 

Company Counsel” means Loeb & Loeb LLP, with offices located at 2206-19 Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong SAR.

 

Effective Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(f).

 

EGS” means Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP, with offices located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

2

 

 

Execution Date” shall mean the date on which the parties execute and enter into this Agreement.

 

Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) Ordinary Shares or options to employees, officers or directors of the Company pursuant to any share or option plan duly adopted for such purpose by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (b) warrants and the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants issued to the Representative in connection with the transaction consummated pursuant to this Agreement, securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities or to extend the term of such securities, and (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, provided that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.19 herein, and provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an owner of an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities.

 

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(i).

 

Indebtedness” means (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (b) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (c) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP.

 

Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

 

3

 

 


Lock-Up Agreements” means the lock-up agreements that are delivered on the date hereof by each of the Company’s officers and directors and each holder of Ordinary Shares and Ordinary Share Equivalents holding, on a fully diluted basis, more than 5% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares, in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means (i) a material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (iii) a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document.

 

Offering” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(c).

 

Option Closing Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(c).

 

Option Closing Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(b), which aggregate purchase price shall be net of the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Option Shares” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2(a).

 

Ordinary Shares ” means the ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Ordinary Share Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Ordinary Shares, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred share, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Ordinary Shares.”

 

Over-Allotment Option” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.2.

 

Person ” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Preliminary Prospectus” means, if any, any preliminary prospectus relating to the Public Shares included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b).

 

Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

 

4

 

 

Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed for the Registration Statement.

 

Prospectus Supplement” means, if any, any supplement to the Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that is filed with the Commission.

 

Public Shares” means, collectively, the Closing Shares and, if any, the Option Shares.

 

Registration Statement” means, collectively, the various parts of the registration statement prepared by the Company on Form F-1 (File No. 333-263694) with respect to the Public Shares, each as amended as of the date hereof, including the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, if any, the Preliminary Prospectus, if any, and all exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference into such registration statement, and includes any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

 

Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

 

Rule 424 ” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” means any registration statement prepared by the Company registering additional Public Shares, which was filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof and became automatically effective pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.


 

Share Purchase Price” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).

 

Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Ordinary Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the Nasdaq Capital Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

5

 

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Lock-Up Agreements, and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

Transfer Agent” means Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company with offices located at 1 State Street, 30th Floor, New York, NY 10004, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

ARTICLE II.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1 Closing.

 

(a) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell in the aggregate 1,350,000 Ordinary Shares, and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, the number of Ordinary Shares (the “Closing Shares”) set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereof;

 

(b) The aggregate purchase price for the Closing Shares shall equal the amount set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule I hereto (the “Closing Purchase Price”). The purchase price for one Ordinary Share shall equal to public offering price net of an underwriting discount equal to seven (7) percent of the public offering price of the securities being offered (the “Underwriting Fee”), or $4.65 per share (the “Share Purchase Price”); and

 

(c) On the Closing Date, each Underwriter shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to such Underwriter’s Closing Purchase Price and the Company shall deliver to, or as directed by, such Underwriter its respective Closing Shares and the Company shall deliver the other items required pursuant to Section 2.3 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.3 and 2.4, the Closing shall occur at the offices of EGS or such other location as the Company and Representative shall mutually agree. The Public Shares are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (the “Offering”).

 

2.2 Over-Allotment Option.

 

(a) For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Closing Shares, the Representative is hereby granted an option (the “Over-Allotment Option”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to 202,500 Ordinary Shares (the “Option Shares”) at the Share Purchase Price.

 

(b) In connection with an exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the purchase price to be paid for the Option Shares is equal to the product of the Share Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Option Shares to be purchased (the aggregate purchase price to be paid on an Option Closing Date, the “Option Closing Purchase Price”).

 

6

 

 

(c) The Over-Allotment Option granted pursuant to this Section 2.2 may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within forty-five (45) days after the Execution Date. An Underwriter will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option by the Representative. The Over-Allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (each, an “Option Closing Date”), which will not be later than two (2) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative,


at the offices of EGS or at such other place (including remotely by other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, each Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-Allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Shares specified in such notice. The Representative may cancel the Over-Allotment Option at any time prior to the expiration of the Over-Allotment Option by written notice to the Company.

 

2.3 Deliveries. The Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Underwriter (if applicable) the following:

 

(i) At the Closing Date, the Closing Shares and, as to each Option Closing Date, if any, the applicable Option Shares, which shares shall be delivered via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system for the accounts of the several Underwriters;

 

(ii) At the Closing Date, and each Option Closing Date, if any, to the Representative only, a Warrant to purchase up to a number of Ordinary Shares equal to 7.0% of the Closing Shares and Option Shares issued on such Closing Date and Option Closing Date, as applicable, for the account of the Representative (or its designees), which Warrant shall have an exercise price of $6.00, subject to adjustment therein, and registered in the name of the Representative, otherwise on the same terms as the Closing Warrants. The Representative’s Warrants and the Ordinary Shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants will be deemed compensation by FINRA (as defined below), and therefore will be subject to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), neither the Representative’s Warrants nor any of the Ordinary Shares issued upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities by any person, for a period of 180 days beginning on the date of commencement of sales of the Offering, subject to certain exceptions as set forth in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2);

 

7

 

 

(iii) At the Closing Date, a legal opinion of Company Counsel addressed to the Underwriters, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter, substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto and as to the Closing Date and as to each Option Closing Date, if any, a bring-down opinion from Company Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative to the Company, including, without limitation, a negative assurance letter, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative;

 

(iv) Contemporaneously herewith, a cold comfort letter, addressed to the Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Representative from the Company Auditor dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and a bring-down letter dated as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any;

 

(v) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered Officer’s Certificate, substantially in the form required by Exhibit B attached hereto;

 

(vi) On the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, the duly executed and delivered Secretary’s Certificate, substantially in the form required by Exhibit C attached hereto; and

 

(vii) Contemporaneously herewith, the duly executed and delivered Lock-Up Agreements.

 

2.4 Closing Conditions. The respective obligations of each Underwriter hereunder in connection with the Closing and each Option Closing Date are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects when made and on the date in question (other than representations and warranties of the Company already qualified by materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects) of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein);

 

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the date in question shall have been performed;

 

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.3 of this Agreement;

 

(iv) the Registration Statement shall be effective on the date of this Agreement and at each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representative;

 

8


 

 

(v) by the Execution Date, if required by FINRA, the Underwriters shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement;

 

(vi) the Closing Shares and the Option Shares have been approved for listing on the Trading Market; and

 

(vii) prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Affiliate of the Company before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall 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.

 

ARTICLE III.

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Execution Date, as of the Closing Date and as of each Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:

 

(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect Subsidiaries of the Company are set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the share capital or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding share capital of each Subsidiary is validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no Subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.

 

9

 

 

(b) Organization and Qualification. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, with the requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and no Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s shareholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Public Shares and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and


thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

10

 

 

(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. The Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus and (ii) such filings as are required to be made under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

(f) Registration Statement. The Company has filed with the Commission the Registration Statement, including any related Prospectus or Prospectuses, for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, which Registration Statement has been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on June 30, 2022 (the “Effective Date”). The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 001-41440) providing for the registration under the Exchange Act of Closing Shares and the Option Shares. The registration of the Closing Shares and the Option Shares under the Exchange Act is effective as of the date hereof. The Company has advised the Representative of all further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company required to be set forth therein in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein; and any reference in this Agreement to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “described,” “referenced,” “set forth” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, as the case may be. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of the Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement has been issued, and no proceeding for any such purpose is pending or has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened by the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Representative, prepare, use or refer to, any free writing prospectus.

 

11

 

 

(g) Issuance of Shares. The Public Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company. The holder of the Public Shares will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders. The Public Shares are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Shares has been duly and validly taken. The Public Shares conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement.

 

(h) Capitalization. The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus. No Person has any right of first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities or as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any Ordinary Shares or the share capital of


any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional Ordinary Shares, Ordinary Share Equivalents, or the share capital of any Subsidiary. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company or any Subsidiary to issue Ordinary Shares or other securities to any Person (other than the Underwriters). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company or any Subsidiary. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any Subsidiary that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any Subsidiary is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or such Subsidiary. The Company does not have any share appreciation rights or “phantom share” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding share capital of the Company is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. The authorized shares of the Company conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the Company’s securities were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers, exempt from such registration requirements. No further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no shareholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s share capital to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s shareholders.

 

12

 

 

(i) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder to be described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, or any Prospectus Supplement, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefore may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.

 

13

 

 

(j) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent filing with the Commission, (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its shareholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any its share capital, (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company share option plans and (vi) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any


request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Public Shares contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made. Unless otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its share capital, each since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.

 

(k) Litigation. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) which (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Public Shares or (ii) could, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

14

 

 

(l) Labor Relations. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, no labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(m) Compliance. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

15

 

 

(n) Regulatory Permits. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and/or SEC correspondences, the Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess such permits could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (each, a “Material Permit”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit. The disclosures in the Registration Statement concerning the effects of Federal, State, local and all foreign regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects.

 

(o) Title to Assets. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all real property and all personal property that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens


as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP, and the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

(p) Intellectual Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and which the failure to do so could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

16

 

 

(q) Insurance. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

(r) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, none of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from, any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, shareholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii) other employee benefits, including share option agreements under any equity plan of the Company.

 

(s) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.

 

17

 

 

(t) Certain Fees. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA. The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments


(in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve months prior to the Execution Date, other than the prior payment of $68,750.00 to the Representative as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

(u) Investment Company. The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Public Shares will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(v) Registration Rights. No Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

(w) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Ordinary Shares are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not, in the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Ordinary Shares are or have been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Ordinary Shares are currently eligible for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees of the Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

18

 

 

(x) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of incorporation that is or could become applicable as a result of the Underwriters and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents.

 

(y) Disclosure; 10b-5. The Registration Statement (and any further documents to be filed with the Commission) contains all exhibits and schedules as required by the Securities Act. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, if any, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations under the Securities Act and did not and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any 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 not misleading. The Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, each as of its respective date, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations. Each of the Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus and any Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, did not and will not contain as of the date thereof any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period. There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, which have not been described or filed as required. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading.

 

(z) No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Public Shares to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of any applicable shareholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

19

 

 


(aa) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Public Shares hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus set forth as of the date hereof all outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

(bb) Equity Plans. Each option granted by the Company under the Company’s equity plan was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s equity plan and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Ordinary Shares on the date such option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No option granted under the Company’s equity plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

(cc) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all United States federal, state and local income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign, and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments, or charges of any kind whatsoever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax, or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements, and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

 

20

 

 

(dd) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the FCPA.

 

(ee) Accountants. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, the Company Auditor (i) is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act and (ii) shall express its opinion with respect to the financial statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. The Company Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(ff) FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (“FDCA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (each such product, a “Pharmaceutical Product”), such Pharmaceutical Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations relating to registration, investigational use, premarket clearance, licensure, or application approval, good manufacturing practices, good laboratory practices, good clinical


practices, product listing, quotas, labeling, advertising, record keeping and filing of reports, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending, completed or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, action (including any lawsuit, arbitration, or legal or administrative or regulatory proceeding, charge, complaint, or investigation) against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice, warning letter or other communication from the FDA or any other governmental entity, which (i) contests the premarket clearance, licensure, registration, or approval of, the uses of, the distribution of, the manufacturing or packaging of, the testing of, the sale of, or the labeling and promotion of any Pharmaceutical Product, (ii) withdraws its approval of, requests the recall, suspension, or seizure of, or withdraws or orders the withdrawal of advertising or sales promotional materials relating to, any Pharmaceutical Product, (iii) imposes a clinical hold on any clinical investigation by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) enjoins production at any facility of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) enters or proposes to enter into a consent decree of permanent injunction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or (vi) otherwise alleges any violation of any laws, rules or regulations by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, and which, either individually or in the aggregate, would have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA. The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.

 

21

 

 

(gg) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.

 

(hh) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon the Representative’s request.

 

(ii) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

(jj) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no Action or Proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

(kk) D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering and in the Lock-Up Agreement provided to the Underwriters is true and correct in all respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in such questionnaires become inaccurate and incorrect.

 

22

 

 

(ll) FINRA Affiliation. No officer, director or any beneficial owner of five percent (5.0%) or more of the Company’s unregistered securities has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA) that is participating in the Offering. The Company will advise the Representative and EGS if it learns that any officer, director or owner of five percent (5.0%) or more of the Company’s outstanding Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member firm.

 

(mm) Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Representative or EGS shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

(nn) Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors


comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder applicable to the Company and the rules of the Trading Market. At least one member of the Board of Directors qualifies as a “financial expert” as such term is defined under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and the rules of the Trading Market. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent” as defined under the rules of the Trading Market.

 

(oo) Cybersecurity. (i)(x) There has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of it), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and the Subsidiaries have not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to its IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and the Subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and Data; and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

 

23

 

 

(pp) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands, or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations, issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where in each clause (i), (ii) and (iii), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

ARTICLE IV.

 

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Underwriters complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any Prospectus Supplement, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as an Underwriter reasonably requests. Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Public Shares other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Prospectus Supplement, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein. The Company shall not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing.

 

24

 

 

4.2 Federal Securities Laws.

 

(a) Compliance. During the time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, the Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Public Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Public Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits 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, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will notify the Underwriters promptly and prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 4.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10 of the Securities Act.


 

(b) Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424.

 

(c) Exchange Act Registration. For a period of three years from the Execution Date, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act. The Company will not deregister the Ordinary Shares under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative.

 

(d) Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Public Shares that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the rules and regulations under the Securities Act, without the prior written consent of the Representative. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representative is herein referred to as a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in rule and regulations under the Securities Act, and has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 of the Securities Act, including timely Commission filing where required, legending and record keeping.

 

4.3 Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, from time to time during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act such number of copies of each Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to you two original executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all post-effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference and all original executed consents of certified experts.

 

25

 

 

4.4 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Underwriters. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus until nine (9) months from the Execution Date, and will notify the Underwriters immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 4.4 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

 

4.5 Review of Financial Statements. For a period of five (5) years from the Execution Date, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accountants to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information.

