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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 27, 2020

 

 

SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

Delaware   001-36150   33-0344842

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

4955 Directors Place

San Diego, CA 92121

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 203-4100

 

N/A

(Former Name, or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities Registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Title of each class   Trading Symbol   Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value   SRNE   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

  

 

 

 

 

    

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

Sales Agreement

 

On April 27, 2020, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Sales Agreement (the “Sales Agreement”) with A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, as sales agent (the “Agent”), pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell, from time to time, through or to the Agent, as sales agent and/or principal (the “Offering”) up to $250,000,000 in shares of its common stock (the “Shares”). Any Shares offered and sold in the Offering will be issued pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237142) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2020 and declared effective on March 20, 2020 (the “Form S-3”), the base prospectus dated March 20, 2020 included in the Form S-3 and the prospectus supplement relating to the Offering, dated April 27, 2020, that will be filed with the SEC.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the Sales Agreement, the Agent will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell the Shares from time to time, based upon the Company’s instructions. Under the Sales Agreement, the Agent may sell the Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

The Company has no obligation to sell any of the Shares, and may at any time suspend offers under the Sales Agreement. The Offering will terminate upon (a) the election of the Agent upon the occurrence of certain adverse events, (b) three business days’ advance notice from one party to the other, or (c) the sale of all of the Shares.

 

Under the terms of the Sales Agreement, the Agent will be entitled to a commission at a fixed rate of 3.0% of the gross proceeds from each sale of Shares under the Sales Agreement. The Company will also reimburse the Agent for certain expenses incurred in connection with the Sales Agreement, and agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the Agent with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

The Company currently intends to use any net proceeds from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include capital expenditures, research and development expenditures, regulatory affairs expenditures, clinical trial expenditures, acquisitions of new technologies and investments, business combinations and the repayment, refinancing, redemption or repurchase of indebtedness or capital stock. The Company may use a portion of the proceeds to repay indebtedness owed under that certain Term Loan Agreement that the Company and certain of its domestic subsidiaries entered into with certain funds affiliated with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. and Oaktree Fund Administration, LLC, as administrative and collateral agent, as amended.

 

The foregoing description of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Sales Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the Shares in any state or country in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or country.

 

Common Stock Purchase Agreement

 

On April 27, 2020, the Company entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Arnaki Ltd., a British Virgin Islands corporation (the “Purchaser”), pursuant to which the Purchaser is committed to purchase up to an aggregate of $250.0 million of shares of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) over the 36-month term of the Purchase Agreement on the terms set forth therein (the “CSPA Offering”).

 

The Company will file with the SEC a prospectus supplement to the Form S-3, dated April 27, 2020, registering all of the shares of Common Stock that may be offered and sold to the Purchaser pursuant to the Purchase Agreement from time to time.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, on any business day over the 36-month term of the Purchase Agreement (each, a “Purchase Date”), the Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to present the Purchaser with a purchase notice (each, a “Purchase Notice”) directing the Purchaser to purchase up to 650,000 shares of Common Stock per business day. The Company and the Purchaser also may mutually agree to increase the number of shares that may be sold to as much as an additional 3,600,000 shares per Purchase Date. In addition to such purchases, the Company has the right, in its sole discretion, to grant the Purchaser an option to purchase an additional amount of shares of Common Stock, subject to a maximum number of shares determined by the Company on each Purchase Date. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, in no event shall the aggregate purchase price paid by the Purchaser exceed $5,000,000 per Purchase Date, unless mutually agreed by the Company and the Purchaser. The purchase price of the Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will be equal to 97.5% of the daily volume weighted average purchase price of the Common Stock on the Purchase Date (the “Purchase Price”).

 

 

 

 

The Purchaser will not be required to, but may at its option, buy shares of Common Stock pursuant to a Purchase Notice that was received by the Purchaser on any day on which either (i) the daily volume-weighted average purchase price of the Common Stock is below $1.10 (which shall not be subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction), or (ii) the Purchase Price for such day is below $1.10 per share. The Purchaser has no right to require any sales by the Company, but is obligated to make purchases from the Company as directed by the Company in accordance with the Purchase Agreement. There are no limitations on the use of proceeds, financial or business covenants, restrictions on future financings, rights of first refusal, participation rights, penalties or liquidated damages in the Purchase Agreement. The Company may terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time, in the Company’s discretion, without any cost or penalty. The Purchaser may terminate the Purchase Agreement at any time that an event of default exists without any liability or payment to the Company. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, the Purchaser agreed that during the term of the Purchase Agreement, neither it nor any of its affiliates or any entity managed or controlled by it will, directly or indirectly, engage in any short sales involving the Company’s securities or grant an option to purchase, or acquire any right to dispose of or otherwise dispose for value of, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock, or enter into any swap, hedge or other similar agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of any shares of Common Stock. The Company expects to use any proceeds it receives under the Purchase Agreement for working capital and general corporate purposes.

 

The foregoing description of the Purchase Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the copy of the Purchase Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Purchase Agreement were made solely for the benefit of the parties to the Purchase Agreement, and may be subject to limitations agreed upon by the contracting parties. Accordingly, the Purchase Agreement is incorporated herein by reference only to provide investors with information regarding the terms of the Purchase Agreement and not to provide investors with any other factual information regarding the Company or its business, and should be read in conjunction with the disclosures in the Company’s periodic reports and other filings with the SEC.

 

A copy of the opinion of Paul Hastings LLP, counsel to the Company, relating to the validity of the shares of Common Stock to be issued in the Offering and the CSPA Offering is filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 5.1.

 

Item 1.02. Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On April 27, 2020, the Company voluntarily terminated that certain Equity Distribution Agreement, dated October 1, 2019 (the “Equity Distribution Agreement”), that the Company entered into with JMP Securities LLC (“JMP Securities”), effective immediately. Pursuant to the Equity Distribution Agreement, the Company could offer and sell, from time to time, through JMP Securities, shares of the Company’s common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $75,000,000. During the term of the Equity Distribution Agreement, the Company sold an aggregate of 2,120,149 shares of its common stock thereunder for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $7.4 million. The Equity Distribution Agreement was terminable at will by the Company with no penalty.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements related to expectations regarding the Offering and the CSPA Offering and the expected use of proceeds from the Offering or the CSPA Offering, if any. The risks and uncertainties involved include the Company’s ability to satisfy certain conditions to closing on a timely basis or at all, market conditions, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports and other filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on the Company’s current expectations and assumptions and speak only as of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company does not intend to revise or update any forward-looking statement in this Current Report on Form 8-K as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

 

 

 

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

1.1 Sales Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2020, by and between Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and A.G.P/Alliance Global Partners.*

 

5.1 Opinion of Paul Hastings LLP.

 

10.1 Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2020, by and between Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and Arnaki Ltd.*

 

23.1 Consent of Paul Hastings LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

* Non-material schedules and exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Company hereby undertakes to furnish supplemental copies of any of the omitted schedules and exhibits upon request by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

  SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.  
       
Date:  April 27, 2020 By:  /s/ Henry Ji, Ph.D.  
    Name: Henry Ji, Ph.D.  
    Title: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

 

COMMON STOCK

 

SALES AGREEMENT

 

April 27, 2020

 

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners

590 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, as follows:

 

1.                  Issuance and Sale of Shares. The Company agrees that, from time to time during the term of this Agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, it may issue and sell to or through A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, acting as agent and/or principal (the “Sales Agent”), shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), having an aggregate offering price of up to $250,000,000, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3(b) hereof. The issuance and sale of shares of Common Stock to or through the Sales Agent will be effected pursuant to the Registration Statement (as defined below) filed by the Company and which was declared effective under the Securities Act (as defined below) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”).

 

The Company has filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), with the Commission, not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof, a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237142), including a base prospectus, relating to certain securities, including the Common Stock, to be issued from time to time by the Company, and which incorporates by reference documents that the Company has filed or will file in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”). The Company has prepared a prospectus supplement specifically relating to the offering of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement (the “ATM Prospectus”). The Company will furnish to the Sales Agent, for use by the Sales Agent, copies of the base prospectus included as part of such registration statement at the time it became effective, as supplemented by the ATM Prospectus. Except where the context otherwise requires, such registration statement, as amended at the time of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act, including all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated by reference therein, and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act or deemed to be a part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B or 462(b) of the Securities Act, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The base prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference (to the extent such information has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the Securities Act)), and the ATM Prospectus, including all documents incorporated therein by reference (to the extent such information has not been superseded or modified in accordance with Rule 412 under the Securities Act (as qualified by Rule 430B(g) of the Securities Act)), as it or they may be supplemented by any additional prospectus supplement, in the form in which such prospectus and/or ATM Prospectus have most recently been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, together with any “issuer free writing prospectus” (“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (“Rule 433”), relating to the Placement Shares that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i), in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g), is herein called the “Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein, and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing after the execution hereof of any document with the Commission deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or to any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the Commission pursuant to either the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System, or if applicable, the Interactive Data Electronic Applications (collectively “EDGAR”).

 

 

 

 

2.                  Placements. Each time that the Company wishes to issue and sell shares of Common Stock through the Sales Agent, as agent, hereunder (each, a “Placement”), it will notify the Sales Agent by email notice (or other method mutually agreed to in writing by the parties) (a “Placement Notice”) containing the parameters in accordance with which it desires the Common Stock to be sold, which shall at a minimum include the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued (the “Placement Shares”), the time period during which sales are requested to be made, any limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be sold in any one Trading Day (as defined in Section 3) and any minimum price below which sales may not be made, a form of which containing such minimum sales parameters necessary is attached hereto as Schedule 1. The Placement Notice shall originate from any of the individuals from the Company set forth on Schedule 2 (with a copy to each of the other individuals from the Company listed on such schedule), and shall be addressed to each of the individuals from the Sales Agent set forth on Schedule 2, as such Schedule 2 may be amended from time to time. The Placement Notice shall be effective upon receipt by the Sales Agent unless and until (i) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Sales Agent declines to accept the terms contained therein for any reason, in its sole discretion, (ii) the entire amount of the Placement Shares have been sold, (iii) in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in Section 4, the Company suspends or terminates the Placement Notice, (iv) the Company issues a subsequent Placement Notice with parameters superseding those on the earlier dated Placement Notice, or (v) the Agreement has been terminated under the provisions of Section 11. The amount of any discount, commission or other compensation to be paid by the Company to the Sales Agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares through the Sales Agent, as agent, shall be as set forth in Schedule 3. It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that neither the Company nor the Sales Agent will have any obligation whatsoever with respect to a Placement or any Placement Shares unless and until the Company delivers a Placement Notice to the Sales Agent and the Sales Agent does not decline such Placement Notice pursuant to the terms set forth above, and then only upon the terms specified therein and herein. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the terms of a Placement Notice, the terms of the Placement Notice will control.

 

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3.                  Sale of Placement Shares by the Sales Agent.

 

(a)               Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, upon the Company’s issuance of a Placement Notice, and unless the sale of the Placement Shares described therein has been declined, suspended, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Sales Agent, as agent for the Company, will use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations and the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”), for the period specified in the Placement Notice, to sell such Placement Shares up to the amount specified by the Company in, and otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Placement Notice. If acting as agent hereunder, the Sales Agent will provide written confirmation to the Company (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the Company set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) no later than the opening of the Trading Day (as defined below) immediately following the Trading Day on which it has made sales of Placement Shares hereunder setting forth the number of Placement Shares sold on such day, the compensation payable by the Company to the Sales Agent pursuant to Section 2 with respect to such sales, and the Net Proceeds (as defined below) payable to the Company, with an itemization of the deductions made by the Sales Agent (as set forth in Section 5(a)) from the gross proceeds that it receives from such sales. Subject to the terms of the Placement Notice, the Sales Agent may sell Placement Shares by any method permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act, including without limitation sales made directly on the Exchange, on any other existing trading market for the Common Stock or to or through a market maker. Subject to the terms of a Placement Notice, the Sales Agent may also sell Placement Shares by any other method permitted by law, including but not limited to in negotiated transactions, with the Company’s prior written consent. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) there can be no assurance that the Sales Agent will be successful in selling Placement Shares, (ii) the Sales Agent will incur no liability or obligation to the Company or any other person or entity if it does not sell Placement Shares for any reason other than a failure by the Sales Agent to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices and applicable law and regulations to sell such Placement Shares as required under this Agreement and (iii) the Sales Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to this Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Sales Agent and the Company in writing and expressly set forth in a Placement Notice. For the purposes hereof, “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is purchased and sold on the principal market on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

(b)               Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares if, after giving effect to the sale of such Placement Shares, the aggregate number or gross sales proceeds of Placement Shares sold pursuant to this Agreement would exceed the lesser of: (i) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to the Registration Statement pursuant to which the offering hereunder is being made, (ii) the number of authorized but unissued and unreserved shares of Common Stock, (iii) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock permitted to be offered and sold by the Company under Form S-3, (iv) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock authorized from time to time to be issued and sold under this Agreement by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Sales Agent in writing, or (v) the number or dollar amount of shares of Common Stock for which the Company has filed the ATM Prospectus or other prospectus supplement specifically relating to the offering of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement. Under no circumstances shall the Company cause or request the offer or sale of any Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement at a price lower than the minimum price authorized from time to time by the Company’s board of directors, a duly authorized committee thereof or a duly authorized executive committee, and notified to the Sales Agent in writing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that compliance with the limitations set forth in this Section 3(b) on the number or dollar amount of Placement Shares that may be issued and sold under this Agreement from time to time shall be the sole responsibility of the Company, and that the Sales Agent shall have no obligation in connection with such compliance.