 

4.6 Expenses of the Offering.

 

(a) General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Public Shares to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Shares) with the Commission; (b) all FINRA Public Offering Filing System fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Closing Shares and Option Shares on the Trading Market and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of such Public Shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the fees and expenses of Blue Sky counsel); (d) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (e) the costs and expenses of the Company’s public relations firm; (f) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering the Public Shares; (g) fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent for the Public Shares (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company); (h) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (i) the fees and expenses of


the Company’s accountants; (j) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (k) the Underwriters’ costs of mailing prospectuses to prospective investors. The Underwriters may also deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or each Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters.

 

26

 

 

(b) Expenses of the Offering. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 4.6(a), on the Closing Date and Option Closing Date, if applicable, the Company will (i) reimburse the Representative for all reasonable and accountable out-of-pocket expenses, which includes $100,000 for the Representative’s fees and expenses of legal counsel ($68,750 of which has been paid by the Company to the Representative prior to the date of this agreement); (ii) reimburse the Representative for due diligence expenses up to $62,500; (iii) reimburse the Representative for road show fees and expenses up to $62,500; (iv) reimburse the Representative for background check fees and expenses up to $5,000 and (v) pay to the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to three-quarters of a percent (0.75%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Public Shares by deduction from the proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein. In the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof. Any expense deposits paid by the Company will be returned to the Company to the extent the Representative’s out-of-pocket accountable expenses are not actually incurred in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).

 

4.7 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.

 

4.8 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar month following the Execution Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required by the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve consecutive months beginning after the Execution Date.

 

4.9 Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) has taken or will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Public Shares.

 

27

 

 

4.10 Internal Controls. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company will maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

4.11 Accountants. The Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent certified public accounting firm for a period of at least three years after the Execution Date. The Underwriters acknowledge that the Company Auditor is acceptable to the Underwriters.

 

4.12 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Underwriters (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is aware that any five percent (5.0%) or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of an Underwriter.

 

4.13 No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual and commercial in nature, based on arms-length negotiations and that neither the Underwriters nor their affiliates or any selected dealer shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may have financial interests in the success of the Offering that are not limited to the difference between the price to the public and the purchase price paid to the Company by the Underwriters for the shares and the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose, or account to the Company for, any of such additional financial interests. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of fiduciary duty.

 


4.14 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the Board of Directors comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and with the listing requirements of the Trading Market and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Board of Directors qualifies as a “financial expert” as such term is defined under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder.

 

4.15 Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. At the request of the Representative, by 8:00p.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof, the Company shall issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the Offering. The Company and the Representative shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the Offering, and neither the Company nor any Underwriter shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of such Underwriter, or without the prior consent of such Underwriter, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. The Company will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representative’s prior written consent, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the first business day following the 45th day following the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.

 

28

 

 

4.16 Shareholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Underwriter of the Public Shares is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Underwriter of Public Shares could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Public Shares.

 

4.17 Reservation of Ordinary Shares. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of Ordinary Shares for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue Option Shares pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option.

 

4.18 Listing of Ordinary Shares. The Company hereby agrees to use best efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the Ordinary Shares on the Trading Market on which it is currently listed, and concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall apply to list or quote all of the Closing Shares and Option Shares on such Trading Market and promptly secure the listing of all of the Closing Shares and Option Shares on such Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Ordinary Shares traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Closing Shares and Option Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Closing Shares and Option Shares to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Ordinary Shares on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to maintain the eligibility of the Ordinary Shares for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

29

 

 

4.19 Subsequent Equity Sales.

 

(a) From the date hereof until twelve (12) months, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any Ordinary Shares or Ordinary Share Equivalents.

 

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.19 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.

 

4.20 Research Independence. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments, if any, are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriter’s research analysts may hold and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of its investment bankers. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against such Underwriter with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriter’s investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that the Representative is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short position in debt or equity securities of the Company.

 


ARTICLE V.

 

DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS

 

If on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, if any, any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company), the Representative, or if the Representative is the defaulting Underwriter, the non- defaulting Underwriters, shall use their reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth herein, the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36 hours the Representative shall not have procured such other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, with respect to which such default shall occur does not exceed ten percent (10%) of the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase hereunder, to purchase the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if the aggregate number of Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds ten percent (10%) of the Closing Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company or the Representative will have the right to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the Company except to the extent provided in Article VI hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Article V, the applicable Closing Date may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representative, or if the Representative is the defaulting Underwriter, the non- defaulting Underwriters, may determine in order that the required changes in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. The term “Underwriter” includes any Person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

30

 

 

ARTICLE VI.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

6.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters, and each dealer selected by each Underwriter that participates in the offer and sale of the Public Shares (each a “Selected Dealer”) and each of their respective directors, officers and employees and each Person, if any, who controls such Underwriter or any Selected Dealer (“Controlling Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between such Underwriter and the Company or between such Underwriter and any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Public Shares, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Article VI, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Public Shares under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, Trading Market or any securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of 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, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the applicable Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any application, as the case may be. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6.1 shall not inure to the benefit of an Underwriter to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the Person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Public Shares to such Person as required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non -compliance by the Company with its obligations under this Agreement. The Company agrees promptly to notify each Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or Controlling Persons in connection with the issue and sale of the Public Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement or Prospectus.


 

31

 

 

6.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter, a Selected Dealer or a Controlling Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 6.1, such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person, as the case may be, shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval of such Underwriter or such Selected Dealer, as the case may be) and payment of actual expenses. Such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter, such Selected Dealer or Controlling Person unless (i) the employment of such counsel at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii) such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one additional firm of attorneys selected by such Underwriter (in addition to local counsel), Selected Dealer and/or Controlling Person shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Underwriter, Selected Dealer or Controlling Person shall assume the defense of such action as provided above, the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such action which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

6.3 Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees and agents who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written information furnished to the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on behalf of such Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any such application. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other Person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against such Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other Person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to such Underwriter by the provisions of this Article VI. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.3, no Underwriter shall be required to indemnify the Company for any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Public Shares purchased by such Underwriter. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 6.3 to indemnify the Company are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 

32

 

 

6.4 Contribution.

 

(a) Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution under the Securities Act in any case in which (i) any Person entitled to indemnification under this Article VI makes a claim for indemnification pursuant hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Article VI provides for indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise may be required on the part of any such Person in circumstances for which indemnification is provided under this Article VI, then, and in each such case, the Company and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and such Underwriter, as incurred, in such proportions that such Underwriter is responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to the initial offering price appearing thereon and the Company is responsible for the balance; provided, that, no Person guilty of a 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. For purposes of this Section, each director, officer and employee of such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each Person, if any, who controls such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter or the Company, as applicable. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6.4, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Public Shares purchased by such Underwriter. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Section 6.4 to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

 


(b) Contribution Procedure. Within ten (10) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 6.4 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available.

 

33

 

 

ARTICLE VII.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

7.1 Termination.

 

(a) Termination Right. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in its opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on any Trading Market shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representative’s opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Public Shares, or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder, or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Public Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Shares.

 

(b) Expenses. In the event this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 7.1(a), within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Representative its actual and accountable out of pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable, including the fees and disbursements of EGS up to $100,000 (provided, however, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement).

 

(c) Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Article VI shall not be in any way effected by such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

 

34

 

 

7.2 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any Prospectus Supplement, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Engagement Agreement, dated August 2, 2021 (“Engagement Agreement”), by and between the Company and Representative shall continue to be effective and the terms therein, including, without limitation, Section 8 with respect to any future offerings, shall continue to survive and be enforceable by the Representative in accordance with its terms, provided that, in the event of a conflict between the terms of the Engagement Agreement and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.

 

7.3 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e- mail attachment at the email address set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail attachment at the e-mail address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30


p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

 

7.4 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and the Representative. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right.

 

7.5 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

35

 

 

7.6 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns.

 

7.7 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive 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 (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Article VI, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

 

7.8 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the Option Closing, if any, and the delivery of the Public Shares.

 

7.9 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

 

7.10 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

36

 

 

7.11 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, the Underwriters and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the


Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

7.12 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

7.13 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and Ordinary Shares in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Ordinary Shares that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

7.14 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVE FOREVER ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

37

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

VIRAX BIOLABS GROUPS LIMITED

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ James Foster

 

 

Name:

James Foster

 

 

Title:

CEO

 

Address for Notice:

30 Broadwick Street

London, W1F 8LX

United Kingdom

 

Copy to:

 

Loeb& Loeb LLP,

2206-19 Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central,
Hong Kong SAR.

 

Accepted on the date first above written.

BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC

As the Representative of the several

Underwriters listed on Schedule I

 

By:

/s/ Keith Moore

 

 

Name:

Keith Moore

 

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

Address for Notice:

6 Venture, Suite 395

Irvine, CA 92618 USA

 

Copy to:


 

Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP

1345 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10105

E-mail: capmkts@egsllp.com

 

38

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS

 

Initial public offering price per share for the Securities: $5.00

 

Underwriters

 

Closing Shares

 

 

Closing
Purchase
Price

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

 

1,350,000

 

 

$

4.65

 

Total

 

 

1,350,000

 

 

$

6,277,500.00

 

 

 

 

39


Exhibit 4.1

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

Warrant To Purchase Ordinary Shares

 

Warrant No.: UW-1

Date of Issuance: July 25, 2022 (“Issuance Date”)

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited, a Cayman Island corporation (the “Company”), hereby certifies that, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Boustead Securities, LLC, the registered holder hereof or its permitted assigns (the “Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms set forth below, to purchase from the Company, at the Exercise Price (as defined below) then in effect, Company ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 (“Ordinary Shares”) (including any Warrants to purchase shares issued in exchange, transfer or replacement hereof, the “Warrant”), at any time or times on or after the date hereof but not after 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Expiration Date (as defined below), 94,500 (subject to adjustment as provided herein) fully paid and non-assessable shares of Ordinary Shares (the “Warrant Shares”).

 

1. EXERCISE OF WARRANT.

 

(a) Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, this Warrant may be exercised by the Holder on any day on or after the date hereof, in whole or in part, by delivery (whether via facsimile, email, or otherwise) of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Exercise Notice”), of the Holder’s election to exercise this Warrant, by submitting information including the then-applicable Exercise Price, number of Warrant Shares purchased equal to or lower than the then-applicable number of Warrant Shares and the FMV (collectively, the “Exercise Information”). Within one (1) Trading Day following an exercise of this Warrant as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver payment to the Company of an amount equal to the Exercise Price in effect on the date of such exercise multiplied by the number of Warrant Shares as to which this Warrant was so exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash or via wire transfer of immediately available funds if, subject to the provisions of Section 1(d), the Holder has not notified the Company in such Exercise Notice that such exercise is made pursuant to a Cashless Exercise (as defined in Section 1(d)) at a time and under circumstances which permit a Cashless Exercise. The Holder shall not be required to deliver the original of this Warrant in order to effect an exercise hereunder. Execution and delivery of an Exercise Notice with respect to less than all of the Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original of this Warrant and issuance of a new Warrant evidencing the right to purchase the remaining number of Warrant Shares. Execution and delivery of an Exercise Notice for all of the then-remaining Warrant Shares shall have the same effect as cancellation of the original of this Warrant after delivery of the Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms hereof. On or before the first (1st) Trading Day following the date on which the Company has received an Exercise Notice, upon checking that the Exercise Information supplied by the Holder is accurate, the Company shall transmit by facsimile or email an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of such Exercise Notice, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, to the Holder and the Company’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”). On or before the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date on which the Company has received such Exercise Notice and, in the event that the Holder has chosen to exercise in cash, the receipt of the payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, the Company shall instruct the Transfer Agent to issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise and to, at the sole direction of the Holder pursuant to the Exercise Notice, hold such Warrant Shares in electronic form at the Transfer Agent registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee (as indicated in the applicable Exercise Notice), or mail to the Holder or, at the Holder’s instruction pursuant to the Exercise Notice, the Holder’s agent or designee, in each case, sent by reputable overnight courier to the address as specified in the applicable Exercise Notice, a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee (as indicated in the applicable Exercise Notice). Upon delivery of an Exercise Notice and in the event that the Holder has chosen to exercise in cash, the Company’s receipt of the payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Warrant Shares (as the case may be). If this Warrant is submitted in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the total number of Warrant Shares represented by this Warrant is greater than the number of Warrant Shares being acquired by the Holder upon an exercise, then, at the request of the Holder, the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three (3) Business Days after any exercise and at its own expense, issue and deliver to the Holder (or its designee) a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares purchasable immediately prior to such exercise under this Warrant, less the number of Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant is exercised. No fractional Warrant Shares are to be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant, but rather the number of Warrant Shares to be issued shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company in respect of the issuance or delivery of Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of this Warrant or such shares.

 

 

 

 

(b) Exercise Price. For purposes of this Warrant, “Exercise Price” means $6.00 per share, subject to adjustment as provided herein.


 

(c) Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If the Company shall fail, for any reason or for no reason, to issue to the Holder within two (2) Trading Days after receipt of the applicable Exercise Notice, a certificate for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Warrant Shares on the Company’s share register, the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company shall fail, for any reason or for no reason, to issue to the Holder within two (2) Trading Days after receipt of the applicable Exercise Notice, a certificate for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled and register such Warrant Shares on the Company’s share register and if on or after such second (2nd) Trading Day the Holder (or any other Person in respect, or on behalf, of the Holder) purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Ordinary Shares to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of all or any portion of the number of Warrant Shares, or a sale of a number of Warrant Shares equal to all or any portion of the number of Warrant Shares, issuable upon such exercise that the Holder so anticipated receiving from the Company, then, in addition to all other remedies available to the Holder, the Company shall, within three (3) Business Days after the Holder’s request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including reasonable brokerage commissions and other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, if any) for the Warrant Shares so purchased (including, without limitation, by any other Person in respect, or on behalf, of the Holder) (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to so issue and deliver such certificate or credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder (as the case may be) (and to issue such Warrant Shares) shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to so issue and deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such Warrant Shares or credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise hereunder (as the case may be) and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of Warrant Shares multiplied by (B) the lowest Closing Sale Price of the Ordinary Shares on any Trading Day during the period commencing on the date of the applicable Exercise Notice and ending on the date of such issuance and payment under this clause (ii).