 

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(c)               During the term of this Agreement, neither the Sales Agent nor any of its affiliates or subsidiaries shall engage in (i) any short sale of any security of the Company or (ii) any sale of any security of the Company that the Sales Agent does not own or any sale which is consummated by the delivery of a security of the Company borrowed by, or for the account of, the Sales Agent. During the term of this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Sales Agent agrees that in no event will the Sales Agent or its affiliates engage in any market making, bidding, stabilization or other trading activity with regard to the Common Stock or related derivative securities if such activity would be prohibited under Regulation M or other anti-manipulation rules under the Exchange Act.

 

4.                  Suspension of Sales.

 

(a)               The Company or the Sales Agent may, upon notice to the other party in writing (including by email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2, if receipt of such correspondence is actually acknowledged by any of the individuals to whom the notice is sent, other than via auto-reply) or by telephone (confirmed immediately by verifiable facsimile transmission or email correspondence to each of the individuals of the other party set forth on Schedule 2), suspend any sale of Placement Shares for a period of time (a “Suspension Period”); provided, however, that such suspension shall not affect or impair either party’s obligations with respect to any Placement Shares sold hereunder prior to the receipt of such notice. Each of the parties agrees that no such notice under this Section 4 shall be effective against the other unless it is made to one of the individuals named on Schedule 2 hereto, as such schedule may be amended from time to time. During a Suspension Period, the Company shall not issue any Placement Notices and the Sales Agent shall not sell any Placement Shares hereunder. The party that issued a suspension notice shall notify the other party in writing of the Trading Day on which the Suspension Period shall expire not later than twenty-four (24) hours prior to such Trading Day.

 

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(b)               Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, during any period in which the Company is in possession of material non-public information, the Company and the Sales Agent agree that (i) no sale of Placement Shares will take place, (ii) the Company shall not request the sale of any Placement Shares, and (iii) the Sales Agent shall not be obligated to sell or offer to sell any Placement Shares.

 

5.                  Settlement.

 

(a)               Settlement of Placement Shares. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Placement Notice, settlement for sales of Placement Shares will occur on the second (2nd) Trading Day (or such earlier day as is industry practice for regular-way trading) following the respective Point of Sale (as defined below) (each, a “Settlement Date”). The amount of proceeds to be delivered to the Company on a Settlement Date against receipt of the Placement Shares sold (the “Net Proceeds”) will be equal to the aggregate sales price received by the Sales Agent at which such Placement Shares were sold, after deduction for (i) the Sales Agent’s discount, commission or other compensation for such sales payable by the Company pursuant to Section 2 hereof, and (ii) any transaction fees imposed by any clearing organization or any governmental or self-regulatory organization in respect of such sales.

 

(b)               Delivery of Placement Shares. On or before each Settlement Date, the Company will, or will cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Placement Shares being sold by crediting the Sales Agent’s or its designee’s account (provided the Sales Agent shall have given the Company written notice of such designee prior to the Settlement Date) at The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit and Withdrawal at Custodian System or by such other means of delivery as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto which in all cases shall be freely tradable, transferable, registered shares in good deliverable form. On each Settlement Date, the Sales Agent will deliver the related Net Proceeds in same day funds to an account designated by the Company on, or prior to, the Settlement Date. The Company agrees that if the Company, or its transfer agent (if applicable), defaults in its obligation to deliver duly authorized Placement Shares on a Settlement Date, through no fault of the Sales Agent, the Company agrees that in addition to and in no way limiting the rights and obligations set forth in Section 9(a) (Indemnification and Contribution) hereto, the Company will (i) hold the Sales Agent, its directors, officers, members, partners, employees and agents of the Sales Agent, each broker dealer affiliate of the Sales Agent, and each person, if any, who (A) controls the Sales Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (B) is controlled by or is under common control with the Sales Agent (each, a “Sales Agent Affiliate”), and the Sales Agent’s clearing organization, harmless against any loss, claim, damage, or actual, reasonable and documented expense (including actual, reasonable and documented legal fees and expenses), as incurred, arising out of or in connection with such default by the Company or its transfer agent (if applicable) and (ii) pay to the Sales Agent any commission, discount, or other compensation to which it would otherwise have been entitled absent such default.

 

6.                  Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Sales Agent that as of each Applicable Time (as defined in Section 22(a)), unless such representation, warranty or agreement specifies a different time or times:

 

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(a)               Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Registration Statement was declared effective by the Commission under the Securities Act on March 20, 2020. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information related to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement and, assuming no act or omission on the part of the Sales Agent that would make such statements untrue, the offer and sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby meet the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act and comply in all material respects with said Rule. In the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” in the ATM Prospectus, the Company has named A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners as an agent that the Company has engaged in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. At the time of filing the Registration Statement, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

(b)               No Misstatement or Omission. The Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act. The Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, on the date of such Prospectus or amendment or supplement, complied or will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act. The Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became or becomes effective, did not and 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 Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, as of its date, did not and, as of each Point of Sale and each Settlement Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties set forth in the two immediately preceding sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements thereto, made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Sales Agent furnished to the Company in writing by the Sales Agent expressly for use therein. “Point of Sale” means, for a Placement, the time at which an acquiror of Placement Shares entered into a contract, binding upon such acquiror, to acquire such Placement Shares.

 

(c)               Offering Materials Furnished to the Sales Agent. Copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements thereto and all documents incorporated by reference therein that were filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, have been delivered, or are publicly available through EDGAR, to the Sales Agent. Each Prospectus delivered to the Sales Agent for use in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement will be identical to the version of such Prospectus filed with the Commission via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d)               Distribution of Offering Material By the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the completion of the Sales Agent’s distribution of the Placement Shares, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares other than the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

 

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(e)               The Sales Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid, legal, and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally, and subject to general principles of equity. The Company has full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to authorize, issue and sell the Placement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement. This Agreement conforms in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(f)                Authorization of the Placement Shares. The Placement Shares, when issued and paid for as contemplated herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws, and will be free of preemptive, registration or similar rights, and will conform to the description of the Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(g)               No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights. There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived. No person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Placement Shares hereunder, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated hereby or otherwise.  

 

(h)               No Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the business, properties, prospects, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (any such change is called a “Material Adverse Change”), which, individually or in the aggregate, has had or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (ii) the Company has not incurred any material liability or obligation, indirect, direct or contingent, not in the ordinary course of business nor entered into any material transaction or agreement not in the ordinary course of business; (iii) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company; (iv) no executive officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company; and (v) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt.

 

(i)                 Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report is filed with the Commission and included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Deloitte & Touche LLP has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

(j)                 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein. Except as included or incorporated by reference therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus under the Securities Act. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.

 

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(k)               Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed by the Company without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed by the Company other than in good faith.

 

(l)                 Statistical and Marketing-Related Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

(m)             XBRL. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(n)               Incorporation and Good Standing of the Company. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Company has requisite corporate power to carry on its business as described in the Prospectus. The Company is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification (if a good standing concept exists in such jurisdiction); except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has no subsidiaries and does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year and other than (i) those subsidiaries not required to be listed on Exhibit 21.1 by Item 601 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act and (ii) those subsidiaries formed since the last day of the most recently ended fiscal year, if any.

 

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(o)               Capital Stock Matters. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock 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 of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements, and the options or other rights granted thereunder, as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, accurately and fairly present, in all material respects, the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements, options and rights.

 

(p)               Non-Contravention of Existing Instruments; No Further Authorizations or Approvals Required. The Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (including the issuance and sale of the Placement Shares and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) will not (A) result in a material violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof (including, without limitation, those promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “FDA”) or by any foreign, federal, state or local regulatory authority performing functions similar to those performed by the FDA), (B) conflict with, result in any violation or breach of, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) (a “Default Acceleration Event”) of, any agreement, lease, credit facility, debt, note, bond, mortgage, indenture or other instrument (“Contract”) or obligation or other understanding to which the Company is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, except to the extent that such conflict, default, or Default Acceleration Event is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Change, or (C) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Company’s certificate of incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time) or bylaws (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time). The Company is not in violation, breach or default under its certificate of incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time) or bylaws (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time). Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any other party is in violation, breach or default of any Contract that has resulted in or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the performance of the Company of the transactions herein contemplated has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect, except (i) with respect to any Applicable Time at which the Sales Agent would not be able to rely on Rule 5110(b)(7)(C)(i) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), such additional steps as may be required by FINRA, (ii) filings with the Commission required under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or filings with the Exchange pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Exchange, in each case that are contemplated by this Agreement to be made after the date of this Agreement, and (iii) such additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Common Stock for sale by the Sales Agent under state securities or Blue Sky laws.

 

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(q)               No Material Actions or Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director, including any proceeding before the FDA or comparable federal, state, local or foreign governmental bodies (it being understood that the interaction between the Company and the FDA and such comparable governmental bodies relating to the clinical development and product approval process shall not be deemed proceedings for purposes of this representation), which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which is required to be disclosed, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

(r)                Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent. The Company is not aware that any key employee or significant group of employees of the Company plans to terminate employment with the Company.

 

(s)                Compliance with Certain Applicable Laws. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding, except in each case as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (E) has not received notice that any governmental authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority is considering such action; and (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission).

 

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(t)                 Tax Law Compliance. The Company has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. The Company has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of or incorporated by reference in 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. Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (i) no material issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company. There are no tax liens against the assets, properties or business of the Company. The term “taxes” means 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 whatever, 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.

 

(u)               Company Not an “Investment Company”. The Company is not, and will not be, either after receipt of payment for the Placement Shares or after the application of the proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act”).

 

(v)               Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(w)             No Price Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly (without giving any effect to the activities of the Sales Agent), any action designed to or that might cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock or of any “reference security” (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act (“Regulation M”)) with respect to the Common Stock, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Placement Shares or otherwise, and has taken no action which would directly or indirectly violate Regulation M.

 

(x)               Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that have not been described as required pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

(y)               Exchange Act Compliance. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at each Point of Sale and each Settlement Date, will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(z)               Conformity of Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act on the date of first use, and the Company has complied or will comply with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Securities Act. Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Placement Shares, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or modified. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Placement Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Sales Agent. The Company has retained in accordance with the Securities Act all Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

(aa)            Compliance with Environmental Laws. The Company is in compliance with all foreign, federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety or the environment which are applicable to its business (“Environmental Laws”), except where the failure to comply would not, singularly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Change.  There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company, or upon any other property, in violation of any law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit or which would, under any law, statute, ordinance, rule (including rule of common law), regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, give rise to any liability, except for any violation or liability which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such violations and liabilities, a Material Adverse Change; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances with respect to which the Company has knowledge, except for any such disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind which would not have, singularly or in the aggregate with all such discharges and other releases, a Material Adverse Change.  In the ordinary course of business, the Company conducts periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on its business and assets, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties).  On the basis of such reviews, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not have, singularly or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Change.

 

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(bb)           Intellectual Property. The Company owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, except as would not be reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Change. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others, except where such action, use, license or fee is not reasonably likely to result in a Material Adverse Change. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 6(bb), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 6(bb), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 6(bb), reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.

 

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(cc)            Brokers. The Company is not a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than as contemplated by this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Sales Agent for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares by the Sales Agent under this Agreement.

 

(dd)           No Outstanding Loans or Other Indebtedness. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(ee)            No Reliance. The Company has not relied upon the Sales Agent or legal counsel for the Sales Agent for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Placement Shares.

 

(ff)              Broker-Dealer Status. Neither the Company nor any of its related entities (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning of Article I of the NASD Manual administered by FINRA). To the Company’s knowledge, there are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders, except as set forth in the Registration Statement.

 

(gg)           Public Float Calculation. At the time the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement was or will be filed with the Commission, at the time the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement was or will be declared effective by the Commission, and at the time the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K was filed with the Commission, the Company met or will meet the then applicable requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, including, but not limited to, General Instruction I.B.1. of Form S-3, if and for so long as applicable.