 

2

 

 

(d) Cashless Exercise. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Holder may, in its sole discretion, exercise this Warrant in whole or in part and, in lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to the Company upon such exercise in payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, elect instead to receive upon such exercise the “Net Number” of Warrant Shares determined according to the following formula (a “Cashless Exercise”), provided that the Holder may elect to cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 1(d) only if B as set forth in the following formula is higher than C as set forth in the following formula:

 

 

Net Number =

(A x B) - (A x C)

B

 

For purposes of the foregoing formula:

 

A= the total number of shares with respect to which this Warrant is then being exercised.

 

B= the FMV

 

C= the Exercise Price then in effect for the applicable Warrant Shares at the time of such exercise.

 

(e) Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed and resolve such dispute in accordance with Section 14.

 

(f) [Intentionally Left Blank].

 

(g) Insufficient Authorized Shares. The Company shall at all times keep reserved for issuance under this Warrant a number of shares of Ordinary Shares as shall be necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligation to issue Warrant Shares hereunder (without regard to any limitation otherwise contained herein with respect to the number of Warrant Shares that may be acquirable upon exercise of this Warrant). If, notwithstanding the foregoing, and not in limitation thereof, at any time while the Warrant remains outstanding the Company does not have a sufficient number of authorized and unreserved shares of Ordinary Shares to satisfy its obligation to reserve for issuance upon exercise of the Warrant at least a number of shares of Ordinary Shares equal to the number of shares of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrant then outstanding (the “Required Reserve Amount”) (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Company shall immediately take all action necessary to increase the Company’s authorized shares of Ordinary Shares to an amount sufficient to allow the Company to reserve the Required Reserve Amount for the Warrant then outstanding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, as soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than sixty (60) days after the occurrence of such Authorized Share Failure, the Company shall hold a meeting of its shareholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized shares of Ordinary Shares. In connection with such meeting, the Company shall provide each shareholder with a proxy statement and shall use its best efforts to solicit


its shareholders’ approval of such increase in authorized shares of Ordinary Shares and to cause its board of directors to recommend to the shareholders that they approve such proposal.

 

3

 

 

2. ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF WARRANT SHARES. The Exercise Price and number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant are subject to adjustment from time to time as set forth in this Section 2.

 

(a) Share Dividends and Splits. Without limiting any provision of Section 4, if the Company, at any time on or after the date hereof, (i) pays a share dividend on one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Ordinary Shares or otherwise makes a distribution on any class of share capital that is payable in shares of Ordinary Shares, (ii) subdivides (by any share split, share dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Ordinary Shares into a larger number of shares or (iii) combines (by combination, reverse share split or otherwise) one or more classes of its then outstanding shares of Ordinary Shares into a smaller number of shares, then in each such case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Ordinary Shares outstanding immediately after such event. Any adjustment made pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution, and any adjustment pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) of this paragraph shall become effective immediately after the effective date of such subdivision or combination. If any event requiring an adjustment under this paragraph occurs during the period that an Exercise Price is calculated hereunder, then the calculation of such Exercise Price shall be adjusted appropriately to reflect such event.

 

(b) [Intentionally Left Blank].

 

(c) Number of Warrant Shares. Simultaneously with any adjustment to the Exercise Price pursuant to only paragraph (a) of this Section 2, the number of Warrant Shares that may be purchased upon exercise of this Warrant shall be increased or decreased proportionately, so that after such adjustment the aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder for the adjusted number of Warrant Shares shall be the same as the aggregate Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment (without regard to any limitations on exercise contained herein).

 

(d) Other Events. In the event that the Company (or any subsidiary) shall take any action to which the provisions hereof are not strictly applicable, or, if applicable, would not operate to protect the Holder from dilution or if any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of this Section 2 but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of share appreciation rights, phantom share rights or other rights with equity features), then the Company’s board of directors shall in good faith determine and implement an appropriate adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares (if applicable) so as to protect the rights of the Holder, provided that no such adjustment pursuant to this Section 2(d) will increase the Exercise Price or decrease the number of Warrant Shares as otherwise determined pursuant to this Section 2, provided further that if the Holder does not accept such adjustments as appropriately protecting its interests hereunder against such dilution, then the Company’s board of directors and the Holder shall agree, in good faith, upon an independent investment bank of nationally recognized standing to make such appropriate adjustments, whose determination shall be final and binding and whose fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company.

 

4

 

 

(e) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 2 shall be made by rounding to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100thof a share, as applicable. The number of shares of Ordinary Shares outstanding at any given time shall not include shares owned or held by or for the account of the Company, and the disposition of any such shares shall be considered an issue or sale of Ordinary Shares.

 

3. RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of Ordinary Shares, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction, but specifically excluding cash) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon a complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution.

 

4. PURCHASE RIGHTS; FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS.

 

(a) Purchase Rights. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if at any time while the Warrant remains outstanding and before the Expiration Date, the Company grants, issues or sells any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase share,


warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Ordinary Shares (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Ordinary Shares acquirable upon a complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Ordinary Shares are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.

 

(b) Fundamental Transactions. During the term of this Warrant, the Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4(b) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, including agreements to deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant, including, without limitation, which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of share capital equivalent to the shares of Ordinary Shares acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of share capital (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Ordinary Shares pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of share capital, such adjustments to the number of shares of share capital and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of each Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the shares of Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction, such shares of publicly traded Ordinary Shares (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant), as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this Warrant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Holder may elect, at its sole option, by delivery of written notice to the Company to waive this Section 4(b) to permit the Fundamental Transaction without the assumption of this Warrant. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of each Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of shares of Ordinary Shares are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for shares of Ordinary Shares (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this Warrant at any time after the consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of the shares of the Ordinary Shares (or other securities, cash, assets or other property (except such items still issuable under Sections 3 and 4(a) above, which shall continue to be receivable thereafter)) issuable upon the exercise of the Warrant prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of share , securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including warrants or other purchase or subscription rights) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of the applicable Fundamental Transaction had this Warrant been exercised immediately prior to the applicable Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant). Provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder.

 

5

 

 

Reserved.

 

(c) Application. The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events and shall be applied as if this Warrant (and any such subsequent warrants) were fully exercisable and without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant.

 

5. NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, and will at all times in good faith carry out all the provisions of this Warrant and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (a) shall not increase the par value of the Ordinary Shares receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant above the Exercise Price then in effect, (b) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable shares of Ordinary Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant, and (c) shall, so long as the Warrant is outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Ordinary Shares, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of the


Warrant, the maximum number of shares of Ordinary Shares as shall from time to time be necessary to effect the exercise of the Warrant then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).

 

6. WARRANT HOLDER NOT DEEMED A SHAREHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of this Warrant, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in its capacity as the Holder of this Warrant, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of share , reclassification of share , consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this Warrant. In addition, nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this Warrant or otherwise) or as a shareholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company. Notwithstanding this Section 6, the Company shall provide the Holder with copies of the same notices and other information given to the shareholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the giving thereof to the shareholders.

 

7. REISSUANCE OF WARRANTS.

 

(a) Transfer of Warrant. If this Warrant is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company, whereupon the Company will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant is being transferred, a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares not being transferred.

 

6

 

 

(b) Lost, Stolen or Mutilated Warrant. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant (as to which a written certification and the indemnification contemplated below shall suffice as such evidence), and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary and reasonable form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new Warrant (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to purchase the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant.

 

(c) Exchangeable for Multiple Warrants. This Warrant is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new Warrant or Warrants (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to purchase the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant, and each such new Warrant will represent the right to purchase such portion of such Warrant Shares as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender; provided, however, no warrants for fractional shares of Ordinary Shares shall be given.

 

(d) Issuance of New Warrants. Whenever the Company is required to issue a new Warrant pursuant to the terms of this Warrant, such new Warrant (i) shall be of like tenor with this Warrant, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant, the right to purchase the Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant (or in the case of a new Warrant being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Warrant Shares designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of shares of Ordinary Shares underlying the other new Warrants issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Warrant Shares then underlying this Warrant), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new Warrant which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this Warrant.

 

8. NOTICES;PAYMENTS.

 

(a) The Company shall provide the Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this Warrant, including in reasonable detail a description of such action and the reason therefor. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will give written notice to the Holder (i) immediately upon each adjustment of the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares, setting forth in reasonable detail, and certifying, the calculation of such adjustment(s) and (ii) at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date on which the Company closes its books or takes a record (A) with respect to any dividend or distribution upon the shares of Ordinary Shares, (B) with respect to any grants, issuances or sales of any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchaseshare, warrants, securities or other property to holders of shares of Ordinary Shares or (C) for determining rights to vote with respect to any Fundamental Transaction, dissolution or liquidation, provided in each case that such information shall be made known to the public prior to or in conjunction with such notice being provided to the Holder and (iii) at least ten (10) Trading Days prior to the consummation of any Fundamental Transaction. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. It is expressly understood and agreed that the time of execution specified by the Holder in each Exercise Notice shall be definitive and may not be disputed or challenged by the Company.


 

7

 

 

(b) Payments. Whenever any payment is to be made by the Company to any Person pursuant to this Warrant, such payment shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America via wire transfer of U.S. Dollars in immediately available funds in accordance with the Holder’s wire transfer instructions delivered to the Company on or prior to such payment date or, in the absence of such instructions, by a certified check drawn on the account of the Company and sent via overnight courier service to such Person at such address as previously provided to the Company in writing.

 

9. AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this Warrant may be amended and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Holder. No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party.

 

10. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Warrant is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Warrant so long as this Warrant as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s).

 

11. GOVERNING LAW. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with, and all questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and performance of this Warrant shall be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the 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 brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude the Holder from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to the Holder or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of the Holder. If service of process is effected pursuant to the above sentence, such service will be deemed sufficient under New York law and the Company shall not assert otherwise. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. THE COMPANY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS WARRANT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

8

 

 

12. Reserved.

 

13. CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. This Warrant shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any Person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this Warrant are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Warrant. Terms used in this Warrant but defined in the other Transaction Documents shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms on the Closing Date in such other Transaction Documents unless otherwise consented to in writing by the Holder.

 

14. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or FMV or the arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares (as the case may be), the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations (as the case may be) via facsimile (a) within two (2) Business Days after receipt of the applicable notice giving rise to such dispute to the Company or the Holder (as the case may be) or (b) if no notice gave rise to such dispute, at any time after the Holder learned of the circumstances giving rise to such dispute (including, without limitation, as to whether any issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale was an issuance or sale or deemed issuance or sale of Excluded Securities). If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation (as the case may be) of the Exercise Price, or FMV or the number of Warrant Shares (as the case may be) within three (3) Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to


the Company or the Holder (as the case may be), then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via facsimile (i) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price or FMV (as the case may be) to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Holder or (ii) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Warrant Shares to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause at its expense the investment bank or the accountant (as the case may be) to perform the determinations or calculations (as the case may be) and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten (10) Business Days from the time it receives such disputed determinations or calculations (as the case may be). Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation (as the case may be) shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.

 

15. REMEDIES, CHARACTERIZATION, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. The remedies provided in this Warrant shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Warrant and the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this Warrant. The Company covenants to the Holder that there shall be no characterization concerning this instrument other than as expressly provided herein. Amounts set forth or provided for herein with respect to payments, exercises and the like (and the computation thereof) shall be the amounts to be received by the Holder and shall not, except as expressly provided herein, be subject to any other obligation of the Company (or the performance thereof). The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to the Holder and that the remedy at law for any such breach may be inadequate. The Company therefore agrees that, in the event of any such breach or threatened breach, the holder of this Warrant shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an injunction restraining any breach, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall provide all information and documentation to the Holder that is requested by the Holder to enable the Holder to confirm the Company’s compliance with the terms and conditions of this Warrant (including, without limitation, compliance with Section 2 hereof). The issuance of shares and certificates for shares as contemplated hereby upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be made without charge to the Holder or such shares for any issuance tax or other costs in respect thereof, provided that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than the Holder or its agent on its behalf.

 

9

 

 

16. TRANSFER. This Warrant may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without the consent of the Company. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the offering pursuant to which this Warrant is being issued, except the transfer of any security:

 

 

(i)

by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of the Company;

 

 

(ii)

to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers and partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period;

 

 

(iii)

if the aggregate amount of securities of the Company held by the Holder or related person do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;

 

 

(iv)

that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or

 

 

(v)

the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period.

 

10

 

 

17. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Warrant, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(a) [Intentionally Left Blank].

 

(b) “Bloomberg” means Bloomberg, L.P.

 

(c) “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.


 

(d) “Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing trade price for such security on the Eligible Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Eligible Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price, then the last trade price of such security prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Eligible Market is not the principal securities exchange or trading market for such security, the last trade price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded as reported by Bloomberg, or if the foregoing does not apply, the last trade price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no last trade price is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the average of the ask prices of any market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” by Pink Sheets LLC (formerly the National Quotation Bureau, Inc.). If the Closing Sale Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Closing Sale Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the procedures in Section 14. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any share dividend, share split, share combination or other similar transaction during such period.

 

(e) “Convertible Securities” means any share or other security (other than Options) that is at any time and under any circumstances, directly or indirectly, convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any shares of Ordinary Shares.

 

(f) “Eligible Market” means The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(g) “Expiration Date” means the date that is three years from the Issuance Date, or, if such date falls on a day other than a Business Day or on which trading does not take place on the Eligible Market (a “Holiday”), the next date that is not a Holiday.

 

(h) “FMV” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Ordinary Shares is then listed or quoted on a Eligible Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on such Eligible Market on which the Ordinary Shares is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not an Eligible Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the OTCQB or OTCQX on which the Ordinary Shares is then quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, as applicable, (c) if the Ordinary Shares is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Ordinary Shares are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the “OTC Markets Group”, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the Pink Sheets on which the Ordinary Shares is then quoted as reported by OTC Markets Group (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Ordinary Shares as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

11

 

 

(i) “Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (A) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the surviving corporation) any other Person, or (B) sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its respective properties or assets to any other Person, or (C) allow any other Person to make a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company (not including any shares of Voting Stock of the Company held by the Person or Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the Persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (D) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with any other Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company (not including any shares of Voting Stock of the Company held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such share or share purchase agreement or other business combination), or (E) (1) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify the Ordinary Shares, (2) effect or consummate a share combination, reverse share split or other similar transaction involving the Ordinary Shares or (3) make any public announcement or disclosure with respect to any share combination, reverse share split or other similar transaction involving the Ordinary Shares (including, without limitation, any public announcement or disclosure of (a) any potential, possible or actual share combination, reverse share split or other similar transaction involving the Ordinary Shares or (b) board or shareholder approval thereof, or the intention of the Company to seek board or shareholder approval of any share combination, reverse share split or other similar transaction involving the Ordinary Shares), or (ii) any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) is or shall become the


“beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Voting Stock of the Company.