 

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(hh)           FINRA Matters. All of the information provided to the Sales Agent or to counsel for the Sales Agent by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and, to the Company’s knowledge, the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares is true, complete, correct and compliant with FINRA’s rules in all material respects and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules or NASD Conduct Rules is true, complete and correct in all material respects. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company’s securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the date of this Agreement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the offer, issuance and sale of the Placement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

(ii)              Compliance with Orders. The Company is not in violation of any material judgment, decree, or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority.

 

(jj)              Sarbanes–Oxley Act. The Company is in material compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) 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 date hereof.

 

(kk)           Disclosure Controls And Procedures. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, 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; (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; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and are prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

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(ll)              ERISA. The Company and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

 

(mm)      Contracts and Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and 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 and the Prospectus, 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 therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to 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 (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.

 

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(nn)           Title to Properties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title in fee simple to, or has valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company, and under which the Company holds properties described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and the Company has not received any notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, which would result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(oo)           No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments. No payments or inducements have been made or given, directly or indirectly, to any federal or local official or candidate for, any federal or state office in the United States or foreign offices by the Company or any of its officers or directors, or, to the knowledge of the Company, by any of its employees or agents or any other person in connection with any opportunity, contract, permit, certificate, consent, order, approval, waiver or other authorization relating to the business of the Company, except for such payments or inducements as were lawful under applicable laws, rules and regulations. Neither the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company, (i) has used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any government official or employee from corporate funds; or (iii) made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment in connection with the business of the Company.

 

(pp)           Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company, is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Company has conducted its business in compliance with the FCPA and has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

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(qq)           Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(rr)              OFAC. None of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(ss)             Exchange Listing. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is currently listed on the Exchange under the trading symbol “SRNE”. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there is no action pending by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, the Exchange to delist the Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing. The Company has no intention to delist the Common Stock from the Exchange or to deregister the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, in either case, at any time during the period commencing on the date of this Agreement through and including the 90th calendar day after the termination of this Agreement. The Company has filed with the Exchange a Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form for the offering of the Placement Shares as contemplated in this Agreement. The issuance and sale of the Placement Shares under this Agreement does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Exchange.

 

(tt)              Margin Rules. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds from the issuance, sale and delivery of the Placement Shares as contemplated by this Agreement and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

 

(uu)           Underwriter Agreements. The Company is not a party to any agreement with an agent or underwriter for any other “at-the-market” or continuous equity transaction.

 

(vv)           Board of Directors. The qualifications of the persons serving as board members of the Company and the overall composition of the Company’s Board of Directors comply with the applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the listing rules of the Exchange applicable to the Company. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors of the Company qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

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(ww)       No Integration. 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 the offer and sale of the Placement Shares hereunder to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.

 

(xx)           No Material Defaults. The Company has not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(yy)           Books and Records. The minute books of the Company since January 1, 2019 have been made available to the Sales Agent and counsel for the Sales Agent, and such books (i) contain a substantially complete summary of all meetings and material actions of the board of directors (including each board committee) and stockholders of the Company (or analogous governing bodies and interest holders, as applicable) since January 1, 2019 through the date of the latest meeting and action, and (ii) accurately in all material respects reflect all transactions referred to in such minutes.

 

(zz)            Continued Business. No supplier, customer, distributor or sales agent of the Company has notified the Company that it intends to discontinue or decrease the rate of business done with the Company, except where such discontinuation or decrease has not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

(aaa)        Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.

 

(bbb)       Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Company’s business in the past and as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

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(ccc)        Regulatory Matters; Compliance. All preclinical and other nonclinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are material to the Company have been adequately described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, in all material respects.  The clinical trials and nonclinical studies conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of such trials and studies which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were and, if still ongoing, are being conducted in material compliance with all laws and regulations applicable thereto in the jurisdictions in which they are being conducted.  The descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the results of such trials and studies are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such trials and studies, and the Company has no knowledge of any clinical trials the aggregate results of which are inconsistent with or otherwise call into question the results of any clinical trial conducted by or on behalf of the Company that are described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or has not resulted in or could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, the Company has not received any written notices or other communications from the FDA, the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) or any other governmental agency or authority imposing, requiring, requesting or suggesting a clinical hold, termination, suspension or material modification of any clinical trial that is described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company has not received any written notices or other communications from the FDA, the EMA or any other governmental agency, and otherwise has no knowledge of, or reason to believe that, (i) any investigational new drug application for a potential product of the Company is or has been rejected or determined to be non-approvable or conditionally approvable; and (ii) any license, approval, permit or authorization to conduct any clinical trial of any potential product of the Company has been, will be or may be suspended, revoked, modified or limited.

 

(ddd)       Information Technology. The Company’s information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted, and to the knowledge of the Company are free and clear of all material bugs, errors, defects, Trojan horses, time bombs, malware and other corruptants. The Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same. The Company is presently in material 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 Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification. The disclosures in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Company’s business in the past and as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed. The Company has taken all necessary actions to comply with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation and all other applicable laws and regulations with respect to Personal Data that have been announced as of the date hereof as becoming effective within 12 months after the date hereof, and for which any non-compliance with same would be reasonably likely to create a material liability.

 

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(eee)        Confidentiality and Non-Competition. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer or key employee of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect his or her ability to be and act in his or her respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Sales Agent or to counsel for the Sales Agent pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Sales Agent as to the matters set forth therein.

 

The Company acknowledges that the Sales Agent and, for purposes of the opinions to be delivered pursuant to Section 7 hereof, Company Counsel and counsel to the Sales Agent, will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

7.                  Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with the Sales Agent that:

 

(a)               Registration Statement Amendments. After the date of this Agreement and during any period in which a Prospectus relating to any Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Sales Agent under the Securities Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 153 or Rule 172 under the Securities Act), (i) the Company will notify the Sales Agent promptly of the time when any subsequent amendment to the Registration Statement, other than documents incorporated by reference, has been filed with the Commission and/or has become effective or any subsequent supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and of any request by the Commission for any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; (ii) the Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon the Sales Agent’s reasonable request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in the Sales Agent’s reasonable opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Placement Shares by the Sales Agent (provided, however, that the failure of the Sales Agent to make such request shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Sales Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, and provided, further, that the only remedy the Sales Agent shall have with respect to the failure to make such filing shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement until such amendment or supplement is filed); (iii) the Company will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, relating to the Placement Shares or a security convertible into the Placement Shares unless a copy thereof has been submitted to the Sales Agent within a reasonable period of time before the filing and the Sales Agent has not reasonably objected thereto (provided, however, that the failure of the Sales Agent to make such objection shall not relieve the Company of any obligation or liability hereunder, or affect the Sales Agent’s right to rely on the representations and warranties made by the Company in this Agreement, and provided, further, that the only remedy the Sales Agent shall have with respect to the failure by the Company to obtain such consent shall be to cease making sales under this Agreement); (iv) the Company will furnish to the Sales Agent at the time of filing thereof a copy of any document that upon filing is deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or Prospectus, except for those documents available via EDGAR; and (v) the Company will cause each amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, other than documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of the Securities Act) or, in the case of any documents incorporated by reference, to be filed with the Commission as required pursuant to the Exchange Act, within the time period prescribed.

 

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(b)               Notice of Commission Stop Orders. The Company will advise the Sales Agent, promptly after it receives notice or obtains knowledge thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to, or other order preventing or suspending the use of, the Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Placement Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation of any proceeding for any such purpose or any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Securities Act, or if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Placement Shares; and it will promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued. Until such time as any stop order is lifted, the Sales Agent shall cease making offers and sales under this Agreement.

 

(c)               Delivery of Prospectus; Subsequent Changes. During any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Sales Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 153 or Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will comply in all material respects with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, and to file on or before their respective due dates all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, 15(d) or any other provision of or under the Exchange Act. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus to comply with the Securities Act, the Company will promptly notify the Sales Agent to suspend the offering of Placement Shares during such period and the Company will promptly amend or supplement the Registration Statement or Prospectus (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that the Company may delay any such amendment or supplement if, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, it is in the best interests of the Company to do so.

 

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(d)               Listing of Placement Shares. During any period in which the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered by the Sales Agent under the Securities Act with respect to a pending sale of the Placement Shares (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 153 or Rule 172 under the Securities Act), the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Placement Shares to be listed on the Exchange and to qualify the Placement Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Sales Agent reasonably designates and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Placement Shares; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or dealer in securities or file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction.

 

(e)               Delivery of Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Company will furnish to the Sales Agent and its counsel (at the expense of the Company) copies of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) and all amendments and supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that are filed with the Commission during any period in which a Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act (including all documents filed with the Commission during such period that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein), in each case as soon as reasonably practicable and in such quantities as the Sales Agent may from time to time reasonably request and, at the Sales Agent’s request, will also furnish copies of the Prospectus to each exchange or market on which sales of the Placement Shares may be made; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to furnish any document (other than the Prospectus) to the Sales Agent to the extent such document is available on EDGAR.

 

(f)                Earnings Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement of the Company (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period that complies with Section 11(a) and Rule 158 of the Securities Act. The terms “earnings statement” and “make generally available to its security holders” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

 

(g)               Expenses. The Company, whether or not the transactions contemplated hereunder are consummated or this Agreement is terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 hereunder, will pay the following expenses all incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including, but not limited to, expenses relating to (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, of each Prospectus and of each amendment and supplement thereto, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Placement Shares, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Placement Shares to the Sales Agent, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, accountants and other advisors to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (iv) the qualification of the Placement Shares under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(d) of this Agreement, including filing fees (provided, however, that any fees or disbursements of counsel for the Sales Agent in connection therewith shall be paid by the Sales Agent except as set forth in (ix) below), (v) the printing and delivery to the Sales Agent of copies of the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and of this Agreement, (vi) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the listing or qualification of the Placement Shares for trading on the Exchange, (vii) the fees and expenses of the transfer agent or registrar for the Common Stock; (viii) filing fees and expenses, if any, of the Commission and the FINRA Corporate Financing Department (provided, however, that any fees or disbursements of counsel for the Sales Agent in connection therewith shall be paid by the Sales Agent except as set forth in (ix) below) and (ix) the Company shall reimburse the Sales Agent for its reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including but not limited to the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of counsel to the Sales Agent) in an amount not to exceed $35,000.

 

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(h)               Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the Net Proceeds as described in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Use of Proceeds.”

 

(i)                 Notice of Other Sales. The Company (I) shall provide the Sales Agent notice as promptly as reasonably possible before it offers to sell, contracts to sell, sells, grants any option to sell or otherwise disposes of any shares of Common Stock (other than Placement Shares offered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock, during the period beginning on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which any Placement Notice is delivered to the Sales Agent hereunder and ending on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately following the final Settlement Date with respect to Placement Shares sold pursuant to such Placement Notice (or, if the Placement Notice has been terminated or suspended prior to the sale of all Placement Shares covered by a Placement Notice, the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately following the date of such suspension or termination), and (II) will not directly or indirectly in any other “at-the-market” or managed equity facility or equity line transaction offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock (other than the Placement Shares offered pursuant to this Agreement or shares of Common Stock offered under that certain common stock purchase agreement, dated the date hereof, entered into between the Company and Arnaki Ltd.) or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, warrants or any rights to purchase or acquire, shares of Common Stock prior to the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that such notice requirements or restrictions, as the case may be, will not be required in connection with (i) the Company’s issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock, options to purchase shares of Common Stock, other equity awards or shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or other equity awards, pursuant to any stockholder approved stock option or benefits plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company whether now in effect or hereafter implemented, (ii) the Company’s issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exchange, conversion or redemption of securities or the exercise of warrants, options or other rights in effect or outstanding, and disclosed in filings by the Company available on EDGAR or otherwise in writing (including by email correspondence) to the Sales Agent, or (iii) the Company’s issuance of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock in connection with any joint venture, commercial or collaborative relationship or the acquisition or license by the Company of the securities, businesses, property or other assets of another person or entity pursuant to any equity plan assumed by the Company in connection with any such acquisition, which issuance shall only be to a person (or to the equityholders 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.

 

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(j)                 Change of Circumstances. The Company will, at any time during a fiscal quarter in which the Company intends to tender a Placement Notice or sell Placement Shares, advise the Sales Agent promptly after it shall have received notice or obtained knowledge thereof, of any information or fact that would alter or affect in any material respect any opinion, certificate, letter or other document provided to the Sales Agent pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(k)               Due Diligence Cooperation. The Company will cooperate with any reasonable due diligence review conducted by the Sales Agent or its agents in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including, without limitation, providing information and making available documents and senior corporate officers, during regular business hours and at the Company’s principal offices, as the Sales Agent may reasonably request.

 

(l)                 Required Filings Relating to Placement of Placement Shares. The Company shall set forth in each Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by the Company with the Commission in respect of any quarter in which sales of Placement Shares were made by or through the Sales Agent under this Agreement, with regard to the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold to or through the Sales Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Sales Agent with respect to such sales of Placement Shares. To the extent that the filing of a prospectus supplement with the Commission with respect to any sales of Placement Shares becomes required under Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, the Company agrees that, on or before such dates as the Securities Act shall require, the Company will (i) file a prospectus supplement with the Commission under the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, which prospectus supplement will set forth, with regard to the relevant period, the amount of Placement Shares sold to or through the Sales Agent, the Net Proceeds to the Company and the compensation payable by the Company to the Sales Agent with respect to such Placement Shares, and (ii) deliver such number of copies of each such prospectus supplement to each exchange or market on which such sales were effected as may be required by the rules or regulations of such exchange or market.

 

(m)             Representation Dates; Certificate. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder and each time the Company (i) files the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares or amends or supplements the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares (other than (A) a prospectus supplement filed in accordance with Section 7(l) of this Agreement or (B) a supplement or amendment that relates to an offering of securities other than the Placement Shares) by means of a post-effective amendment, sticker, or supplement but not by means of incorporation of document(s) by reference to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus relating to the Placement Shares; (ii) files an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act (including any Form 10-K/A containing amended financial information or a material amendment to the previously filed Form 10-K); (iii) files a quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act; or (iv) files a current report on Form 8-K containing amended financial information (other than an earnings release, to “furnish” information pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act (each date of filing of one or more of the documents referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) shall be a “Representation Date”), the Company shall furnish the Sales Agent within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m). The requirement to provide a certificate under this Section 7(m) shall be waived for any Representation Date occurring at a time at which no Placement Notice is pending, which waiver shall continue until the earlier to occur of the date the Company delivers a Placement Notice hereunder (which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date) and the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to sell Placement Shares following a Representation Date when the Company relied on such waiver and did not provide the Sales Agent with a certificate under this Section 7(m), then before the Company delivers the Placement Notice or the Sales Agent sells any Placement Shares, the Company shall provide the Sales Agent with a certificate, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 7(m), dated the date of the Placement Notice.

 

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(n)               Legal Opinion. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Sales Agent (i) the written opinion and negative assurance of Paul Hastings LLP, as counsel to the Company, or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Sales Agent (“SEC Counsel”) and (ii) the written opinion and negative assurance of McNeill Baur PLLC, intellectual property counsel to the Company, or other counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Sales Agent (“Intellectual Property Counsel” and, together with SEC Counsel, “Company Counsel”), in each case substantially in the forms previously agreed between the Company and the Sales Agent. Thereafter, within three (3) Trading Days after each Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable pursuant to Section 7(m), and not more than once per calendar quarter, the Company shall cause to be furnished to the Sales Agent the written opinion and negative assurance of each Company Counsel substantially in the forms previously agreed between the Company and the Sales Agent, modified, as necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented; provided, however, that if each Company Counsel has previously furnished to the Sales Agent such written opinion and negative assurance of such counsel, in each case substantially in the forms previously agreed between the Company and the Sales Agent, then each Company Counsel may, in respect of any future Representation Date, furnish the Sales Agent with a letter signed by such counsel (each, a “Reliance Letter”) in lieu of such opinion and negative assurance of such counsel to the effect that the Sales Agent may rely on the prior opinion and negative assurance of such counsel delivered pursuant to this Section 7(n) to the same extent as if it were dated the date of such Reliance Letter (except that statements in such prior opinion and negative assurance shall be deemed to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented to the date of such Reliance Letter).

 

(o)               Comfort Letter. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder and within three (3) Trading Days after each subsequent Representation Date with respect to which the Company is obligated to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m) for which no waiver is applicable pursuant to Section 7(m), other than a Representation Date under Section 7(m)(iii) or Section 7(m)(iv) unless with respect to a Representation Date under Section 7(m)(iv) the Sales Agent reasonably requests delivery thereof, the Company shall cause its independent registered public accounting firms to furnish the Sales Agent letters (the “Comfort Letters”), dated the date that the Comfort Letter is delivered, in form and substance satisfactory to the Sales Agent, (i) confirming that they are an independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the PCAOB and are in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to the Sales Agent in connection with registered public offerings (the first such letter, the “Initial Comfort Letter”) and (iii) updating the Initial Comfort Letter with any information that would have been included in the Initial Comfort Letter had it been given on such date and modified as necessary to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter.

 

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(p)               Market Activities. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that constitutes or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Common Stock or (ii) sell, bid for, or purchase shares of Common Stock in violation of Regulation M, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Placement Shares other than the Sales Agent.

 

(q)               Insurance. The Company shall maintain insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonable and customary for the business in which it is engaged.

 

(r)                Investment Company Act. The Company will conduct its affairs in such a manner so as to reasonably ensure that it is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Placement Shares and the application of proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act.

 

(s)                Securities Act and Exchange Act. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Placement Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

 

(t)                 No Offer to Sell. Other than the Prospectus and an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus approved in advance by the Company and the Sales Agent in its capacity as principal or agent hereunder, neither the Sales Agent nor the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Sales Agent in its capacity as such) will make, use, prepare, authorize, approve or refer to any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), required to be filed with the Commission, that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy Placement Shares hereunder.

 

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(u)               Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to comply with all effective applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(v)               Transfer Agent. The Company shall maintain, at its sole expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Common Stock.

 

8.                  Conditions to the Sales Agent’s Obligations. The obligations of the Sales Agent hereunder with respect to a Placement will be subject to the continuing accuracy and completeness of the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, to the due performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder, to the completion by the Sales Agent of a due diligence review satisfactory to the Sales Agent in its reasonable judgment, and to the continuing satisfaction (or waiver by the Sales Agent in its sole discretion) of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)               Registration Statement Effective. The Registration Statement shall be effective and shall be available for the sale of all Placement Shares contemplated to be issued by any Placement Notice.

 

(b)               Securities Act Filings Made. The Company shall have filed with the Commission the ATM Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second Business Day following the date of this Agreement. All other filings with the Commission required by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 under the Securities Act to have been filed prior to the issuance of any Placement Notice hereunder shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of the Securities Act) or Rule 433, as applicable.

 

(c)               No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (i) receipt by the Company of any request for additional information from the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority during the period of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the response to which would require any post-effective amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus; (ii) the issuance by the Commission or any other federal or state governmental authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose; (iii) receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption from qualification of any of the Placement Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; (iv) the occurrence of any event that makes any material statement made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any material document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement, related Prospectus or such documents so that, in the case of the Registration Statement, it will not contain any materially 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 not misleading and, that in the case of the Prospectus, it will not contain any materially 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(d)               No Misstatement or Material Omission. The Sales Agent shall not have advised the Company that the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact that in the Sales Agent’s reasonable opinion is material, or omits to state a fact that in the Sales Agent’s reasonable opinion is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(e)               Material Changes. Except as contemplated in the Prospectus, or disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Commission, there shall not have been any material adverse change in the authorized capital stock of the Company or any Material Adverse Change or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, or any downgrading in or withdrawal of the rating assigned to any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities) by any rating organization or a public announcement by any rating organization that it has under surveillance or review its rating of any of the Company’s securities (other than asset backed securities), the effect of which, in the case of any such action by a rating organization described above, in the reasonable judgment of the Sales Agent (without relieving the Company of any obligation or liability it may otherwise have), is so material as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering of the Placement Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus.

 

(f)                Representation Certificate. The Sales Agent shall have received the certificate required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7(m) on or before the date on which delivery of such certificate is required pursuant to Section 7(m).

 

(g)               Legal Opinions. The Sales Agent shall have received the opinion and negative assurance of each Company Counsel required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(n) on or before the date on which such delivery of such opinion and negative assurance is required pursuant to Section 7(n).

 

(h)               Comfort Letter. The Sales Agent shall have received the Comfort Letter required to be delivered pursuant Section 7(o) on or before the date on which such delivery of such Comfort Letter is required pursuant to Section 7(o).

 

(i)                 Officer’s Certificate. On or prior to the date the first Placement Notice is given hereunder, the Sales Agent shall have received a certificate, signed on behalf of the Company by its President and Chief Executive Officer, certifying as to (i) the certificate of incorporation of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time), (ii) the bylaws of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time), (iii) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company (or a committee thereof) authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the issuance of the Placement Shares and (iv) the incumbency of the officers duly authorized to execute this Agreement and the other documents contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(j)                 No Suspension. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended on the Exchange and the Common Stock shall not have been delisted from the Exchange.

 

(k)               Other Materials. On each date on which the Company is required to deliver a certificate pursuant to Section 7(m), the Company shall have furnished to the Sales Agent such appropriate further opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Sales Agent may have reasonably requested. All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents shall have been in compliance with the provisions hereof. The Company will furnish the Sales Agent with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as the Sales Agent shall have reasonably requested.

 

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(l)                 Approval for Listing. The Placement Shares shall either have been (i) approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to notice of issuance, or (ii) the Company shall have filed an application for listing of the Placement Shares on the Exchange at, or prior to, the issuance of any Placement Notice.

 

(m)             No Termination Event. There shall not have occurred any event that would permit the Sales Agent to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11(a).

 

(n)               FINRA. The Sales Agent shall have received a letter from the Corporate Financing Department of FINRA confirming that such department has determined to raise no objection with respect to the fairness or reasonableness of the terms and arrangements related to the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

 

9.                  Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)               Company Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sales Agent, the directors, officers, members, partners, employees and agents of the Sales Agent each broker dealer affiliate of the Sales Agent, and each Sales Agent Affiliate, if any, from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all actual, reasonable and documented investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 9(c)) of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which the Sales Agent, or any such person, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any application or other document executed by or on behalf of the Company or based on written information furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Common Stock under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements in it not misleading or (z) any breach by any of the indemnifying parties of any of their respective representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage arises from the sale of the Placement Shares pursuant to this Agreement and is caused directly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information relating to the Sales Agent and furnished to the Company by the Sales Agent expressly for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of this Section 9(a). This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have.

 

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(b)               The Sales Agent Indemnification. The Sales Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors and each officer of the Company that signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who (i) controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or (ii) is controlled by or is under common control with the Company (each, a “Company Affiliate”) from and against any and all losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including, but not limited to, any and all actual, reasonable and documented investigative, legal and other expenses incurred in connection with, and any and all amounts paid in settlement (in accordance with Section 9(c)) of, any action, suit or proceeding between any of the indemnified parties and any indemnifying parties or between any indemnified party and any third party, or otherwise, or any claim asserted), as and when incurred, to which any such Company Affiliate, may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or other federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, liabilities, expenses or damages arise out of or are based, directly or indirectly, on (x) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or (y) the omission or alleged omission to state in any such document a material fact required to be stated in it or necessary to make the statements in it not misleading; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall apply only to the extent that such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage is caused directly by an untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information relating to the Sales Agent and furnished to the Company by the Sales Agent expressly for inclusion in any document as described in clause (x) of this Section 9(b).

 

(c)               Procedure. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 9 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 9, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 9 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 9 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any legal or other expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (1) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (2) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (3) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (4) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action, in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 9 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising or that may arise out of such claim, action or proceeding.

 

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(d)               Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of this Section 9 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable from the Company or the Sales Agent, the Company and the Sales Agent will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted, but after deducting any contribution received by the Company from persons other than the Sales Agent, such as persons who control the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act, officers of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and directors of the Company, who also may be liable for contribution) to which the Company and the Sales Agent may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Sales Agent on the other. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Sales Agent on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total Net Proceeds from the sale of the Placement Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Sales Agent from the sale of Placement Shares on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Sales Agent, on the other, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Sales Agent, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Sales Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 9(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense, or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 9(d) shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 9(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 9(c) hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9(d), the Sales Agent shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 9(d), any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act will have the same rights to contribution as that party (and any officers, directors, members, partners, employees or agents of the Sales Agent and each broker dealer affiliate of the Sales Agent will have the same rights to contribution as the Sales Agent), and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 9(d), will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 9(d) except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 9(c) hereof, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof.

 

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10.              Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section 9 of this Agreement and all representations and warranties of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto shall survive, as of their respective dates, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Sales Agent, any controlling person of the Sales Agent, or the Company (or any of their respective officers, directors, members or controlling persons), (ii) delivery and acceptance of the Placement Shares and payment therefor or (iii) any termination of this Agreement.