 

(j) “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Ordinary Shares or Convertible Securities.

 

12

 

 

(k) “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person and whose Ordinary Shares or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market, or, if there is more than one such Person or Parent Entity, the Person or Parent Entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.

 

(l) “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity or a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(m) “SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(n) “Successor Entity” means the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.

 

(o) “Trading Day” means any day on which the Ordinary Shares is traded on the Eligible Market, or, if the Eligible Market is not the principal trading market for the Ordinary Shares, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Ordinary Shares is then traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Ordinary Shares is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Ordinary Shares is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00 p.m., New York time) unless such day is otherwise designated as a Trading Day in writing by the Holder.

 

(p) “Voting Stock” of a Person means share capital of such Person of the class or classes pursuant to which the holders thereof have the general voting power to elect, or the general power to appoint, at least a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time share capital of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

 

[signature page follows]

 

13

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

By:

/s/ James Foster

 

Name:

James Foster

 

Title:

Director

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

EXERCISE NOTICE

TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS

WARRANT TO PURCHASE ORDINARY SHARES

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to purchase _________________ Ordinary Shares (“Warrant Shares”) of Virax Biolabs Group Limited, a Cayman Island corporation (the “Company”), evidenced by Warrant to Purchase Ordinary Shares No. _______ (the “Warrant”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Warrant.


 

1. Form of Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:

 

 

____________

a “Cash Exercise” with respect to _________________ Warrant Shares; and/or

 

 

____________

a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to _______________ Warrant Shares.

 

In the event that the Holder has elected a Cashless Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the Holder hereby represents and warrants that (i) this Exercise Notice was executed by the Holder on the date set forth below and (ii) if applicable, the FMV as of the date prior to the date of the Exercise Notice was $________.]

 

1. Form of Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as a “Cash Exercise”.]

 

2. Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the Holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the Warrant Shares to be issued pursuant hereto, the Holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $___________________ to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Warrant.

 

3. Delivery of Warrant Shares. The Company shall deliver to Holder, or its designee or agent as specified below, __________ Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms of the Warrant. Delivery shall be made to Holder, or for its benefit, as follows:

 

 

Check here if requesting delivery as a certificate to the following name and to the following address:

 

 

Issue to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check here if requesting delivery by Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian as follows:

 

 

DTC Participant:

 

 

DTC Number:

 

 

Account Number:

 

 

Date: ,

 

 

Name of Registered Holder

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Tax ID: _____________________

 

 

Facsimile: _____________________

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

 

The Company hereby acknowledges this Exercise Notice and hereby directs ______________ to issue the above indicated number of shares of Ordinary Shares in accordance with the Transfer Agent Instructions dated _________, 20__, from the Company and acknowledged and agreed to by _______________.

 

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

James Foster

 

Title:

CEO

 

 


 


Exhibit 14.1

 

VIRAX BIOLABS GROUP LIMITED

 

CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS

 

(Conditionally adopted by a board resolution dated January 21, 2022 with effect from the effective date of the registration statement of the Company)

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

I.

Introduction

1

II.

Standards of Conduct

1

III.

Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations

1

IV.

Insider Trading

2

V.

Conflicts of Interest

2

VI.

No Loans to Executive Officers or Directors

3

VII.

Outside Directorships and Other Outside Activities

3

VIII.

Corporate Opportunities

3

IX.

Fair Dealing

4

X.

Customer Relationships

4

XI.

Supplier Relationships

4

XII.

Export Controls

4

XIII.

Gifts and Entertainment

5

XIV.

Government Business

5

XV.

Political Contributions

6

XVI.

Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets

6

XVII.

Use of Computers and Other Equipment

6

XVIII.

Use of Software

7

XIX.

Use of Electronic Communications

7

XX.

Confidentiality

7

XXI.

Recordkeeping

7

XXII.

Records on Legal Hold

8

XXIII.

Disclosure

8

XXIV.

Outside Communications

8

XXV.

Discrimination and Harassment

9

XXVI.

Health and Safety

9

XXVII.

Compliance Standards and Procedures

9

XXVIII.

General Compliance Guidelines

11

XXIX.

Amendment, Modification and Waiver

12

 

-i-

 

 

I. INTRODUCTION

 

This Code of Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) summarizes the ethical standards and key policies that guide the business conduct of Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”).

 

The purpose of this Code is to promote ethical conduct and deter wrongdoing. The policies outlined in this Code are designed to ensure that the Company’s employees, including its officers (collectively referred to herein as “employees”), and members of its board of directors (“directors”) act in accordance with not only the letter but also the spirit of the laws and regulations that apply to the Company’s business. The Company expects its employees and directors to exercise good judgment to uphold these standards in their day-to-day activities and to comply with all applicable policies and procedures in the course of their relationship with the Company.

 

Employees and directors are expected to read the policies set forth in this Code and ensure that they understand and comply with them. All employees and directors are required to abide by the Code. The Code should also be provided to and followed by the Company’s agents and representatives, including consultants. The Code does not cover every issue that may arise, but it provides general guidelines


for exercising good judgment. Employees and directors should refer to the Company’s other policies and procedures for implementing the general principles set forth below. Any questions about the Code or the appropriate course of conduct in a particular situation should be directed to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Human Resources or General Counsel, as appropriate. Any violations of laws, rules, regulations or this Code should be reported immediately. The Company will not allow retaliation against an employee or director for such a report made in good faith. Employees and directors who violate this Code will be subject to disciplinary action.

 

Each employee and director must sign the acknowledgement form at the end of this Code and return the form to the Company’s Human Resources Department indicating that he or she has received, read, understood and agreed to comply with the Code. The signed acknowledgment form will be placed in the individual’s personnel file.

 

II. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

 

The Company expects all employees and directors to act with the highest standards of honesty and ethical conduct. The Company considers honest conduct to be conduct that is free from fraud or deception and is characterized by integrity. The Company considers ethical conduct to be conduct conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct. Ethical conduct includes the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships, as discussed below.

 

III. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS

 

Employees and directors must comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to the Company and its business, as well as applicable Company policies and procedures. Each employee and director must acquire appropriate knowledge of the legal requirements relating to his or her duties sufficient to enable him or her to recognize potential problems and to know when to seek advice from the Company’s Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel. Violations of laws, rules and regulations may subject the violator to individual criminal or civil liability, as well as to discipline by the Company. These violations may also subject the Company to civil or criminal liability or the loss of business. Any questions as to the applicability of any law, rule or regulation should be directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel.

 

-1-

 

 

IV. INSIDER TRADING

 

The purpose of the Company’s insider trading policy is to establish guidelines to ensure that all employees and directors comply with laws prohibiting insider trading. No employee or director in possession of material, non-public information may trade the Company’s securities (or advise others to trade) from the time they obtain such information until after adequate public disclosure of the information has been made. Employees and directors who knowingly trade Company securities while in possession of material, non-public information or who tip information to others will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination. Insider trading is also a crime.

 

Employees and directors also may not trade in the shares of other companies about which they learn material, non-public information through the course of their employment or service with the Company.

 

Any questions as to whether information is material or has been adequately disclosed should be directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel. Additional information regarding insider trading can be found in the Company’s Insider Trading Policy.

 

V. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

A “conflict of interest” occurs when a person’s private interest interferes in any way – or even appears to interfere – with the interests of the Company as a whole.

 

A conflict situation can arise when an employee or director takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her Company work objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest may also arise when an employee or director, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position with the Company. Loans to, or guarantees of obligations of, such persons are of special concern.

 

Conflicts of interest are prohibited as a matter of Company policy. The mere existence of a relationship with outside firms is not automatically prohibited. Nonetheless, conflicts of interest may not always be clear, so if a question arises, higher levels of management or the Company’s Audit Committee should be consulted. Any employee or director who becomes aware of a conflict or a potential conflict should bring it to the attention of a supervisor, manager or other appropriate persons within the Company.

 


In certain exceptional circumstances, a situation involving a conflict of interest may be permitted. See Section XXVIII regarding waivers of this Code.

 

-2-

 

 

VI. NO LOANS TO EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OR DIRECTORS

 

It is the policy of the Company not to extend or maintain credit, to arrange for the extension of credit, or to renew an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer of the Company. Any questions about whether a loan has been made to a director or executive officer in violation of this policy should be directed to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.

 

VII. OUTSIDE DIRECTORSHIPS AND OTHER OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

 

Although an employee’s activities outside the Company are not necessarily a conflict of interest, a conflict could arise depending upon the employee’s position with the Company and the Company’s relationship with the other employer or activity. Outside activities may also be a conflict of interest if they cause, or are perceived to cause, an employee to choose between that interest and the interests of the Company.

 

An employee may not serve as a director, partner, employee of or consultant to, or otherwise work for or receive compensation for personal services from, any affiliate, customer, partner, supplier, distributor, reseller, licensee or competitor of the Company or any other business entity that does or seeks to do business with the Company. In certain exceptional circumstances, an executive officer may be permitted to serve as a director of such an entity (but in no circumstances will an employee be permitted to serve as a director of a competitor of the Company). See Section XXVIII regarding waivers of this Code. Serving in such a capacity for a company that is not an affiliate, customer, partner, supplier, distributor, reseller, licensee or competitor of the Company may be permitted, but such activities must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor, the Human Resources Department and the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

Employees are encouraged to serve as a director, trustee or officer of non-profit organizations in their individual capacity and on their own time, but they must obtain prior approval from the Company’s Chief Financial Officer to do so as a representative of the Company.

 

The guidelines in this Section VII are not applicable to directors that do not also serve in management positions within the Company.

 

VIII. CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

 

Employees and directors are prohibited from:

 

 

Personally taking for themselves opportunities that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information or position;

 

 

Using corporate property, information or position for personal gain; and

 

 

Competing with the Company.

 

In the interest of clarifying the definition of “Competing with the Company,” if any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who is also a partner or employee of an entity that is a holder of the Company’s Ordinary Shares, or an employee of an entity that manages such an entity (each, a “Fund”), acquires knowledge of an opportunity of interest for both the Company and such Fund other than in connection with such individual’s service as a member of the Board of Directors (including, if applicable, such board member acquiring such knowledge in such individual’s capacity as a partner or employee of the Fund or the manager or general partner of a Fund), then, provided that such director has acted in good faith, such an event shall be deemed not to be “Competing with the Company” under this Section VIII.

 

-3-

 

 

Employees and directors owe a duty to the Company to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so in a legal and ethical manner arises.

 

IX. FAIR DEALING

 


The Company seeks to excel while operating fairly and honestly, never through unethical or illegal business practices. Each employee and director should endeavor to deal fairly with the Company’s customers, suppliers, competitors and employees. No employee or director should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing practices.

 

X. CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

 

Employees must act in a manner that creates value for the Company’s customers and helps to build a relationship based upon trust. The Company and its employees have provided products and services for many years and have built up significant goodwill over that time. This goodwill is one of our most important assets, and Company employees must act to preserve and enhance the Company’s reputation.

 

XI. SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS

 

The Company’s suppliers make significant contributions to the Company’s success. To create an environment where the Company’s suppliers have an incentive to work with the Company, suppliers must be confident that they will be treated lawfully and in an ethical manner. The Company’s policy is to purchase supplies based on need, quality, service, price and terms and conditions. The Company’s policy is to select significant suppliers or enter into significant supplier agreements though a competitive bid process where possible. In selecting suppliers, the Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual preference, marital status, medical condition, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. A supplier to the Company is generally free to sell its products or services to any other party, including Company competitors. In some cases where the products or services have been designed, fabricated, or developed to the Company’s specifications, the agreement between the parties may contain restrictions on sales.

 

XII. EXPORT CONTROLS

 

The Company requires compliance with laws and regulations governing export controls in both the United States and in the countries where the Company conducts its business. A number of countries maintain controls on the destinations to which products may be exported. Some of the strictest export controls are maintained by the United States against countries that the U.S. government considers unfriendly or as supporting international terrorism. The U.S. regulations are complex and apply both to exports from the United States and to exports of products from other countries, when those products contain U.S.-origin components or technology. In some circumstances, an oral presentation containing technical data made to foreign nationals in the United States may constitute an export subject to control. Any questions about export control laws and regulations should be directed to the General Counsel.

 

-4-

 

 

XIII. GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

 

Business gifts and entertainment are designed to build goodwill and sound working relationships among business partners. A problem may arise if:

 

 

The receipt by one of our employees of a gift or entertainment would compromise, or could reasonably be viewed as compromising, that person’s ability to make objective and fair business decisions on behalf of the Company; or

 

 

The offering by one of our employees of a gift or entertainment would appear to be an attempt to obtain business through improper means or to gain any special advantage in our business relationships, or could reasonably be viewed as such an attempt.

 

Employees must use good judgment and ensure there is no violation of these principles. No gift or entertainment should be given or accepted by any Company employee, family member of an employee or agent unless it: (1) is not a cash gift, (2) is consistent with customary business practices, (3) is not excessive in value, (4) cannot be construed as a bribe or payoff, (5) does not violate any laws or regulations and (6) is not one of a series of small gifts or entertainments that can be construed as part of a larger, expensive gift. Any questions about whether any gifts or proposed gifts are appropriate should be directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. You should also review the Company’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Policy regarding the specific conditions for gifts and entertainment.

 

XIV. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

 

Employees should understand that special requirements might apply when contracting with any governmental body (including national, state, provincial, municipal, or other similar governmental divisions on local jurisdictions). Because government officials are obligated to follow specific codes of conduct and laws, special care must be taken in government procurement. Some key requirements for doing business with government are:


 

 

Accurately representing which Company products are covered by government contracts;

 

 

Not improperly soliciting or obtaining confidential information, such as sealed competitors’ bids, from government officials prior to the award of a contract; and

 

 

Hiring present and former government personnel may only occur in compliance with applicable laws and regulations (as well as consulting the Company’s Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel and the Human Resources Department).

 

-5-

 

 

When dealing with public officials, employees and directors must avoid any activity that is or appears illegal or unethical. Promising, offering or giving of favors, gratuities or gifts, including meals, entertainment, transportation, and lodging, to government officials in the various branches of U.S. government, as well as state and local governments, is restricted by law. Employees and directors must obtain pre-approval from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, before providing anything of value to a government official or employee. The foregoing does not apply to lawful personal political contributions.

 

In addition, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits giving anything of value, directly or indirectly, to officials of foreign governments or foreign political candidates in order to obtain or retain business. Illegal payments to government officials of any country are strictly prohibited. Additional information regarding the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act can be found in the Company’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Policy.

 

XV. POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

 

It is the Company’s policy to comply fully with all local, state, federal, foreign and other applicable laws, rules and regulations regarding political contributions. The Company’s funds or assets must not be used for, or be contributed to, political campaigns or political practices under any circumstances without the prior written approval of the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and, if required, the Company’s Board of Directors. You should also consult the Company’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Policy.

 

XVI. PROTECTION AND PROPER USE OF COMPANY ASSETS

 

Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on the Company’s profitability. Employees and directors should protect the Company’s assets and ensure their efficient use. All Company assets should be used for legitimate business purposes.

 

Company assets include intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, business and marketing plans, engineering and manufacturing ideas, designs, salary information and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information is a violation of Company policy.

 

XVII. USE OF COMPUTERS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT

 

The Company strives to furnish employees with the equipment necessary to efficiently and effectively perform their jobs. Employees must care for that equipment and use it responsibly and only for Company business purposes. If employees use Company equipment at their home or off site, precautions must be taken to protect such Company equipment from theft or damage. Employees must immediately return all Company equipment when their employment relationship with the Company ends. While computers and other electronic devices are made accessible to employees to assist them to perform their jobs and to promote our interests, all such computers and electronic devices, whether used entirely or partially on the Company’s premises or with the aid of the Company’s equipment or resources, must remain fully accessible to the Company and will remain the sole and exclusive property of the Company.

 

-6-

 

 

Employees should not maintain any expectation of privacy with respect to any electronic communications made using Company equipment. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company retains the right to gain access to any such information, at any time, with or without your knowledge, consent or approval.

 

XVIII. USE OF SOFTWARE

 

All software used by employees to conduct Company business must be appropriately licensed. Employees should never make or use illegal or unauthorized copies of any software, whether in the office, at home, or on the road, since doing so may constitute copyright infringement and may expose the employee and the Company to potential civil and criminal liability. The Company’s information


technology department will inspect Company computers periodically to verify that only approved and licensed software has been installed. Any non-licensed/supported software will be removed.

 

XIX. USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

 

Employees must use electronic communication devices in a legal, ethical, and appropriate manner. Electronic communications devices include computers, e-mail, connections to the Internet, intranet and extranet and any other public or private networks, voice mail, video conferencing, facsimiles, telephones or future types of electronic communication. Employees may not post or discuss information concerning Company products or business on the Internet without the prior written consent of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer. It is not possible to identify every standard and rule applicable to the use of electronic communications devices. Employees are therefore encouraged to use sound judgment whenever using any feature of the Company’s communications systems.

 

IV. CONFIDENTIALITY

 

Employees and directors should maintain the confidentiality of information entrusted to them by the Company or its affiliates, customers, partners, distributors and suppliers, except when disclosure is specifically authorized by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer or required by law.

 

Confidential information includes all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or harmful to the Company or its affiliates, customers, partners, distributors and suppliers if disclosed. Any questions about whether information is confidential should be directed to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel.

 

XX. RECORDKEEPING

 

All of the Company’s books, records, accounts and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect the transactions and matters to which they relate and must conform both to applicable legal requirements and to the Company’s system of internal controls. All assets of the Company must be carefully and properly accounted for. The making of false or misleading records or documentation is strictly prohibited. Unrecorded funds or assets should not be maintained.

 

-7-

 

 

The Company complies with all laws and regulations regarding the preservation of records. Records should be retained or destroyed only in accordance with the Company’s document retention policies. Any questions about these policies should be directed to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel, as appropriate. You should also consult the Company’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Policy.

 

XXII. RECORDS ON LEGAL HOLD

 

A legal hold suspends all document destruction procedures in order to preserve appropriate records under special circumstances, such as litigation or government investigations. The General Counsel determines and identifies what types of Company records or documents are required to be placed under a legal hold and will notify employees if a legal hold is placed on records for which they are responsible. Employees must not destroy, alter or modify records or supporting documents that have been placed under a legal hold under any circumstances. A legal hold remains effective until it is officially released in writing by the General Counsel. If an employee is unsure whether a document has been placed under a legal hold, such employee should preserve and protect that document while the Legal Department is contacted.

 

. DISCLOSURE

 

The information in the Company’s public communications, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, must be full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable. All employees and directors are responsible for acting in furtherance of this policy. In particular, each employee and director is responsible for complying with the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls for financial reporting. Any questions concerning the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls for financial reporting should be directed to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel, as appropriate.

 

Anyone that believes that questionable accounting or auditing conduct or practices have occurred or are occurring should refer to the Company’s Policy Regarding Reporting of Financial and Accounting Concerns.

 

I. OUTSIDE COMMUNICATIONS

 


The Company has established specific policies regarding who may communicate information to the public, the press and the financial analyst communities:

 

 

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and investor relations personnel are official spokespeople for financial matters.

 

 

The Company’s corporate communications personnel are official spokespeople for public comment, press, marketing, technical and other such information.

 

 

All communications made to public audiences, including formal communications and presentations made to investors, customers or the press, require prior approval in accordance with the Company’s established policies for such communications, including review by investor relations or corporate communications personnel, as applicable, with final review by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, who will ensure that all necessary review is undertaken.

 

-8-

 

 

These designees are the only people who may communicate externally on behalf of the Company. Employees and directors should refer all inquiries or calls from the press, from shareholders or from financial analysts to the investor relations department or the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, who will see that the inquiry is directed to the appropriate authority within the Company.

 

Employees and directors may not publish or make public statements outside the scope of employment with or service to the Company that might be perceived or construed as attributable to the Company without preapproval from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate. Any such statement must include the Company’s standard disclaimer that the publication or statement represents the views of the specific author and not of the Company.

 

XXV. DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT

 

The diversity of the Company’s employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment of any kind. Examples include derogatory comments based on racial or ethnic characteristics and unwelcome sexual advances.

 

XXVI. HEALTH AND SAFETY

 

The Company strives to provide each employee with a safe and healthy work environment. Each employee has responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for all employees by following safety and health rules and practices and reporting accidents, injuries and unsafe equipment, practices or conditions.

 

Violence and threatening behavior are not permitted. Employees should report to work in condition to perform their duties, free from the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol. The use or possession of illegal drugs in the workplace will not be tolerated.

 

XXVII. COMPLIANCE STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES

 

No code of conduct and ethics can replace the thoughtful behavior of an ethical employee or director or provide definitive answers to all questions. Since the Company cannot anticipate every potential situation, certain policies and procedures have been put in place to help employees and directors approach questions or problems as they arise.

 

A. Designated Ethics Officer

 

The Company’s Chief Financial Officer has been designated as the Company’s Ethics Officer with responsibility for overseeing and monitoring compliance with the Code. The Ethics Officer reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer with respect to these matters and also will make periodic reports to the Company’s Audit Committee regarding the implementation and effectiveness of this Code as well as the policies and procedures put in place to ensure compliance with the Code.

 

-9-

 

 

B. Seeking Guidance

 

Employees and directors are encouraged to seek guidance from supervisors, managers or other appropriate personnel when in doubt about the best course of action to take in a particular situation. In most instances, questions regarding the Code should be brought to the attention of the Company’s Director of Human Resources, General Counsel or Chief Financial Officer.


 

C. Reporting Violations

 

If an employee or director knows of or suspects a violation of the Code, or of applicable laws and regulations, he or she must report it immediately to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or General Counsel, as appropriate. If the situation warrants or requires it, the reporting person’s identity will be kept anonymous to the extent legally permitted and practical.

 

Anyone that believes that questionable accounting or auditing conduct or practices have occurred or are occurring should refer to the Company’s Policy Regarding Reporting of Financial and Accounting Concerns.

 

D. No Retaliation

 

Any employee or director who observes possible unethical or illegal conduct is encouraged to report his or her concerns. Reprisal, threats, retribution or retaliation against any person who has in good faith reported a violation or suspected violation of law, this Code or other Company policies, or against any person who is assisting in any investigation or process with respect to such a violation, is prohibited.

 

Any employees involved in retaliation will be subject to serious disciplinary action by the Company. Furthermore, the Company could be subject to criminal or civil actions for acts of retaliation against employees who “blow the whistle” on U.S. federal securities law violations and other federal offenses.

 

E. Investigations

 

Reported violations will be promptly investigated. The Board of Directors or its designated committee will be responsible for investigating violations and determining appropriate disciplinary action for matters involving members of the Board of Directors or executive officers. The Board of Directors or its designated committee may designate others to conduct or manage investigations on its behalf and recommend disciplinary action. Subject to the general authority of the Board of Directors to administer this Code, the Chief Financial Officer and the General Counsel will be jointly responsible for investigating violations (including the initiating of any such investigation) and determining appropriate disciplinary action for other employees, agents and contractors. The Chief Financial Officer and the General Counsel may designate others to conduct or manage investigations on their behalf and recommend disciplinary action. The Board of Directors reserves the right to investigate violations and determine appropriate disciplinary action on its own or to designate others to do so in place of, or in addition to, the Chief Financial Officer and the General Counsel. It is imperative that the person reporting the violation not conduct an investigation on his or her own. However, employees and directors are expected to cooperate fully with any investigation made by the Company into reported violations.

 

-10-

 

 

F. Discipline/Penalties

 

Employees and directors who violate the laws or regulations governing the Company’s business, this Code, or any other Company policy, procedure or requirement may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Employees and directors who have knowledge of a violation and fail to move promptly to report or correct it, or who direct or approve violations, may also be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

 

Furthermore, violations of some provisions of this Code are illegal and may subject the employee or director to civil and criminal liability.

 

XXVIII. GENERAL COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES

 

We must all work to ensure prompt and consistent action against violations of this Code. However, in some situations it is difficult to know if a violation has occurred. Since we cannot anticipate every situation that will arise, it is important that we have a way to approach a new question or problem. These are the steps to keep in mind:

 

 

Make sure you have all the facts possible. To reach the right solutions, we must be as fully informed as possible.

 

 

Ask yourself: What specifically am I being asked to do? Does it seem unethical or improper? This will enable you to focus on the specific question you are faced with, and the alternatives you have. Use your judgment and common sense; if something seems unethical or improper, follow up on it.

 

 

Clarify your responsibility and role. In most situations, there is shared responsibility. Are your colleagues informed? It may help to get others involved and discuss the problem.

 


 

 

Discuss the problem with your manager. This is the basic guidance for all situations. In many cases, your manager will be more knowledgeable about the question, and will appreciate being brought into the decision-making process. Remember that it is your manager’s responsibility to help solve problems.

 

 

Seek help from Company resources. If you do not feel comfortable approaching your manager with your question, discuss it with your local Human Resources representative.

 

 

You may report ethical violations in confidence and without fear of retaliation. If you find yourself in a situation that requires that your identity be kept confidential, your anonymity will be protected to the extent possible. The Company does not permit retaliation of any kind against employees for good faith reports of ethical violations.

 

-11-

 

 

 

Always ask first, act later when confronted with an ethical issue: If you are unsure of what to do in any situation, seek guidance before you act.

 

XXIX. AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION AND WAIVER

 

This Code may be amended or modified by the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board of Directors.

 

Any amendment or waiver of this Code for a director, executive officer or any financial or accounting officer at the level of the principal accounting officer or controller or above, may be made only by the Board of Directors, and must be promptly disclosed to shareholders if and as required by applicable law or the rules of the share exchange on which the Company’s shares are traded. Waivers with respect to other employees or applicable contractors may be made only by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Any waiver of this Code with respect to a conflict of interest transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, must be approved in advance by the Company’s Audit Committee.

 

* * * * *

 

 

-12-


Exhibit 99.1

 

CHARTER OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
VIRAX BIOLABS GROUP LIMITED

 

(Conditionally adopted by a board resolution dated January 21, 2022 with effect from the effective date of the registration statement of the Company)

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”) shall be to:

 

 

provide oversight of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting processes and the audit of the Company’s financial statements;

 

 

assist the Board in monitoring (i) the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, (ii) the Company’s internal accounting and financial controls, (iii) the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and (iv) the independent auditor’s qualifications, independence and performance; and

 

 

provide to the Board such information and materials as it may deem necessary to make the Board aware of significant financial matters that require the attention of the Board.

 

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

 

The Audit Committee members will be appointed by, and will serve at the discretion of, the Board. The Audit Committee will consist of at least three (3) members of the Board. Members of the Audit Committee must meet the following criteria (as well as any additional criteria required by the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) and Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)):

 

 

each member must be an independent director in accordance with (i) the Corporate Governance Standards of the NASDAQ, and (ii) the rules of the SEC;

 

 

each member must not have participated in the preparation of the financial statements of the Company or any current subsidiary of the Company at any time during the past three (3) years;

 

 

each member must be financially literate as determined by the Board in accordance with applicable law; and

 

 

at least one (1) member must have accounting or related financial management expertise, as the Board interprets such qualifications in its business judgment, by virtue of such member’s past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in finance or accounting, or any other comparable experience or background that results in such individual’s financial sophistication.

 

The Board may designate one (1) member of the Audit Committee as its chairperson. In the absence of that designation, the Audit Committee may designate a chairperson by majority vote of the committee members.

 

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

 

The Audit Committee shall appoint and oversee the work of the independent auditors, approve the compensation of the independent auditors, and review and, if appropriate, discharge the independent auditors. In this regard, the independent auditors shall report directly to the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to approve the hiring and discharging of the independent auditors, all audit engagement fees and terms and all permissible non-audit engagements with the independent auditors.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall pre-approve (or, where permitted under the rules of the SEC, subsequently approve) engagements of the independent auditors to render audit services and/or establish pre-approval policies and procedures for such engagements, provided that (i) such policies and procedures are detailed as to the particular services rendered, (ii) the Audit Committee is informed of each such service, and (iii) such policies and procedures do not include delegation to management of the Audit Committee’s responsibilities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Audit Committee shall also pre-approve any non-audit services proposed to be provided to the Company by such independent auditors.