 

11.              Termination.

 

(a)               The Sales Agent shall have the right by giving notice as hereinafter specified at any time to terminate this Agreement if (i) any Material Adverse Change, or any development that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change has occurred that, in the reasonable judgment of the Sales Agent, may materially impair the ability of the Sales Agent to sell the Placement Shares hereunder, (ii) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder; provided, however, in the case of any failure of the Company to deliver (or cause another person to deliver) any certification, opinion, or letter required under Sections 7(m), 7(n) or 7(o), the Sales Agent’s right to terminate shall not arise unless such failure to deliver (or cause to be delivered) continues for more than thirty (30) days from the date such delivery was required, (iii) any other condition of the Sales Agent’s obligations hereunder is not fulfilled, or (iv) any suspension or limitation of trading in the Placement Shares or in securities generally on the Exchange shall have occurred (including automatic halt in trading pursuant to market-decline triggers, other than those in which solely program trading is temporarily halted), or a major disruption of securities settlements or clearing services in the United States shall have occurred, or minimum prices for trading have been fixed on the Exchange. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g) (Expenses), Section 9 (Indemnification and Contribution), Section 10 (Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery), Section 11(f), Section 16 (Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction) and Section 17 (Waiver of Jury Trial) hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination. If the Sales Agent elects to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 11(a), the Sales Agent shall provide the required notice as specified in Section 12 (Notices).

 

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(b)               The Company shall have the right, by giving three (3) Business Days’ notice as hereinafter specified in Section 12, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(c)               The Sales Agent shall have the right, by giving three (3) Business Days’ notice as hereinafter specified in Section 12, to terminate this Agreement in its sole discretion at any time after the date of this Agreement. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(d)               Unless earlier terminated pursuant to this Section 11, this Agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earlier to occur of (i) issuance and sale of all of the Placement Shares to or through the Sales Agent on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein and (ii) the expiration of the Registration Statement on the third (3rd) anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 415(a)(5) under the Securities Act; provided that the provisions of Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 hereof shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination.

 

(e)               This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect unless terminated pursuant to Sections 11(a), (b), (c) or (d) above or otherwise by mutual agreement of the parties; provided, however, that any such termination by mutual agreement shall in all cases be deemed to provide that Section 7(g), Section 9, Section 10, Section 11(f), Section 16 and Section 17 shall remain in full force and effect.

 

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(f)                Any termination of this Agreement shall be effective on the date specified in such notice of termination; provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective until the close of business on the date of receipt of such notice by the Sales Agent or the Company, as the case may be. If such termination shall occur prior to the Settlement Date for any sale of Placement Shares, such termination shall not become effective until the close of business on such Settlement Date and such Placement Shares shall settle in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

12.              Notices. All notices or other communications required or permitted to be given by any party to any other party pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, unless otherwise specified, and if sent to the Sales Agent, shall be delivered to:

 

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners

590 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Attention: Tom Higgins

 

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Zysman, Aharoni, Gayer and Sullivan & Worcester LLP

1633 Broadway

New York, New York 10019
Attention: Oded Har-Even, Esq.

 

and if to the Company, shall be delivered to:

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

4955 Directors Place

San Diego, CA 92121

Attention: Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Paul Hastings LLP

1117 S. California Avenue

Palo Alto, CA 94304-1106

Attention: Jeffrey T. Hartlin and Samantha H. Eldredge

 

Each party may change such address for notices by sending to the other party to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose. Each such notice or other communication shall be deemed given (i) when delivered personally or by verifiable facsimile transmission (with an original to follow) on or before 4:30 p.m., New York City time, on a Business Day or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day, (ii) on the next Business Day after timely delivery to a nationally-recognized overnight courier and (iii) on the Business Day actually received if deposited in the U.S. mail (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid). For purposes of this Agreement, “Business Day” shall mean any day on which the Exchange and commercial banks in the City of New York are open for business.

 

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An electronic communication (“Electronic Notice”) shall be deemed written notice for purposes of this Section 12 if sent to the electronic mail address specified by the receiving party under separate cover. Electronic Notice shall be deemed received at the time the party sending Electronic Notice receives confirmation of receipt by the receiving party (other than pursuant to auto-reply). Any party receiving Electronic Notice may request and shall be entitled to receive the notice on paper, in a nonelectronic form (“Nonelectronic Notice”) which shall be sent to the requesting party within ten (10) days of receipt of the written request for Nonelectronic Notice.

 

13.              Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Sales Agent and their respective successors and permitted assigns and, as to Sections 5(b) and 9, the other indemnified parties specified therein. References to any of the parties contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any other person any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided in this Agreement. Neither party may assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that the Sales Agent may assign its rights and obligations hereunder to an affiliate of the Sales Agent without obtaining the Company’s consent.

 

14.              Adjustments for Share Splits. The parties acknowledge and agree that all share-related numbers contained in this Agreement shall be adjusted to take into account any share split, share dividend or similar event effected with respect to the Common Stock.

 

15.              Entire Agreement; Amendment; Severability. This Agreement (including all schedules and exhibits attached hereto and Placement Notices issued pursuant hereto) and any other writing entered into by the parties relating to this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof. Neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended except pursuant to a written instrument executed by the Company and the Sales Agent. In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable as written by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be given full force and effect to the fullest possible extent that it is valid, legal and enforceable, and the remainder of the terms and provisions herein shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable term or provision was not contained herein, but only to the extent that giving effect to such provision and the remainder of the terms and provisions hereof shall be in accordance with the intent of the parties as reflected in this Agreement.

 

16.              Applicable Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-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 with any transaction contemplated hereby, 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. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof (certified or registered mail, return receipt requested) 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 manner permitted by law.

 

  36  

 

 

17.              Waiver of Jury Trial. The Company and the Sales Agent each hereby irrevocably waives any right it may have to a trial by jury in respect of any claim based upon or arising out of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

18.              Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

 

(a)               the Sales Agent is acting solely as agent in connection with the sale of the Placement Shares contemplated by this Agreement and the process leading to such transactions, and no fiduciary or advisory relationship between the Company or any of its respective affiliates, stockholders (or other equity holders), creditors or employees or any other party, on the one hand, and the Sales Agent, on the other hand, has been or will be created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Sales Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters, and the Sales Agent has no obligation to the Company with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement;

 

(b)               the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(c)               the Sales Agent has not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate;

 

(d)               the Company has been advised and is aware that the Sales Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Sales Agent has no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

 

(e)               the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Sales Agent, for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that the Sales Agent shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract, tort or otherwise) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, partners, employees or creditors of the Company.

 

19.              Use of Information. The Sales Agent may not provide any information gained in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including due diligence, to any third party other than its legal counsel advising it on this Agreement unless expressly approved by the Company in writing.

 

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20.              Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed Agreement by one party to the other may be made by facsimile transmission.

 

21.              Effect of Headings; Knowledge of the Company. The section and Exhibit headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof. All references in this Agreement to the “knowledge of the Company” or the “Company’s knowledge” or similar qualifiers shall mean the actual knowledge of the directors and officers of the Company, after due inquiry.

 

22.              Definition. As used in this Agreement, the following term has the meaning set forth below:

 

(a)               Applicable Time” means the date of this Agreement, each Representation Date, each date on which a Placement Notice is given, each Point of Sale, and each Settlement Date.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Blank]

 

  38  

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Company and the Sales Agent, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company and the Sales Agent.

 

  Very truly yours,
     
  Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
     
  By: /s/ Henry Ji, Ph.D.
    Name: Henry Ji, Ph.D.
    Title: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
     
  ACCEPTED as of the date first-above written:
     
  A.G.P./ALLIANCE GLOBAL PARTNERS
     
  By: /s/ Tom Higgins
    Name: Tom Higgins
    Title: Managing Director

  

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 3

 

Compensation

 

The Company shall pay to the Sales Agent in cash, upon each sale of Placement Shares through the Sales Agent pursuant to this Agreement, an amount equal to 3.00% of the aggregate gross proceeds from each sale of Placement Shares.*

 

_________________________

 

*       The foregoing rate of compensation shall not apply when the Sales Agent purchases Placement Shares on a principal basis, in which case the Company may sell the Placement Shares to the Sales Agent as principal at a price to be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Sales Agent at the relevant Point of Sale pursuant to the applicable Placement Notice (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the Sales Agent shall be under no obligation to purchase Placement Shares on a principal basis pursuant to the Sales Agreement, except as otherwise agreed by the Sales Agent and the Company in writing and expressly set forth in a Placement Notice).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

91966.00011

April 27, 2020

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.
4955 Directors Place

San Diego, CA 92121

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to: (i) Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), of a prospectus supplement, dated April 27, 2020 (the “ATM Prospectus Supplement”), to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237142) filed with the Commission under the Act on March 13, 2020 (the “Registration Statement”), and the related prospectus, dated March 20, 2020, included in the Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective (the “Base Prospectus” and, together with the ATM Prospectus Supplement, the “ATM Prospectus”), relating to the proposed issuance and sale by the Company, from time to time through A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners (the “Agent”) as the sales agent, of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company in an aggregate offering amount of up to $250,000,000 (the “ATM Shares”), and (ii) Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Act, of a prospectus supplement, dated April 27, 2020 (the “CSPA Prospectus Supplement”), to the Registration Statement, and the Base Prospectus (together with the CSPA Prospectus Supplement, the “CSPA Prospectus”), relating to the offering by the Company of an aggregate of up to $250,000,000 of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Purchase Shares”) to Arnaki Ltd. (the “Purchaser”). The ATM Shares are to be issued and sold pursuant to that certain Sales Agreement, dated April 27, 2020, by and between the Company and the Agent (the “Sales Agreement”). The Purchase Shares are to be issued and sold pursuant to that certain Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2020, by and between the Company and the Purchaser (the “Purchase Agreement”).

 

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon the Registration Statement, the ATM Prospectus, the Sales Agreement, the CSPA Prospectus, the Purchase Agreement, the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as currently in effect, and the originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters. We have assumed the genuineness and authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies thereof.

 

Our opinion is limited to the matters stated herein and no opinion is implied or may be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. Our opinion herein is expressed solely with respect to the federal laws of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We are not rendering any opinion as to compliance with any federal or state antifraud law, rule or regulation relating to securities, or to the sale or issuance thereof. Our opinion is based on these laws as in effect on the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments which hereafter may be brought to our attention and which may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein. We express no opinion as to whether the laws of any particular jurisdiction other than those identified above are applicable to the subject matter hereof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 27, 2020

Page 2

 

On the basis of the foregoing, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that: (i) the ATM Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with the Sales Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and (ii) the Purchase Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the ATM Prospectus and the CSPA Prospectus and to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Paul Hastings LLP

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of April 27, 2020 by and between SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Arnaki Ltd., a British Virgin Islands corporation (including its successors and assigns, the “Purchaser”).  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein are defined in Section 10 hereof.

 

WHEREAS:

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company wishes to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser wishes to buy from the Company, up to Two Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock” or “Securities”).  The shares of Common Stock to be purchased hereunder are referred to herein as the “Purchase Shares.”

 

NOW THEREFORE, the Company and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                   PURCHASE OF COMMON STOCK.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company has the right to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser has the obligation to purchase from the Company, Purchase Shares as follows:

 

(a)                                 Commencement of Purchases of Common Stock.  Any time after Commencement (as defined below), the purchase and sale of Purchase Shares hereunder may occur from time to time upon written notices by the Company to the Purchaser on the terms and conditions as set forth herein following the satisfaction of the conditions (the “Commencement”) as set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below (the date of satisfaction of such conditions, the “Commencement Date”).

 

(b)                                 Fixed and Optional Purchases.  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, on any given Business Day from and after the Commencement Date and during the Facility Term, the Company shall have the right but not the obligation to (i) direct the Purchaser by its delivery to the Purchaser of a Purchase Notice, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, from time to time, and the Purchaser thereupon shall have the obligation, subject to Section 1(d), to buy the number of Purchase Shares specified in such notice, up to 650,000 Purchase Shares on such Business Day (the “Fixed Request Amount”), and/or (ii) at the Company’s sole discretion, grant the Purchaser an option to buy an additional amount of shares (the “Optional Purchase,” collectively with the Fixed Request Amount, a “Regular Purchase”) at the Purchase Price per Purchase Share on the Purchase Date. The Company and the Purchaser may mutually agree to increase the number of Purchase Shares for the Fixed Request Amount to as much as an additional 3,600,000 Purchase Shares on a Purchase Date.  In consideration of and in express reliance upon the representations, warranties and covenants, and otherwise upon the terms and subject to the conditions, of this Agreement, from and after the Commencement Date and during the Facility Term (i) the Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser agrees to purchase from the Company, the Purchase Shares in respect of each Fixed Request Amount and (ii) the Purchaser may in its discretion elect to purchase Purchase Shares in respect of each Optional Purchase.  The issuance and sale of Purchase Shares to the Purchaser pursuant to any Fixed Request Amount or Optional Purchase shall occur on the applicable Settlement Date in accordance with Section 1(i), provided that all of the conditions precedent thereto set forth in Section 7 theretofore shall have been fulfilled or (to the extent permitted by applicable law) waived.

 

The share amounts in this Section 1(b) shall be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction.

 

(c)                                 Payment for Purchase Shares.  For each Regular Purchase, the Purchaser shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the Purchase Amount as full payment for such Purchase Shares via wire transfer of immediately available funds on the same Business Day that the Purchaser receives such Purchase Shares.  All payments made under this Agreement shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America via wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.  Whenever any amount expressed to be due by the terms of this Agreement is due on any day that is not a Business Day, the same shall instead be due on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day.