 


 

The Audit Committee shall review the independence of the independent auditors, including (i) obtaining on a periodic basis a formal written statement from the independent auditors delineating all relationships between the independent auditors and the Company, consistent with Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, (ii) maintaining an active dialogue with the independent auditors regarding any disclosed relationship or services that may impair the objectivity and independence of the independent auditors, and (iii) to the extent there are any such relationships, monitoring and investigating them and, if necessary, taking, or recommending to the Board that the Board take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the independent auditors.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall evaluate, at least annually, the independent auditors’ qualifications, performance and independence, which evaluation shall include a review and evaluation of the lead partner of the independent auditors and consideration of whether there should be rotation of the lead audit partner or the auditing firm, and take appropriate action to oversee the independence of the independent auditors.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall review, in consultation with the independent auditors, the annual audit plan and scope of audit activities and monitor such plan’s progress.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall (i) discuss and, as appropriate, review with management and the independent auditors the Company’s annual financial statements and annual reports on Form 20-F, including the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” (ii) discuss with the independent auditors any other matters required to be discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 114, and (iii) recommend to the Board whether the audited financial statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be included in the Company’s Form 20-F.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall discuss with management and the independent auditors significant financial reporting issues raised and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the Company’s financial statements, including the review of (i) major issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentation, including any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles, (ii) major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies, (iii) analyses prepared by management and/or the independent auditors setting forth significant financial reporting issues raised and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements, (iv) the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet arrangements, on the Company’s financial statements, and (v) the type and presentation of information to be included in earnings press releases, as well as any financial information and earnings guidance to be provided to analysts and rating agencies, including any proposed use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” non-GAAP information.

 

 

 

The Audit Committee shall receive, review and discuss reports from the independent auditors on (i) the major critical accounting policies and practices to be used, (ii) significant alternative treatments of financial information within GAAP that have been discussed with management, (iii) ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments, (iv) any treatments preferred by the independent auditors, and (v) other material written communications between the independent auditors and management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall review on a regular basis with the Company’s independent auditors any problems or difficulties encountered by the independent auditors in the course of any audit work, including management’s response with respect thereto, any restrictions on the scope of the independent auditors’ activities or on access to requested information, and any significant disagreements with management. The Audit Committee shall resolve any disagreements between management and the independent auditors regarding financial reporting.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall discuss with management and the independent auditors any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies and any published reports that raise material issues regarding the Company’s financial statements or accounting policies.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall discuss guidelines and policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall appoint the director of internal audit for the Company, approve the compensation of the director of internal audit and review and, if appropriate, discharge the director of internal audit. In this regard, the Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to approve the hiring and discharging of the director of internal audit.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall discuss with the Company’s general counsel legal matters that may have a material impact on the financial statements or the Company’s compliance procedures.

 


 

The Audit Committee shall review the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal control policies and procedures on a regular basis, including the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the Company’s audit function, as well as the need for any special audit procedures in response to material control deficiencies, through inquiry and discussions with the Company’s independent auditors and management. In addition, the Audit Committee shall review the reports prepared by management, and attested to by the Company’s independent auditors, assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls and procedures, prior to the inclusion of such reports in the Company’s periodic filings as required under SEC rules. The Audit Committee shall review disclosure regarding the Company’s internal controls that are required to be included in SEC reports.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall establish procedures for receiving, retaining and treating complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall review, approve and monitor the portions of the Company’s code of ethics applicable to its senior financial officers.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall review and approve in advance any proposed related party transaction.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall oversee compliance with the SEC requirements for disclosure of auditor’s services and Audit Committee member qualifications and activities.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall make regular reports to the Board, which reports shall include any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the Company’s independent auditors.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall set hiring policies with regard to employees and former employees of the Company’s independent auditor.

 

 

 

The Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy and scope of this Charter annually and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.

 

 

At least annually, the Audit Committee shall evaluate its performance.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall have the authority to engage independent counsel and other advisers, as it determines necessary to carry out its duties. The Company shall provide for appropriate funding, as determined by the Audit Committee, for payment of (i) compensation to the independent auditors engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit review or attest services for the Company, (ii) compensation to any advisers employed by the Audit Committee, and (iii) ordinary administrative expenses of the Audit Committee that are necessary or appropriate for carrying out its duties.

 

 

Periodically, the Audit Committee shall meet separately with the Company’s management, with internal auditors (or other personnel responsible for the internal audit function) and with the independent auditors.

 

 

The Audit Committee may form subcommittees for any purpose that the Audit Committee deems appropriate and may delegate to such subcommittees such power and authority as the Audit Committee deems appropriate. The Audit Committee shall not delegate to a subcommittee any power or authority required by law, regulation or listing standard to be exercised by the Audit Committee as a whole.

 

 

The Audit Committee will set its own schedule of meetings and will meet at least quarterly, with the option of holding additional meetings at such times as it deems necessary. The Audit Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board.

 

 

The Audit Committee shall perform such other functions as assigned by law, the Company’s articles of association or the Board.

 

LIMITATION OF AUDIT COMMITTEE’S ROLE

 

While the Audit Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter, it is not the duty of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits or to determine that the Company’s financial statements and disclosures are complete, accurate and in accordance with GAAP and applicable rules and regulations. These are the responsibilities of management and the independent auditors.

 

It is recognized that the members of the Audit Committee are not full-time employees of the Company, that it is not the duty or responsibility of the Audit Committee or its members to conduct “field work” or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or procedures or to set auditor independence standards, and that each member of the Audit Committee shall be entitled to rely on (i) the


integrity of those persons and organizations within and outside the Company from which the Audit Committee receives information, and (ii) the accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Audit Committee, in either instance absent actual knowledge to the contrary.

 

 

4

 


Exhibit 99.2

 

CHARTER OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

 

OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

 

VIRAX BIOLABS GROUP LIMITED

 

(Conditionally adopted by a board resolution dated January 21, 2022 with effect from the effective date of the registration statement of the Company)

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”) shall be to discharge the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of the Company’s directors and executive officers. The Compensation Committee has overall responsibility for evaluating and approving the Company’s compensation plans, policies and programs. The Compensation Committee shall undertake the specific responsibilities and duties set forth in this Charter and such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

 

The Compensation Committee members will be appointed by the Board. The Compensation Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members of the Board. Members of the Compensation Committee must meet the following criteria (as well as any additional criteria required by the rules of the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) and Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)):

 

 

each member must be an independent director in accordance with (i) the Corporate Governance Standards of the NASDAQ, and (ii) the rules of the SEC; and

 

 

each member must (i) be a “Non-employee Director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (ii) satisfies the requirements of an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

The members of the Compensation Committee shall serve until such member’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until such member’s earlier resignation or removal. The members of the Compensation Committee may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority vote of the Board. The Board may designate one (1) member of the Compensation Committee as its chairperson.

 

MEETINGS

 

The Compensation Committee shall meet at least annually, and more often as it deems appropriate to fulfill the responsibilities set forth in this Charter. The Compensation Committee may establish its own schedule, which it shall provide to the Board in advance.

 

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall review and approve the corporate goals and objectives relevant to the Chief Executive Officer’s and other executive officers’ compensation.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall evaluate the performance of the Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers of the Company and, based on such evaluation, review and recommend to the full Board, the annual salary, bonus, stock options and other benefits, direct and indirect, of the Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers. The Chief Executive Officer may not be present during voting or deliberations on her compensation.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall review and recommend to the full Board compensation of directors, as well as director’s and officer’s indemnification and insurance matters.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall review and make recommendations to the Board with respect to the Company’s incentive-compensation plans and equity-based plans, and oversee the activities of the individuals responsible for administering those plans.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall cause to be prepared, and then review and approve, the annual report on executive compensation for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement, pursuant to and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the SEC.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, if needed.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall report regularly to the Board including with respect to:

 


 

 

(a)

such other matters as are relevant to the Compensation Committee’s discharge of its responsibilities; and

 

 

(b)

such recommendations as the Compensation Committee may deem appropriate.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall maintain minutes or other records of meetings and activities of the Compensation Committee.

 

 

The Compensation Committee shall review and reassess this Charter annually.

 

This above list of responsibilities is presented for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Compensation Committee may conduct additional activities as appropriate in light of changing business, legislative, regulatory, legal or other conditions. The Compensation Committee shall also fulfill other responsibilities delegated to it from time to time by the Board.

 

 

 


Exhibit 99.3

 

CHARTER OF THE NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

 

OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF

 

VIRAX BIOLABS GROUP LIMITED

 

(Conditionally adopted by a board resolution dated January 21, 2022 with effect from the effective date of
the registration statement of the Company)

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”) shall be to:

 

 

identify individuals qualified to become Board members consistent with criteria approved by the Board;

 

 

recommend that the Board select the director nominees for the next annual meeting of shareholders;

 

 

develop and recommend to the Board a set of Corporate Governance Guidelines; and

 

 

oversee the evaluation of the Board and management.

 

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

 

The Committee members must be appointed and may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board. The Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members of the Board, each of whom must an independent director in accordance with (i) the Corporate Governance Standards of NASDAQ Capital Market, and (ii) the rules of the SEC. The Board may designate one (1) member of the Committee as its chairperson. In the absence of that designation, the Committee may designate a chairperson by majority vote of the committee members.

 

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

 

The Committee shall identify individuals qualified to become members of the Board and ensure that the Board has the requisite expertise and that its membership consists of persons with sufficiently diverse and independent backgrounds. The Committee shall also recommend to the Board the nominees for election to the Board at the next annual meeting of shareholders.

 

 

The criteria to be used by the Committee in recommending directors and by the Board in nominating directors are as set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines.

 

 

The Committee shall annually review the Board committee structure and recommend to the Board for its approval directors to serve as members of each committee.

 

 

The Committee shall develop and recommend to the Board the Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Committee shall, from time to time as it deems appropriate, review and reassess the adequacy of such guidelines and recommend any proposed changes to the Board for approval.

 

 

The Committee shall review the Company’s Code of Conduct and Business Ethics, and shall, from time to time as deems appropriate, make any changes it deems necessary. Any changes will be recommended to the Board for its approval.

 

 

 

The Committee shall oversee the annual self-evaluations of the Board and may assist the Board (and/or its other committees) in periodically reviewing the performance of the Company’s officers.

 

 

The Committee may make recommendations to the Board regarding governance matters, including, but not limited to, the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, and the charters of the Company’s other committees.

 

 

The Committee shall report regularly to the Board regarding the activities of the Committee.

 

 

The Committee shall at least annually perform an evaluation of the performance of the Committee.

 


 

The Committee shall periodically review and reassess this Charter and submit any recommended changes to the Board for its consideration.

 

The Committee has the authority to establish its own rules and procedures for notice and conduct of its meetings so long as they are not inconsistent with any provisions of the Company’s bylaws that are applicable to the Committee.

 

The Committee has sole authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve such search firm’s fees and other retention terms. The Committee has the authority to retain any other advisors that the Committee believes to be desirable and appropriate and has the authority to approve related fees and retention terms.

 

In addition to the duties and responsibilities expressly delegated to the Committee in this Charter, the Committee may exercise any other powers and carry out any other responsibilities consistent with this Charter, the purposes of the Committee, and the Company’s bylaws.

 

In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Committee has the authority to delegate any or all of its responsibilities to a subcommittee of the Committee.

 

 


Exhibit 99.4

 

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

Statement of Policy Concerning Trading in Company Securities

 

Adopted July 13, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page No.

I.

Summary of Policy Concerning Trading in Company Securities

1

II.

The Use of Inside Information in Connection with Trading in Securities

1

A. General Rule.

1

B. Who Does the Policy Apply To?

2

C. Other Companies’ Stock.

3

D. Hedging and Derivatives.

3

E. Pledging of Securities, Margin Accounts.

3

F. General Guidelines.

3

G. Applicability of U.S. Securities Laws to International Transactions.

5

III.

Other Limitations on Securities Transactions

6

A. Public Resales – Rule 144.

6

B. Private Resales.

7

C. Restrictions on Purchases of Company Securities.

7

D. Filing Requirements.

7

 

i

 

 

 

I.

SUMMARY OF POLICY CONCERNING TRADING IN COMPANY SECURITIES

 

It is the policy of Virax Biolabs Group Limited and its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities (collectively, the “Company”) that it will, without exception, comply with all applicable laws and regulations in conducting its business. Each employee, each executive officer and each director is expected to abide by this policy. When carrying out Company business, employees, executive officers and directors must avoid any activity that violates applicable laws or regulations. In order to avoid even an appearance of impropriety, the Company’s directors, officers and certain other employees are subject to pre-approval requirements and other limitations on their ability to enter into transactions involving the Company’s securities. Although these limitations do not apply to transactions pursuant to written plans for trading securities that comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), the entry into, amendment or termination of any such written trading plan is subject to pre-approval requirements and other limitations.

 

 

II.

THE USE OF INSIDE INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH TRADING IN SECURITIES

 

 

A.

General Rule.

 

The U.S. securities laws regulate the sale and purchase of securities in the interest of protecting the investing public. U.S. securities laws give the Company, its officers and directors, and other employees the responsibility to ensure that information about the Company is not used unlawfully in the purchase and sale of securities.