 

 

 

 

(d)                                  Purchase Price Floor.  The Purchaser shall have the right but not the obligation to purchase any Purchase Shares at the Floor Price on any Purchase Date where either (i) the VWAP is less than the Floor Price or (ii) the Purchase Price is less than the Floor Price. “Floor Price” means $1.10 per share of Common Stock, which shall not be adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction. If trading in the Common Stock on the Principal Market is suspended for any reason for more than three (3) hours on the applicable Purchase Date (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include any reduced trading hours scheduled in advance by the Principal Market, such as days surrounding or including holidays where the Principal Market closes at 1:00 PM Eastern Time), the Purchaser may, at its option, purchase any Purchase Shares on such Purchase Date at a price per Purchase Share that is equal to the greater of (i) the Purchase Price on such Purchase Date and (ii) the Floor Price. For each Purchase Date that has reduced trading hours scheduled in advance by the Principal Market, the total amount of the Fixed Request Amount shall be reduced proportionally (for example, on the days surrounding or including holidays where the Principal Market closes at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, the total amount of the Fixed Request Amount shall be reduced by 40%).  

 

(e)                                   Records of Purchases.  The Purchaser and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Available Amount at any given time and the dates and Purchase Amounts for each purchase, or shall use such other method reasonably satisfactory to the Purchaser and the Company to reconcile the remaining Available Amount.

 

(f)                                  Taxes.  The Company shall pay any and all transfer, stamp or similar taxes that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of any shares of Common Stock to the Purchaser made under this Agreement.

 

(g)                                 Compliance with Principal Market Rules.  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, and in addition to the limitations set forth in Section 1(h), the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under this Agreement shall be limited to 41,917,130 shares of Common Stock (the “Exchange Cap”), which equals 19.99% of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the date hereof, unless stockholder approval is obtained to issue more than such 19.99%.  The Exchange Cap shall be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction.  The foregoing limitation shall not apply if stockholder approval has not been obtained and at any time the Exchange Cap is reached and at all times thereafter the average price paid for all shares of Common Stock issued under this Agreement is equal to or greater than $2.37 (the “Minimum Price”), a price equal to the lower of (1) the Closing Sale Price immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement or (2) the arithmetic average of the five (5) Closing Sale Prices for the Common Stock immediately preceding the execution of this Agreement (in such circumstance, for purposes of the Principal Market, the transaction contemplated hereby would not be “below market” and the Exchange Cap would not apply). The Minimum Price shall be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required or permitted to issue, and the Purchaser shall not be required to purchase, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement if such issuance would breach the Company’s obligations under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market.  The Company may, in its sole discretion, determine whether to obtain stockholder approval to issue more than 19.99% of its outstanding shares of Common Stock hereunder if such issuance would require stockholder approval under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market.

 

(h)                                     Beneficial Ownership Limitation. The Company shall not issue, and the Purchaser shall not purchase any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement, if such shares proposed to be issued and sold, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then owned beneficially (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder) by the Purchaser and its affiliates would result in the beneficial ownership by the Purchaser and its affiliates of more than 4.99% of the then issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

(i)                                     Settlement. The Purchaser shall deliver to the Company, via facsimile transmission or e-mail in accordance with this Section 1(i), not later than 8:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Purchase Date, a Purchaser Confirmation, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Purchaser Confirmation”), which shall specify (i) the total Fixed Request Amount to be purchased by the Purchaser on the applicable Settlement Date, (ii) the Purchase Price at which the Purchaser will purchase the Purchase Shares pursuant to the Purchase Notice, (iii) the total number of Purchase Shares, if any, to be purchased by the Purchaser in respect of the applicable Fixed Request Amount, and (iv) the total amount of the Optional Purchase, if applicable, to be purchased by the Purchaser on the applicable Settlement Date. The payment for, against subsequent delivery of, Purchase Shares in respect of each Regular Purchase shall be settled on the second Business Day next following the Purchase Date, or on such earlier date as the parties may mutually agree (the “Settlement Date”).  On each Settlement Date, the Company shall, or shall cause its transfer agent to, electronically transfer the Purchase Shares purchased by the Purchaser by crediting the Purchaser’s or its designee(s) account at DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (DWAC) system, which Purchase Shares shall be freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale, against simultaneous payment therefor to the Company’s designated account by wire transfer of immediately available funds.

 

 

 

 

(j)                                     Failure to Deliver. If the Company issues a Purchase Notice and fails to deliver the Purchase Shares to the Purchaser on the applicable Settlement Date, subject to simultaneous payment, and such failure continues for five (5) Business Days, the Company shall pay the Purchaser, in cash (or, at the option of the Purchaser, in shares of Common Stock valued at the applicable Purchase Price of the Purchase Shares failed to be delivered; provided that the issuance thereof by the Company would not violate the Securities Act or any applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws), as partial damages for such failure and not as a penalty, an amount equal to 2.0% of the payment required to be paid by the Purchaser on such Settlement Date (i.e., the sum of the Fixed Request Amount and the Optional Purchase) for the initial thirty (30) days following such Settlement Date until the Purchase Shares have been delivered, and an additional 2.0% for each additional 30-day period thereafter until the Purchase Shares have been delivered, which amount shall be prorated for such periods less than thirty (30) days. Nothing in this Section 1(j) shall be deemed to release the Company from any liability for any breach under this Agreement, or to impair the rights of the Purchaser to compel specific performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(k)                                     Purchase Notice. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Purchaser is obligated to accept each Purchase Notice prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. A valid Purchase Notice must be delivered on or before 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Purchase Date specified in the Purchase Notice; providedhowever, that with respect to the Purchase Notice received after 9:30 a.m. (New York time) but on or before 2:00 p.m. (New York time) (the “Intraday Notice”), the total amount of the Fixed Request Amount shall be reduced proportionally by 1/13th for each half-hour between 9:30 a.m. (New York time) and the time at which the Purchase Notice is delivered (for example, if the Intraday Notice is received by the Purchaser at 11:00 a.m. (New York time), the total amount of the Fixed Request Amount shall be reduced by 3/13 or 150,000 shares).

 

For the avoidance of doubt, all calculations with respect to the timing of the Intraday Notice shall be rounded up to the nearest half-hour (for example, 12:10 p.m. (New York time) would be rounded to 12:30 p.m. (New York time)). All calculations with respect to Purchase Price of the Intraday Notice shall be based on the intraday VWAP commencing from one minute after the timestamp on the Purchaser’s receipt of an e-mail (or any equivalent means of communication mutually agreed by the Purchaser and the Company) that contains a Purchase Notice, or such other time mutually agreed by the Purchaser and the Company, until 4:00 p.m. (New York time).

 

If the Company delivers the Purchase Notice to the Purchaser later than 2:00 p.m. (New York time) on a Purchase Date, then the Purchase Date shall not be the Business Day on which the Purchaser received such Purchase Notice, but rather shall be the next Business Day (unless a subsequent Business Day is therein specified).

 

2.                                      PURCHASER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.

 

The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:

 

 

 

 

(a)                                Organization. The Purchaser is a company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, and has the requisite organizational power and authority to own its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted.

 

(b)                                 Accredited Investor Status.  The Purchaser is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a)(3) of Regulation D of the 1933 Act.

  

(c)                                 Information.  The Purchaser has been furnished with all materials relating to the business, finances and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities that have been reasonably requested by the Purchaser, including, without limitation, the SEC Documents (as defined in Section 3(f) hereof).  The Purchaser understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk.  The Purchaser (i) is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities including a total loss, (ii) has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the proposed investment in the Securities and (iii) has had an opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from the officers of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters related to an investment in the Securities.  Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Purchaser or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in Section 3 below.  The Purchaser has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities.

 

(d)                                  No Governmental Review.  The Purchaser understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.

  

(e)                                  [Intentionally Omitted.];

 

(f)                                 Validity; Enforcement.  This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Purchaser and is a valid and binding agreement of the Purchaser enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforceability to (i) general principles of equity and to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and (ii) public policy underlying any law, rule or regulation (including any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation) with regards to indemnification, contribution or exculpation. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents (as defined in Section 3(b) hereof) by the Purchaser and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not conflict with the Purchaser’s certificate of organization or operating agreement or similar documents, and do not require further consent or authorization by the Purchaser, its managers or its members.

 

(g)                                No Short Selling. The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that at no time during the course of the 6-month period prior to the date hereof has any of the Purchaser, its agents, representatives or affiliates engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Section 242.200 of Regulation SHO of the 1934 Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.

  

3.                                      REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.

 

The Company represents and warrants to the Purchaser that as of the date hereof and as of the Commencement Date:

 

(a)                                 Organization and Qualification.  The Company and its “Subsidiaries” (which for purposes of this Agreement means any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns more than 50% of the voting stock or capital stock or other similar equity interests) are corporations or limited liability companies duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are incorporated or organized (if a good standing concept exists in such jurisdiction), and have the requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to own their properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted.  Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation or limited liability company to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary (if a good standing concept exists in such jurisdiction), except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on any of: (i) the business, properties, assets, operations, results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, if any, taken as a whole, or (ii) the authority or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents.  All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company that constitute significant subsidiaries within the meaning of Item 601(b)(21)(ii) of Regulation S-K are set forth on Schedule 3(a).

 

 

 

 

(b)                                 Authorization; Enforcement; Validity.  (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each of the other agreements entered into by the parties on the Commencement Date and attached hereto as exhibits to this Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and the reservation for issuance and the issuance of the Purchase Shares issuable under this Agreement, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors or duly authorized committee thereof, do not conflict with the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws (as defined below), and do not require further consent or authorization by the Company, its Board of Directors, except as set forth in this Agreement, or its stockholders (other than as contemplated by Section 1(g) hereof), (iii) this Agreement has been, and each other Transaction Document shall be on the Commencement Date, duly executed and delivered by the Company and (iv) this Agreement constitutes, and each other Transaction Document upon its execution on behalf of the Company, shall constitute, the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (y) general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies and (z) public policy underlying any law, rule or regulation (including any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation) with regards to indemnification, contribution or exculpation.  The Board of Directors of the Company or duly authorized committee thereof has approved the resolutions (the “Signing Resolutions”) to authorize this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Signing Resolutions are valid, in full force and effect and have not been modified or supplemented in any material respect.  The Company has delivered to the Purchaser a true and correct copy of the Signing Resolutions as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or an appropriate Board committee.

 

(c)                                  Capitalization.  As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 750,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001, of which as of the date hereof, 209,690,497 shares are issued and outstanding, 7,568,182 shares are held as treasury shares, 20,313,363 shares are reserved for future issuance pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans, of which approximately 7,014,700 shares remain available for future option grants or stock awards, and 46,817,092 shares are issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant to securities (other than stock options or equity-based awards issued pursuant to the Company’s stock incentive plans) exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock, and (ii) 100,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which as of the date hereof no shares are issued and outstanding.  All of such outstanding shares have been, or upon issuance will be, validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(c), (i) no shares of the Company’s capital stock are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company, (ii) there are no outstanding debt securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iv) there are no material agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act, (v) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (vi) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities as described in this Agreement and (vii) the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement.  The Company has furnished or made available to the Purchaser true and correct copies of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”).

 

 

 

 

(d)                                 Issuance of Securities.  Upon issuance and payment therefore in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Purchase Shares shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issue thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock.

 

(e)                                  No Conflicts.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Purchase Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation, any Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or the Bylaws or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party, or result, to the Company’s knowledge, in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected, except in the case of conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, accelerations, cancellations and violations under clause (ii), which could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation, any Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or Bylaws or their organizational charter or bylaws, respectively.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is in violation of any term of or is in default under any material contract, agreement, mortgage, indebtedness, indenture, instrument, judgment, decree or order or any statute, rule or regulation applicable to the Company or its Subsidiaries, except for possible violations, defaults, terminations or amendments that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The business of the Company and its Subsidiaries is not being conducted, and shall not be conducted, in violation of any law, ordinance, or regulation of any governmental entity, except for possible violations, the sanctions for which either individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement, reporting obligations under the 1934 Act, or as required under the 1933 Act or applicable state securities laws or the filing of a Listing of Additional Shares Notification Form with the Principal Market, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e) and for reporting obligations under the 1934 Act, all consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be obtained or effected on or prior to the Commencement Date.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), the Company is not subject to any notices or actions from or to the Principal Market other than routine matters incident to listing on the Principal Market and not involving a violation of the rules of the Principal Market.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(e), to the Company’s knowledge, the Principal Market has not commenced any delisting proceedings against the Company.