 

All employees, executive officers and directors should pay particularly close attention to the laws against trading on “inside” information. These laws are based upon the belief that all persons trading in a company’s securities should have equal access to all “material” information about that company. Information is considered to be “material” if its disclosure would be reasonably likely to affect (1) an investor’s decision to buy or sell the securities of the company to which the information relates, or (2) the market price of that company’s securities. While it is not possible to identify in advance all information that will be deemed to be material, some examples of such information would include the following: earnings; financial results or projections; dividend actions; mergers and acquisitions; capital raising and borrowing activities; major dispositions; major new customers, projects or products; significant


advances in product development; new technologies; major personnel changes in management or change in control; expansion into new markets; unusual gains or losses in major operations; major litigation or legal proceedings; granting of stock options; and major sales and marketing changes. When doubt exists, the information should be presumed to be material. If you are unsure whether information of which you are aware is inside information, you should consult with the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. No individuals other than specifically authorized personnel may release material information to the public or respond to inquiries from the media, analysts or others. If you are contacted by the media or by a research analyst seeking information about the Company and if you have not been expressly authorized by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer to provide information to the media or to analysts, you should refer the call to the Chief Financial Officer. On occasion, it may be necessary for legitimate business reasons to disclose inside information to outside persons. Such persons might include investment bankers, lawyers, auditors or other companies seeking to engage in a potential transaction with the Company. In such circumstances, the information should not be conveyed until an express understanding has been reached that such information is not to be used for trading purposes and may not be further disclosed other than for legitimate business reasons. For example, if an employee, an executive officer or a director of a company knows material non-public financial information, that employee, executive officer or director is prohibited from buying or selling shares in the company until the information has been disclosed to the public. This is because the employee, executive officer or director knows information that will probably cause the share price to change, and it would be unfair for the employee or director to have an advantage (knowledge that the share price will change) that the rest of the investing public does not have. In fact, it is more than unfair; it is considered to be fraudulent and illegal. Civil and criminal penalties for this kind of activity are severe.

 

1

 

 

The general rule can be stated as follows: It is a violation of federal securities laws for any person to buy or sell securities if he or she is in possession of material inside information. Information is material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making an investment decision. It is inside information if it has not been publicly disclosed in a manner making it available to investors generally on a broad-based non-exclusionary basis. Furthermore, it is illegal for any person in possession of material inside information to provide other people with such information or to recommend that they buy or sell the securities. (This is called “tipping”). In that case, they may both be held liable.

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the stock exchanges and plaintiffs’ lawyers focus on uncovering insider trading. A breach of the insider trading laws could expose the insider to criminal fines up to three times the profits earned and imprisonment up to ten years, in addition to civil penalties (up to three times of the profits earned), and injunctive actions. In addition, punitive damages may be imposed under applicable state laws. Securities laws also subject controlling persons to civil penalties for illegal insider trading by employees, including employees located outside the United States. Controlling persons include directors, officers, and supervisors. These persons may be subject to fines up to the greater of $1,000,000 or three times profit (or loss avoided) by the insider trader.

 

Inside information does not belong to the individual directors, officers or other employees who may handle it or otherwise become knowledgeable about it. It is an asset of the Company. For any person to use such information for personal benefit or to disclose it to others outside the Company violates the Company’s interests. More particularly, in connection with trading in the Company’s securities, it is a fraud against members of the investing public and against the Company.

 

All directors, executive officers and employees of the Company must observe these policies at all times. Your failure to do so will be grounds for internal disciplinary action, up to and including termination of your employment or directorship.

 

 

B.

Who Does the Policy Apply To?

 

The prohibition against trading on inside information applies to directors, officers and all other employees, and to other people who gain access to that information. The prohibition applies to both domestic and international employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. Because of their access to confidential information on a regular basis, Company policy subjects its directors and certain employees (the “Window Group”) to additional restrictions on trading in Company securities. The restrictions for the Window Group are discussed in Section F below. In addition, directors and certain employees with inside knowledge of material information may be subject to ad hoc restrictions on trading from time to time.

 

2

 

 

 

C.

Other Companies’ Stock.

 

Employees, executive officers and directors who learn material information about suppliers, customers, or competitors through their work at the Company, should keep it confidential and not buy or sell stock in such companies until the information becomes public. Employees, executive officers and directors should not give tips about such stock.

 

 

D.

Hedging and Derivatives.

 


 

Employees, executive officers and directors are prohibited from engaging in any hedging transactions (including transactions involving options, puts, calls, prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds or other derivatives) that are designed to hedge or speculate on any change in the market value of the Company’s equity securities.

 

Trading in options or other derivatives is generally highly speculative and very risky. People who buy options are betting that the stock price will move rapidly. For that reason, when a person trades in options in his or her employer’s stock, it will arouse suspicion in the eyes of the SEC that the person was trading on the basis of inside information, particularly where the trading occurs before a company announcement or major event. It is difficult for an employee, executive officer or director to prove that he or she did not know about the announcement or event.

 

If the SEC or the NYSE were to notice active options trading by one or more employees, executive officers or directors of the Company prior to an announcement, they would investigate. Such an investigation could be embarrassing to the Company (as well as expensive), and could result in severe penalties and expense for the persons involved. For all of these reasons, the Company prohibits its employees, executive officers and directors from trading in options or other derivatives involving the Company’s stock. This policy does not pertain to employee stock options granted by the Company. Employee stock options cannot be traded.

 

 

E.

Pledging of Securities, Margin Accounts.

 

Pledged securities may be sold by the pledgee without the pledgor’s consent under certain conditions. For example, securities held in a margin account may be sold by a broker without the customer’s consent if the customer fails to meet a margin call. Because such a sale may occur at a time when an employee, executive officer or a director has material inside information or is otherwise not permitted to trade in Company securities, the Company prohibits employees, executive officers and directors from pledging Company securities in any circumstance, including by purchasing Company securities on margin or holding Company securities in a margin account.

 

 

F.

General Guidelines.

 

The following guidelines should be followed in order to ensure compliance with applicable antifraud laws and with the Company’s policies:

 

1. Nondisclosure. Material inside information must not be disclosed to anyone, except to persons within the Company whose positions require them to know it. Tipping refers to the transmission of inside information from an insider to another person. Sometimes this involves a deliberate conspiracy in which the tipper passes on information in exchange for a portion of the “tippee’s” illegal trading profits. Even if there is no expectation of profit, however, a tipper can have liability if he or she has reason to know that the information may be misused. Tipping inside information to another person is like putting your life in that person’s hands. So the safest choice is: Don’t tip.

 

3

 

 

2. Trading in Company Securities. No employee, executive officer or director should place a purchase or sale order, or recommend that another person place a purchase or sale order in the Company’s securities when he or she has knowledge of material information concerning the Company that has not been disclosed to the public. This includes orders for purchases and sales of stock and convertible securities, including engaging in any “short sales” of the Company’s securities. The exercise of employee stock options is not subject to this policy. However, stock that was acquired upon exercise of a stock option will be treated like any other stock, and may not be sold by an employee who is in possession of material inside information. Any employee, executive officer or director who possesses material inside information should wait until the start of the third business day after the information has been publicly released before trading.

 

3. Avoid Speculation. Investing in the Company’s common stock provides an opportunity to share in the future growth of the Company. But investment in the Company and sharing in the growth of the Company does not mean short range speculation based on fluctuations in the market. Such activities put the personal gain of the employee, executive officer or director in conflict with the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Although this policy does not mean that employees, executive officers or directors may never sell shares, the Company encourages employees, executive officers and directors to avoid frequent trading in Company stock. Speculating in Company stock is not part of the Company culture.

 

4. Trading in Other Securities. No employee, executive officer or director should place a purchase or sale order, or recommend that another person place a purchase or sale order, in the securities of another corporation (such as a supplier, an acquisition target or a competitor), if the employee, executive officer or director learns in the course of his or her employment confidential information about the other corporation that is likely to affect the value of those securities. For example, it would be a violation of the securities laws if an employee, executive officer or director learned through Company sources that the Company intended to purchase assets from a company, and then placed an order to buy or sell stock in that other company because of the likely increase or decrease in the value of its securities.

 


5. Restrictions on the Window Group. The Window Group consists of (i) directors, executive officers and vice presidents of the Company and their assistants and household members, (ii) subset of employees in the financial reporting, business development or legal groups and (iii) such other persons as may be designated from time to time and informed of such status by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and general counsel or an officer with similar duties and responsibilities of the Company (the “General Counsel”). The Window Group is subject to the following restrictions on trading in Company securities:

 

 

trading is permitted from the start of the third business day following the release of the Company’s quarterly and annual earnings until the 16th calendar day of the last month of the then current fiscal quarter (the “Window”), subject to the restrictions below;

 

 

all trades are subject to prior review;

 

4

 

 

 

The Window Group must submit a request for approval in a form set forth in Annex B hereto from the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel before making any trade in Company Securities; requests for approval of trades by the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel should be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer;

 

 

no trading is permitted outside the Window except for reasons of exceptional personal hardship and subject to prior review by the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel; provided that, if one of these individuals wishes to trade outside the Window, it shall be subject to prior review by the other; and

 

 

individuals in the Window Group are also subject to the general restrictions on all employees.

 

Note that at times Chief Financial Officer and the General Counsel may determine that no trades may occur even during the Window when clearance is requested. No reasons may be provided and the closing of the Window itself may constitute material inside information that should not be communicated.

 

The foregoing Window Group restrictions do not apply to transactions pursuant to written plans for trading securities that comply with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act (“10b5-1 Plans”) described in Annex A hereto. However, Window Group members may not enter into, amend or terminate a 10b5-1 Plan relating to Company securities without the prior approval of Chief Financial Officer and the General Counsel, which will only be given during a Window period.

 

The Company from time to time may also impose an ad hoc trading freeze on all officers, directors, and other members of the Window Group due to significant unannounced corporate developments. These trading freezes may vary in length.

 

Executive officers, directors or any other member of the Window Group must promptly report to the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel any transaction in any of the Company’s securities by his or her or any of their respective assistants or family members other than transactions made pursuant to an approved 10b5-1 Plan (as defined below).

 

In summary, every employee of the Company is subject to trading restrictions when in possession of inside information regarding the Company. In addition, officers, directors, and other members of the Window Group are subject to paragraph 5 above restricting their trading to window periods and requiring pre-clearance.

 

You must promptly report to the chief financial officer and the general counsel any trading in the company’s securities by anyone or disclosure of inside information by COMPANY personnel that you have reason to believe may violate this Policy or the securities laws of the United States.

 

 

G.

Applicability of U.S. Securities Laws to International Transactions.

 

All employees of the Company’ and its subsidiaries are subject to the restrictions on trading in Company securities and the securities of other companies. The U.S. securities laws may be applicable to the securities of the Company’s subsidiaries or affiliates, even if they are located outside the United States. Transactions involving securities of PRC, Hong Kong, or Singapore subsidiaries or affiliates should be carefully reviewed by counsel for compliance not only with applicable PRC, Hong Kong, or Singapore law but also for possible application of U.S. securities laws.

 

5

 

 

 

III.

OTHER LIMITATIONS ON SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS

 


 

 

A.

Public Resales – Rule 144.

 

The U.S. Securities Act (the “Securities Act”) requires every person who offers or sells a security to register such transaction with the SEC unless an exemption from registration is available. Rule 144 under the Securities Act is the exemption typically relied upon for (i) public resales by any person of “restricted securities” (i.e., unregistered securities acquired in a private offering or sale) and (ii) public resales by directors, officers and other control persons of a company (known as “affiliates”) of any of the Company’s securities, whether restricted or unrestricted.

 

The exemption in Rule 144 may only be relied upon if certain conditions are met. These conditions vary based upon whether the Company has been subject to the SEC’s reporting requirements for 90 days (and is therefore a “reporting company” for purposes of the rule) and whether the person seeking to sell the securities is an affiliate or not.

 

1. Holding Period. Restricted securities issued by a reporting company (i.e., a company that has been subject to the SEC’s reporting requirements for at least 90 days) must be held and fully paid for a period of six months prior to their sale. Restricted securities issued by a non-reporting company are subject to a one-year holding period. The holding period requirement does not apply to securities held by affiliates that were acquired either in the open market or in a public offering of securities registered under the Securities Act. Generally, if the seller acquired the securities from someone other than the Company or an affiliate of the Company, the holding period of the person from whom the seller acquired such securities can be “tacked” to the seller’s holding period in determining if the holding period has been satisfied.

 

2. Current Public Information. Current information about the Company must be publicly available before the sale can be made. The Company’s periodic reports filed with the SEC ordinarily satisfy this requirement. If the seller is not an affiliate of the Company issuing the securities (and has not been an affiliate for at least three months) and one year has passed since the securities were acquired from the issuer or an affiliate of the issuer (whichever is later), the seller can sell the securities without regard to the current public information requirement.

 

Rule 144 also imposes the following additional conditions on sales by persons who are “affiliates.” A person or entity is considered an “affiliate,” and therefore subject to these additional conditions, if it is currently an affiliate or has been an affiliate within the previous three months:

 

3. Volume Limitations. The amount of debt securities which can be sold by an affiliate during any three-month period cannot exceed 10% of a tranche (or class when the securities are non-participatory preferred stock), together with all sales of securities of the same tranche sold for the account of the affiliate. The amount of equity securities that can be sold by an affiliate during any three-month period cannot exceed the greater of (i) one percent of the outstanding shares of the class or (ii) the average weekly reported trading volume for shares of the class during the four calendar weeks preceding the time the order to sell is received by the broker or executed directly with a market maker.

 

6

 

 

4. Manner of Sale. Equity securities held by affiliates must be sold in unsolicited brokers’ transactions, directly to a market-maker or in riskless principal transactions.

 

5. Notice of Sale. An affiliate seller must file a notice of the proposed sale with the SEC at the time the order to sell is placed with the broker, unless the amount to be sold neither exceeds 5,000 shares nor involves sale proceeds greater than $50,000. See “Filing Requirements”.

 

Bona fide gifts are not deemed to involve sales of shares for purposes of Rule 144, so they can be made at any time without limitation on the amount of the gift. Donees who receive restricted securities from an affiliate generally will be subject to the same restrictions under Rule 144 that would have applied to the donor, depending on the circumstances.

 

 

B.

Private Resales.

 

Directors and officers also may sell securities in a private transaction without registration. Although there is no statutory provision or SEC rule expressly dealing with private sales, the general view is that such sales can safely be made by affiliates if the party acquiring the securities understands he is acquiring restricted securities that must be held for at least six months (if issued by a reporting company that meets the current public information requirements) or one-year (if issued by a non-reporting company) before the securities will be eligible for resale to the public under Rule 144. Private resales raise certain documentation and other issues and must be reviewed in advance by the Company’s General Counsel.

 

 

C.

Restrictions on Purchases of Company Securities.