 

(f)                                   SEC Documents; Financial Statements. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(f), since December 31, 2019, the Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits included therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”).  As of their respective dates (except as they have been correctly amended), the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC (except as they may have been properly amended), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted 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, not misleading.  As of their respective dates (except as they have been properly amended), the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments).  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(f) or routine correspondence, such as comment letters and notices of effectiveness in connection with previously filed registration statements or periodic reports publicly available on EDGAR, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are not on the date hereof the subject of any inquiry, investigation or action by the SEC.

 

 

 

 

(g)                                    Absence of Certain Changes.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(g), since December 31, 2019, there has been no material adverse change in the business, properties, operations, financial condition or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.  For purposes of this Agreement, neither a decrease in cash or cash equivalents or in the market price of the Common Stock nor losses incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s business shall be deemed or considered a material adverse change.  The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to any Bankruptcy Law nor does the Company or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings.  The Company is financially solvent and is generally able to pay its debts as they become due.

 

(h)                                    Absence of Litigation. Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(h), to the Company’s knowledge, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any of the Company’s or the Company’s Subsidiaries’ officers or directors in their capacities as such, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (each, an “Action”).  A description of each such Action, if any, is set forth in Schedule 3(h).

 

(i)                                     Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Status.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Purchaser is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.  The Company further acknowledges that the Purchaser is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and any advice given by the Purchaser or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to the Purchaser’s purchase of the Securities.  The Company further represents to the Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives and advisors.

 

(j)                                     Intellectual Property Rights.  To the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all material trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted, except as set forth in Schedule 3(j) or to the extent that the failure to own, possess, license or otherwise hold adequate rights to use Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 3(j), to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company’s active and registered Intellectual Property have expired or terminated, or, by the terms and conditions thereof, will expire or terminate within two years from the date of this Agreement, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  The Company and its Subsidiaries do not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company or its Subsidiaries of any Intellectual Property of others and, except as set forth on Schedule 3(j), there is no claim, action or proceeding being made or brought against, or to the Company’s knowledge, being threatened against, the Company or its Subsidiaries regarding Intellectual Property, which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

 

 

(k)                                     Environmental Laws.  To the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in material compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety or the environment and with respect to hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all material permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in material compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where, in each of the three foregoing clauses, the failure to so comply or receive such approvals could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(l)                                     Title.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in Schedule 3(l) or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries or could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.  Any real property and facilities held under lease by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, to the Company’s knowledge, are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

(m)                                    Insurance.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be reasonable and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged.  To the Company’s knowledge, since January 1, 2019, neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary, to the Company’s knowledge, will be unable 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 at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(n)                                    Regulatory Permits.  The Company and its Subsidiaries possess all material certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, except when the failure to so possess such certificates, authorizations or permits could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such material certificate, authorization or permit.

 

(o)                                    Tax Status.  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made or filed all federal and state income and all other material tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject (unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has set aside on its books reserves reasonably adequate for the payment of all unpaid and unreported taxes or filed valid extensions) and 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, except those being contested in good faith and has set aside on its books reserves reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply.  To the Company’s knowledge, there are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction.

 

(p)                                    Transactions With Affiliates.  Except as set forth on Schedule 3(p), and other than (i) the grant or exercise of stock options or any other equity securities offered pursuant to duly adopted stock or incentive compensation plans as disclosed on Schedule 3(c) and (ii) employment or indemnification agreements approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, none of the officers, directors or employees of the Company is on the date hereof a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for services as employees, officers and directors and reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company), 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, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a material interest or is an officer, director, trustee or general partner.

 

 

 

 

(q)                                    Application of Takeover Protections.  The Company and its board of directors have taken or will take prior to the Commencement Date 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 Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the state of its incorporation, other than Section 203 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, which is or could become applicable to the Purchaser as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchaser’s ownership of the Securities.

 

(r)                                     Registration Statement.  The Shelf Registration Statement (as defined in Section 4(a) hereof) has been declared effective by the SEC, and no stop order has been issued or is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the SEC with respect thereto.  As of the date hereof, the Company has a dollar amount of securities registered and unsold under the Shelf Registration Statement, which is not less than the Available Amount.

 

4.                                      COVENANTS.

 

(a)                                     Filing of Form 8-K and Prospectus Supplement.  The Company agrees that it shall, within the time required under the 1934 Act, file a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing this Agreement and the transaction contemplated hereby (the “Form 8-K”). The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the existing shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-237142) (the “Shelf Registration Statement”) effective pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the 1933 Act and available for sales of all Securities to the Purchaser until such time as (i) it no longer qualifies to make sales under the Shelf Registration Statement (which shall be understood to include the inability of the Company to immediately effectuate sales of Securities to the Purchaser under the Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to General Instruction I.B.1 of Form S-3), (ii) the date on which all the Securities have been sold under this Agreement and no Available Amount remains thereunder, or (iii) this Agreement has been terminated.  The Shelf Registration Statement (including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses or prospectus supplements contained therein) shall 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, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading

 

(b)                                     Blue Sky. The Company shall take such action, if any, as is reasonably necessary in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify (i) the initial sale of the Securities to the Purchaser under this Agreement and (ii) any subsequent sale of the Securities by the Purchaser, in each case, under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States in such states as is reasonably requested by the Purchaser from time to time, and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Purchaser at its written request; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(c)                                     Listing.  The Company shall promptly secure the listing of all of the Securities upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system that requires an application by the Company for listing, if any, upon which shares of Common Stock are then listed (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing, so long as any other shares of Common Stock shall be so listed.  The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the Common Stock’s listing on the Principal Market.  Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall take any action that would be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Principal Market, unless the Common Stock is immediately thereafter traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq Capital Market.  The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section.

  

(d)                                    Due Diligence.  The Purchaser shall have the right, from time to time as the Purchaser may reasonably request, to perform reasonable due diligence on the Company during normal business hours and subject to reasonable prior notice to the Company.  The Company and its officers and employees shall provide information and reasonably cooperate with the Purchaser in connection with any reasonable request by the Purchaser related to the Purchaser’s due diligence of the Company, including, but not limited to, any such request made by the Purchaser in connection with the Commencement; provided, however, that at no time is the Company required to disclose material nonpublic information to the Purchaser or breach any obligation of confidentiality or non-disclosure to a third party or make any disclosure that could cause a waiver of attorney-client privilege.  Except as may be required by law, court order or governmental authority, each party hereto agrees not to disclose any Confidential Information of the other party to any third party and shall not use the Confidential Information of such other party for any purpose other than in connection with, or in furtherance of, the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, that to the extent such disclosure is required by law, court order or governmental authority, the receiving party shall provide the disclosing party with reasonable prior written notice of such disclosure and make a reasonable effort to assist the disclosing party in obtaining a protective order preventing or limiting the disclosure and/or requiring that the Confidential Information so disclosed be used only for the purposes for which the law, court order or governmental authority requires.  Each party hereto acknowledges that the Confidential Information shall remain the property of the disclosing party and agrees that it shall take all reasonable measures to protect the secrecy of any Confidential Information disclosed by the other party.

 

 

 

 

(e)                                     Selling Restrictions.  (i)  Except as expressly set forth below, the Purchaser covenants that from and after the date hereof through and including the termination of this Agreement (the “Restricted Period”), neither the Purchaser nor any of its affiliates nor any entity managed or controlled by the Purchaser (collectively, the “Restricted Persons” and each of the foregoing is referred to herein as a “Restricted Person”) shall, directly or indirectly, (x) engage in any Short Sales (as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act) involving the Company’s securities or (y) grant any option to purchase, or acquire any right to dispose of or otherwise dispose for value of, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any shares of Common Stock, or enter into any swap, hedge or other similar agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, the economic risk of ownership of the Common Stock or establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed that nothing contained herein shall (without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true) prohibit any Restricted Person during the Restricted Period from:  (1) selling “long” (as defined under Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO) any shares of Common Stock; or (2) selling a number of shares of Common Stock equal to (x) the number of shares of Common Stock that such Restricted Person is or may be obligated to purchase under a pending Fixed Request Amount and/or (y) the number of shares of Common Stock that such Restricted Person may purchase under a pending Optional Purchase, but, in each case, has not yet taken possession of so long as such Restricted Person (or a broker-dealer of such Restricted Person, as applicable) delivers the Purchase Shares purchased pursuant to such Fixed Request Amount and/or Optional Purchase to the purchaser thereof or the applicable broker-dealer; providedhowever, such Restricted Person (or the applicable broker-dealer, as applicable) shall not be required to so deliver any such shares of Common Stock subject to such Fixed Request Amount or Optional Purchase, as the case may be, if (a) such Fixed Request Amount or Optional Purchase, as the case may be, is terminated by mutual agreement of the Company and the Purchaser and, as a result of such termination, no such shares of Common Stock are delivered to the Purchaser under this Agreement or (b) the Company otherwise fails to deliver such shares of Common Stock to the Purchaser on the applicable Settlement Date upon the terms and subject to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(ii) In addition to the foregoing, in connection with any sale of Securities (including any sale permitted by Section 4(e)(i) above), the Purchaser shall comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

  

5.                                      TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS.

 

All of the Purchase Shares to be issued under this Agreement shall be issued without any restrictive legend unless the Purchaser expressly consents otherwise.  The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent, and any subsequent transfer agent, to issue Common Stock in the name of the Purchaser for the Purchase Shares (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”).  The Company warrants to the Purchaser that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5, will be given by the Company to the Transfer Agent with respect to the Purchase Shares and that the Purchase Shares shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company as and to the extent provided in this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

6.                                      CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S RIGHT TO COMMENCE SALES OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.

 

The right of the Company hereunder to commence sales of the Purchase Shares is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions on or before the Commencement Date (the date that the Company may begin sales of Purchase Shares):

 

(a)                                 The Purchaser shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Company;

 

(b)                                 The representations and warranties of the Purchaser shall be true and correct as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such specific date) and the Purchaser shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants and agreements required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Purchaser at or prior to the Commencement Date; and

 

(c)                                  The prospectus supplement covering the sale of the Purchase Shares to the Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) shall have been delivered to the Purchaser and no stop order with respect to the registration statement covering the sale of shares to the Purchaser shall be pending or threatened by the SEC.

 

7.                                      CONDITIONS TO THE PURCHASER’S OBLIGATION TO MAKE PURCHASES OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK.

 

The obligation of the Purchaser to buy Purchase Shares under this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions on or before the Commencement Date (the date that the Company may begin sales of Purchase Shares) and once such conditions have been initially satisfied, there shall not be any ongoing obligation to satisfy such conditions after the Commencement has occurred:

 

(a)                                 The Company shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents and delivered the same to the Purchaser;

 

(b)                                 [Intentionally Omitted.];

 

(c)                                  The Common Stock shall be authorized for quotation on the Principal Market, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been within the last 365 days suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market, other than a general halt in trading in the Common Stock by the Principal Market under halt codes indicating pending or released material news, and the Securities shall be approved for listing upon the Principal Market;

 

(d)                                 The Purchaser shall have received the opinion of the Company’s legal counsel dated as of the Commencement Date in customary form and substance;

 

(e)                                  The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that any of such representations and warranties is already qualified as to materiality in Section 3 above, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct without further qualification) as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Commencement Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement Date.  The Purchaser shall have received a certificate, executed by the CEO, President or CFO of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date, to the foregoing effect;

 

(f)                                   The Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof shall have adopted resolutions which shall be in full force and effect without any amendment or supplement thereto as of the Commencement Date;

 

 

 

 

(g)                                    As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting future purchases of Purchase Shares hereunder, 41,917,130 shares of Common Stock;

 

(h)                                    The Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in form acceptable to the Purchaser shall have been signed by the Company and the Purchaser and shall have been delivered to the Transfer Agent;

 

(i)                                      The Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser a certificate evidencing the incorporation and good standing of the Company in the State of Delaware issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of a date within ten (10) Business Days of the Commencement Date;

 

(j)                                      [Intentionally Omitted.];

 

(k)                                     The Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser a secretary’s certificate executed by the Secretary of the Company, dated as of the Commencement Date;

 

(l)                                      The Shelf Registration Statement shall have been declared effective under the 1933 Act by the SEC and no stop order with respect thereto shall be pending or threatened by the SEC.  The Company shall have prepared and delivered to the Purchaser a final and complete form of Prospectus Supplement, dated and current as of the Commencement Date, to be used in connection with any issuances of any Purchase Shares to the Purchaser, and to be filed by the Company within one (1) Business Day after the Commencement Date pursuant to Rule 424(b).  The Company shall have made all filings under all applicable federal and state securities laws necessary to consummate the issuance of the Purchase Shares pursuant to this Agreement in compliance with such laws;

 

(m)                                     No Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or any event which, after notice and/or lapse of time, would become an Event of Default has occurred;

 

(n)                                     On or prior to the Commencement Date, the Company shall  take all necessary action, if any, and such actions as reasonably requested by the Purchaser, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, stockholder rights plan or poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the state of its incorporation, other than Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, that is or could become applicable to the Purchaser as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchaser’s ownership of the Securities; and

 

(o)                                    The Company shall have provided the Purchaser with the information reasonably requested by the Purchaser in connection with its due diligence requests made prior to, or in connection with, the Commencement, in accordance with the terms of Section 4(f) hereof.