 


 

In order to prevent market manipulation, the SEC adopted Regulation M under the U.S. Exchange Act. Regulation M generally restricts the Company or any of its affiliates from buying Company stock, including as part of a share buyback program, in the open market during certain periods while a distribution, such as a public offering, is taking place. You should consult with the Company’s General Counsel, if you desire to make purchases of Company stock during any period that the Company is making conducting an offering or buying shares from the public.

 

 

D.

Filing Requirements.

 

1. Schedule 13D and 13G. Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act requires the filing of a statement on Schedule 13D (or on Schedule 13G, in certain limited circumstances) by any person or group which acquires beneficial ownership of more than five percent of a class of equity securities registered under the Exchange Act. The threshold for reporting is met if the stock owned, when coupled with the amount of stock subject to options exercisable within 60 days, exceeds the five percent limit.

 

A report on Schedule 13D is required to be filed with the SEC and submitted to the Company within ten days after the reporting threshold is reached. If a material change occurs in the facts set forth in the Schedule 13D, such as an increase or decrease of one percent or more in the percentage of stock beneficially owned, an amendment disclosing the change must be filed promptly. A decrease in beneficial ownership to less than five percent is per se material and must be reported.

 

A limited category of persons (such as banks, broker-dealers and insurance companies) may file on Schedule 13G, which is a much abbreviated version of Schedule 13D, as long as the securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business and not with the purpose or effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer. A report on Schedule 13G is required to be filed with the SEC and submitted to the Company within 45 days after the end of the calendar year in which the reporting threshold is reached.

 

A person is deemed the beneficial owner of securities for purposes of Section 13(d) if such person has or shares voting power (i.e., the power to vote or direct the voting of the securities) or dispositive power (i.e., the power to sell or direct the sale of the securities). A person filing a Schedule 13D or 13G may disclaim beneficial ownership of any securities attributed to him or her if he or she believes there is a reasonable basis for doing so.

 

2. Form 144. As described above under the discussion of Rule 144, an affiliate seller relying on Rule 144 must file a notice of proposed sale with the SEC at the time the order to sell is placed with the broker unless the amount to be sold during any three-month period neither exceeds 5,000 shares nor involves sale proceeds greater than $50,000.

 

7

 

 

Annex A

 

Overview of 10b5-1 Plans

 

Under Rule 10b5-1, large stockholders, directors, officers and other insiders who regularly possess material nonpublic information (MNPI) but who nonetheless wish to buy or sell stock may establish an affirmative defense to an illegal insider trading charge by adopting a written plan to buy or sell at a time when they are not in possession of MNPI. A 10b5-1 plan typically takes the form of a contract between the insider and his or her broker.

 

The plan must be entered into at a time when the insider has no MNPI about the company or its securities (even if no trades will occur until after the release of the MNPI). The plan must:

 

1. specify the amount, price (which may include a limit price) and specific dates of purchases or sales; or

 

2. include a formula or similar method for determining amount, price and date; or

 

3. give the broker the exclusive right to determine whether, how and when to make purchases and sales, as long as the broker does so without being aware of MNPI at the time the trades are made.

 

Under the first two alternatives, the 10b5-1 plan cannot give the broker any discretion as to trade dates. As a result, a plan that requests the broker to sell 1,000 shares per week would have to meet the requirements under the third alternative. On the other hand, under the second alternative, the date may be specified by indicating that trades should be made on any date on which the limit price is hit. The affirmative defense is only available if the trade is in fact made pursuant to the preset terms of the10b5-1 plan (unless the terms are revised at a time when the insider is not aware of any MNPI and could therefore enter into a new plan). Trades are deemed not to have been made pursuant to the plan if the insider later enters into or alters a corresponding or hedging transaction or position with respect to the securities covered by the plan (although hedging transactions could be part of the plan itself).


 

Guidelines for 10b5-1 Plans

 

When can a plan be adopted or amended? Because Rule 10b5-1 prohibits an insider from adopting or amending a plan while in possession of MNPI, allegations of insider trading despite the existence of a 10b5-1 plan are likely to focus on what was known at the time of plan adoption or amendment. It is recommended that companies permit an executive to adopt or amend a 10b5-1 plan only when the executive can otherwise buy or sell securities under the company’s insider trading policy, such as during an open window immediately after the announcement of quarterly earnings.

 

Should a plan impose a waiting period before trading can begin? Because an insider cannot have MNPI when a plan is adopted or amended, Rule 10b5-1 does not require the plan to include a waiting period before trading can begin. And importantly, including a waiting period (even a lengthy delay) will not correct the fatal flaw of adopting or amending a plan while in possession of MNPI. Many companies, however, require 10b5-1 plans to include a waiting period as a matter of risk management, in order to decrease the likelihood of the scrutiny that can occur when an executive’s trading activity suddenly commences before material news is announced. Practice varies as to length (anywhere from 10 days to the next open window), although the rationale for including a waiting period is usually stronger when the period is long enough to be able to say that any information currently in the insider’s possession should either be stale or public by the time trading commences. This has no bearing on the effectiveness of a 10b5-1 plan, but a longer delay can, as a matter of optics, help an insider demonstrate that he or she was not motivated to make trades by nonpublic information available at the time of plan adoption or amendment.

 

8

 

 

Should adoption of a plan be announced publicly? Generally speaking, there is no requirement to publicly disclose the adoption, amendment or termination of a 10b5-1 plan, although in some cases public announcement may be advisable due to the identity of the insider, the magnitude of the plan, or other special factors. That said, announcing the adoption of a 10b5-1 plan may be a useful way to head off future public relations issues, since announcing a plan’s adoption prepares the market and should help investors understand the reasons for insider sales when trades are later reported. If a company decides to announce the adoption of a 10b5-1 plan, we do not generally recommend disclosing plan details, other than, perhaps, the aggregate number of shares involved; this is to diminish the ability of market professionals to front-run the insider’s transactions. It is unusual to announce the suspension or termination of a plan.

 

What else should we consider when amending or modifying a plan? As noted above, an insider may only modify or amend a 10b5-1 plan when he or she is not in possession of MNPI. Even if an insider is not in possession of MNPI at the time of amendment, a pattern of amending or modifying one’s plan raises the question of whether the insider is using the plan as a legitimate tool to diversify his or her risk exposure and monetize assets, or as a way to opportunistically step in and out of the market. Because Rule 10b5-1 provides an affirmative defense but not a safe harbor, insiders and their companies should be aware that the effectiveness of the affirmative defense could be diminished by a pattern of plan amendments and modifications.

 

Can a plan be terminated or suspended? Unlike amending a plan, a 10b5-1 plan may legally be terminated before its predetermined end date even though the insider is in possession of MNPI (although some brokers’ forms prohibit this as a contractual matter). Because plan sales shortly before the announcement of bad news can generate unwanted attention, an insider may decide to terminate a plan in the face of an impending negative announcement, even though as a technical matter the affirmative defense would be expected to cover the sales. On the other hand, terminating a selling plan before an impending positive announcement may raise the suspicion that the insider is using Rule 10b5-1 as a way to opportunistically time the market, thereby risking the likelihood that his or her future use of the affirmative defense will be successful.

 

It is generally suggested that plan terminations initiated by an insider take place during an open window, absent special circumstances and approval by the general counsel. It may also make sense for the general counsel to have the ability, but not the responsibility, to terminate the plan. Plans should also allow for mandatory suspension if legally required, for example due to Regulation M or tax reasons.

 

How long should a plan last? In order to minimize the need for early termination, the term of the plan should be carefully weighed at the outset. An optimal plan term will be long enough to distance the insider, and any current knowledge that he or she may have, from a particular trade but short enough that it will not require termination should the insider’s financial planning strategies change. A short “one-off” 10b5-1 plan can appear to be timed to take advantage of MNPI. On the other hand, the longer the plan term, the greater the likelihood that it will need to be modified or terminated. Most plans tend to have a term of six months to two years.

 

Should the company pre-clear or review an executive’s plan? It is generally recommended that the company pre-clear or review a proposed 10b5-1 plan, which may provide assurance that the plan complies with best practices. Certain companies disallow the third type of plan (one that gives the broker the right to determine whether, how and when to make purchases) in order to avoid the evidentiary difficulty associated with proving that the executive did not communicate with the broker with respect to trades under the plan. While this is not required, this is a prudent option to consider.

 


In addition to requiring a 10b-5 plan to be pre-approved by the Company, other limits that are sometimes considered are whether to set a maximum percentage of holdings that can be subject to a 10b5-1 plan, and rules for setting price floors.

 

9

 

 

Annex B

 

Request for Approval to Trade in the Securities of Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

To:

Chief Financial Officer / General Counsel

 

 

 

 

From:

 

 

Print Name

 

 

I hereby request approval for myself (or a member of my immediate family or household or a family member whose transactions regarding securities of Virax Biolabs Group Limited are directed by me or are subject to my influence or control) to execute the following transaction relating to the securities of Virax Biolabs Group Limited.

 

Type of transaction (check one):

 

 

PURCHASE

 

 

SALE

 

 

EXERCISE OPTION (AND SELL SHARES)

 

 

OTHER

 

Securities involved in transaction:

 

Number of securities:

 

Other (please explain):

 

Name of beneficial owner if other than yourself:

 

Relationship of beneficial owner to yourself:

 

Signature:

______________________

Date:

_________________

 

This Authorization is valid until the earlier of thirty (30) calendar days after the date of this Approval or until the commencement of a “blackout” period.

 

Approved by:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Time:

 

 

 

 

10


Exhibit 99.5

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY

 

As adopted July 13, 2022

 

Procedures for the Submission of Complaints or Concerns Regarding Financial Statement Disclosures, Accounting, Internal Accounting Controls, Auditing Matters, or Violations of the Company’s Code of Ethics or Corporate Code of Business Conduct

 

Section 301 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires the Board of Directors of Virax Biolabs Group Limited (the “Company”) to establish procedures for: (a) the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters; and (b) the submission by employee, vendor or customers of the Company and others, on a confidential and anonymous basis, of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.

 

In accordance with Section 301, the Company has adopted the following procedures:

 

 

I.

The Company shall promptly forward to the Designee any complaints that it has received regarding financial statement disclosures, accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters.

 

 

II.

Any employee, vendor or customer of the Company may submit, on a confidential, anonymous basis if the employee, vendor or customer so desires, any concerns regarding financial statement disclosures, accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters or violations of the Company’s Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers or Corporate Code of Business Conduct. All such concerns shall be set forth in writing and forwarded in a sealed envelope to the Designee “To be opened by the Designee only. Being submitted pursuant to the “whistleblower policy” adopted by the Company.” If an employee, vendor or customer would like to discuss any matter with the Designee, the employee, vendor or customer should indicate this in the submission and include a telephone number at which he or she might be contacted if the Designee deems it appropriate. Any such envelopes received by the Company’s General Counsel shall be forwarded promptly and unopened to the Designee. The Designee shall be the Chairperson of the audit committee.

 

 

III.

Following the receipt of any complaints submitted hereunder, the Designee will investigate each matter so reported and take corrective and disciplinary actions, if appropriate, which may include, alone or in combination, a warning or letter or reprimand, demotion, loss of merit increase, bonus or stock options, suspension without pay or termination of employment.

 

 

IV.

The Designee may enlist employee, vendor or customers of the Company and/or outside legal, accounting or other advisors, as appropriate, to conduct any investigation of complaints regarding financial statement disclosures, accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters or violation of the Company’s investigation, the Designee shall use reasonable efforts to protect the confidentiality and anonymity of the complaint.

 

 

V.

The Company does not permit retaliation of any kind against employees for complaints submitted hereunder that are made in good faith.

 


Exhibit 99.6

 

 

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited Announces Pricing of

$6.75 Million Initial Public Offering

 

London, United Kingdom, July 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virax Biolabs Group Limited (“Virax” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: VRAX), an innovative biotechnology company focused on the prevention, detection, and diagnosis of viral diseases, today announced the pricing of its firm commitment initial public offering of 1,350,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $5.00 per share, for total gross proceeds of $6.75 million, before deducting underwriting discounts, commissions, and other related expenses. The shares are scheduled to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market tomorrow, July 21, 2022, under the ticker symbol “VRAX.” The offering is expected to close on or about July 25, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

Boustead Securities, LLC acted as the representative of the underwriters for the firm commitment offering.

 

The public offering and resale registration statement relating to the securities being sold in this offering was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 30, 2022. The offering of these securities was made only by means of a prospectus, forming a part of the registration statement. A copy of the final prospectus related to the offering may be obtained, when available, from Boustead Securities, LLC, via email: offerings@boustead1828.com or by calling +1 (949) 502-4408 or standard mail at Boustead Securities, LLC, Attn: Equity Capital Markets, 6 Venture, Suite 395, Irvine, CA 92618, USA. In addition, a copy of the final prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained via the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company’s securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of any of the Company’s securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

 

About Virax Biolabs Group Limited

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited is an innovative biotechnology group focused on the detection and diagnosis of viral diseases, with a particular interest in the field of immunology.

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited is currently developing a proprietary T-Cell Test technology with the intention of providing an immunology profiling platform that assesses each individual’s immune risk profile against major global viral threats. T-Cell testing is particularly effective in the diagnosis and therapeutics of COVID-19 as well as other threats including Hepatitis B, Malaria, Herpes and Human Papillomavirus. For more information, please visit www.viraxbiolabs.com.

 

Safe Harbor Statement

 

This press release contains forward-looking statements. In addition, from time to time, we or our representatives may make forward-looking statements orally or in writing. We base these forward-looking statements on our expectations and projections about future events, which we derive from the information currently available to us. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future performance, including: our financial performance and projections; our growth in revenue and earnings; and our business prospects and opportunities. You can identify forward-looking statements by those that are not historical in nature, particularly those that use terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including: our ability to change the direction of the Company; our ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; and the competitive environment of our business. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are only predictions. The forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives, may not occur, and actual events and results may differ materially and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release and other statements made from time to time by us or our representatives might not occur.

 

Company Contact:

 

Virax Biolabs Group Limited

Cameron Shaw, Chief Operating Officer

Phone: +44 7954 488 982

Email: cs@viraxbiolabs.com


 

Investor Relations Contact:

 

Skyline Corporate Communications Group, LLC

Lisa Gray, Senior Account Manager

One Rockefeller Plaza, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10020

Office: (646) 893-5835

Email: lisa@skylineccg.com