 

8.                                      INDEMNIFICATION.

 

(a)                                    Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser, each of its directors, officers, partners, employees, investment managers, investment advisors, agents, representatives and affiliates, and each Person, if any, who controls the Purchaser within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable and documented costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees) to which the Purchaser and each such other Person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses arise out of or are based upon (i) any violation by the Company of United States federal or state securities laws in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors or employees, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained, or incorporated by reference, in the Shelf Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or any omission or alleged omission to state therein, or in any document incorporated by reference therein, a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained, or incorporated by reference, in any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, in each case in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading; provided, however, that (A) the Company shall not be liable under this Section 8(a) to the extent that such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense resulted directly and solely from any such acts or failures to act, undertaken or omitted to be taken by the Purchaser or such Person through its bad faith or willful misconduct, (B) the foregoing indemnity shall not apply to any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense to the extent, but only to the extent, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Purchaser expressly for use in the Form 8-K or any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, including, without limitation, the information set forth on Exhibit C hereto for inclusion in the Prospectus Supplement in the sections captioned “The Transaction” and “Plan of Distribution”, and (C) with respect to the prospectus, the foregoing indemnity shall not inure to the benefit of the Purchaser or any such Person from whom the Person asserting any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense purchased Common Stock, if copies of all prospectus supplements required to be filed pursuant to Section 7(l), together with the base prospectus, were timely delivered or made available to the Purchaser pursuant hereto and a copy of the base prospectus, together with a prospectus supplement (as applicable), was not sent or given by or on behalf of the Purchaser or any such Person to such Person, if required by law to have been delivered, at or prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Common Stock to such Person, and if delivery of the base prospectus, together with a prospectus supplement (as applicable), would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense.

 

 

 

 

The Company shall reimburse the Purchaser and each such director, officer, partner, employee, agent, representative and affiliate or controlling Person promptly upon demand (with accompanying presentation of documentary evidence) for all legal and other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Purchaser or such indemnified Persons in investigating, defending against, or preparing to defend against any such claim, action, suit or proceeding with respect to which it is entitled to indemnification.

 

(b)                                     Indemnification by the Purchaser.  The Purchaser shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives and affiliates, and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable and documented costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees) to which the Company and each such other Person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Form 8-K, the Shelf Registration Statement or any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were made, not misleading, in each case, to the extent, and only to the extent, that such untrue statement, alleged untrue statement, omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Purchaser expressly for use in the Form 8-K or any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, including, without limitation, the information set forth on Exhibit C hereto for inclusion in the Prospectus Supplement in the sections captioned “The Transaction” and “Plan of Distribution” or updated from time to time in writing by the Purchaser and furnished to the Company by the Purchaser expressly for inclusion in the Form 8-K, the Shelf Registration Statement a prospectus or any new registration statement or from the failure of the Purchaser to deliver or to cause to be delivered the prospectus made available by the Company, if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to this Agreement.

 

The Purchaser shall reimburse the Company and each such director, officer, partner, employee, agent, representative and affiliate or controlling Person promptly upon demand (with accompanying presentation of documentary evidence) for all legal and other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or such indemnified Persons in investigating, defending against, or preparing to defend against any such claim, action, suit or proceeding with respect to which it is entitled to indemnification.

 

 

 

 

(c)                                      Promptly after a Person receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Person intends to seek indemnification under Section 8(a) or (b), the Person will notify the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; providedhowever, that failure to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from liability under Section 8(a) or (b), except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice.  The indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the indemnifying party acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the party against whom the claim or action is brought, the indemnifying party may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it.  After an indemnifying party notifies an indemnified party that the indemnifying party wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the indemnifying party will not be liable for any legal or other expenses incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding except that if, in the opinion of counsel to the indemnifying party, one or more of the indemnified parties should be separately represented in connection with a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the indemnifying party will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate counsel for the indemnified parties.  Each indemnified party, as a condition to receiving indemnification as provided in Section 8(a) or (b), will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the indemnifying party in the defense of any action or claim as to which indemnification is sought.  No indemnifying party will be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested (by written notice provided in accordance with Section 11(f)) an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated hereby effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received written notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No indemnifying party will, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of a pending or threatened action with respect to which an indemnified party is, or is informed that it may be, made a party and for which it would be entitled to indemnification, unless the settlement includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability and claims which are the subject matter of the pending or threatened action.

 

If for any reason the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is not available to, or is not sufficient to hold harmless, an indemnified party in respect of any loss or liability referred to in Section 8(a) or (b) as to which such indemnified party is entitled to indemnification thereunder, each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such loss or liability, (i) in the proportion which is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and by the indemnified party, on the other hand, from the sale of Securities which is the subject of the claim, action, suit or proceeding which resulted in the loss or liability or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above, but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party, on the one hand, and the indemnified party, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omissions which are the subject of the claim, action, suit or proceeding that resulted in the loss or liability, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

The remedies provided for in Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

9.                                      EVENTS OF DEFAULT.

 

An “Event of Default” shall be deemed to have occurred at any time as any of the following events occurs:

 

(a)                                    during any period in which the effectiveness of any registration statement is required to be maintained pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the effectiveness of such registration statement lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order) or is unavailable to the Company for the sale of all of the Purchase Shares to the Purchaser, and such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of ten (10) consecutive Business Days or for more than an aggregate of thirty (30) Business Days in any 365-day period, which is not in connection with a post-effective amendment to any such registration statement or the filing of a new registration statement; provided, however, that in connection with any post-effective amendment to such registration statement or filing of a new registration statement that is required to be declared effective by the SEC, such lapse or unavailability may continue for a period of no more than thirty (30) consecutive Business Days, which such period shall be extended for an additional thirty (30) Business Days if the Company receives a comment letter from the SEC in connection therewith;

 

 

 

 

(b)                                 the suspension from trading or failure of the Common Stock to be listed on a Principal Market for a period of three (3) consecutive Business Days;

 

(c)                                  the delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market, and the Common Stock is not immediately thereafter trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq Capital Market;

 

(d)                                 the failure for any reason by the Transfer Agent to issue Purchase Shares to the Purchaser after the applicable Settlement Date that the Purchaser is entitled to receive, and such failure continues for five (5) Business Days;

 

(e)                                  the Company’s breach of any representation or warranty (as of the dates made), covenant or other term or condition under any Transaction Document if such breach could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except, in the case of a breach of a covenant which is reasonably curable, only if such breach continues uncured for a period of at least five (5) Business Days;

 

(f)                                   if any Person commences a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law;

 

(g)                                  if the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law; (A) commences a voluntary case, (B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property, (D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors or (E) becomes insolvent;

 

(h)                                   a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (A) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (B) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (C) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Subsidiary; or

 

(i)                                    if at any time after the Commencement Date, the Exchange Cap is reached unless and until stockholder approval has been obtained pursuant to Section 1(h) hereof.  The Exchange Cap shall be deemed to be reached at such time if, upon submission of a Purchase Notice under this Agreement, the issuance of such shares of Common Stock would exceed the number of shares of Common Stock which the Company may issue under this Agreement without breaching the Company’s obligations under the rules or regulations of the Principal Market.

 

In addition to any other rights and remedies under applicable law and this Agreement, including the Purchaser termination rights under Section 11(k) hereof, so long as an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, or if any event which, after notice and/or lapse of time, would become an Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing, or so long as the VWAP is below the Floor Price, the Company may not require and the Purchaser shall not be obligated to purchase any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement.  If pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (any of which would be an Event of Default as described in Sections 9(f), 9(g) and 9(h) hereof) this Agreement shall automatically terminate without any liability or payment to the Company without further action or notice by any Person.  No such termination of this Agreement under Section 11(k)(i) shall affect the Company’s or the Purchaser’s obligations under this Agreement with respect to pending purchases and the Company and the Purchaser shall complete their respective obligations with respect to any pending purchases under this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

10.                                  CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(a)                                 “1933 Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

(b)                                 “Available Amount” means initially Two Hundred and Fifty Million Dollars ($250,000,000) in the aggregate which amount shall be reduced by the Purchase Amount each time the Purchaser purchases shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 1 hereof.

 

(c)                                  “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

(d)                                 “Business Day” means any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading during normal trading hours (i.e., 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), including any day on which the Principal Market is open for trading for a period of time less than the customary time.

 

(e)                                  “Closing Sale Price” means the last closing trade price for the Common Stock on the Principal Market as reported by the Principal Market.

 

(f)                                   “Confidential Information” means any information disclosed by either party to the other party, either directly or indirectly, in writing, orally or by inspection of tangible objects (including, without limitation, documents, prototypes, samples, protocols, development plans, commercialization plans, compounds, formulations, preclinical study and clinical trial results, plant and equipment), which is designated as “Confidential,” “Proprietary” or some similar designation. Information communicated orally shall be considered Confidential Information if such information is expressly identified as Confidential Information at the time of such initial disclosure and confirmed in writing as being Confidential Information within ten (10) Business Days after the initial disclosure. Confidential Information may also include information disclosed to a disclosing party by third parties. Confidential Information shall not, however, include any information which (i) was publicly known and made generally available in the public domain prior to the time of disclosure by the disclosing party; (ii) becomes publicly known and made generally available after disclosure by the disclosing party to the receiving party through no action or inaction of the receiving party or its affiliates; (iii) is already in the possession of the receiving party at the time of disclosure by the disclosing party as shown by the receiving party’s files and records immediately prior to the time of disclosure; (iv) is obtained by the receiving party from a third party without a breach of such third party’s obligations of confidentiality; or (v) is independently developed by the receiving party without use of or reference to the disclosing party’s Confidential Information, as shown by documents and other competent evidence in the receiving party’s possession.

 

(g)                                  “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

(h)                                  “Facility Term” means the date that is thirty-six (36) months from the Commencement Date.

 

(i)                                   “Optional Purchase” means, with respect to any Purchase Date, the Company may in its sole discretion grant to the Purchaser the right to exercise, from time to time (but not more than once on any Pricing Date), all or any portion of the Available Amount. The maximum amount of the Optional Purchase shall be set forth in the Purchase Notice. Any unexercised portion of the Optional Purchase expires at the end of the Purchase Date.

 

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

 

 

(k)                                  “Principal Market” means the Nasdaq Capital Market; provided however, that in the event the Company’s Common Stock is ever listed or traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, then the “Principal Market” means such other market or exchange on which the Company’s Common Stock is then listed or traded.

 

 

 

 

(l)                                  “Purchase Amount” means, with respect to any particular Regular Purchase made hereunder, (i) the portion of the Available Amount that the Purchaser is required to purchase, up to 650,000 Purchase Shares on each Purchase Date, pursuant to Section 1 hereof and (ii) the amount of any Optional Purchase purchased by the Purchaser, in each case as set forth in a valid Purchase Notice which the Company delivers to the Purchaser and as confirmed in a Purchaser Confirmation; provided, however, in no event shall the Purchase Amount exceed $5,000,000 on a Purchase Date, unless the Purchaser and the Company mutually agree.  

 

(m)                                 “Purchase Date” means the Business Day of receipt by the Purchaser of a valid Purchase Notice that the Purchaser is to buy Purchase Shares pursuant to Section 1(b) hereof.

 

(n)                                 “Purchase Notice” means an irrevocable written notice, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, from the Company to the Purchaser directing the Purchaser to buy Purchase Shares pursuant to Section 1(b). The Purchase Notice shall specify (i) the Fixed Request Amount (which shall not exceed 650,000 shares unless otherwise mutually agreed by the Purchaser and the Company), (ii) the Purchase Date, and (iii) the amount of Optional Purchase, if any. 

 

(o)                                 “Purchase Price” means 97.5% of the VWAP on the Purchase Date, calculated at the end of the Purchase Date.

 

(q)                                 “SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

(r)                                 “Transfer Agent” means the transfer agent of the Company as set forth in Section 11(f) hereof or such other person who is then serving as the transfer agent for the Company in respect of the Common Stock.

 

(s)                                 “VWAP” means the daily volume weighted average price (based on a trading day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. eastern time) per share of the Common Stock on the Principal Market as reported by Bloomberg Financial LP using the AQR function.

 

11.                               MISCELLANEOUS.

 

(a)                                 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial.  The corporate laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders.  All other questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents 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 jurisdictions other than the State of New York.  Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-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 under the other Transaction Documents or in connection herewith or therewith, 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.  Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law.  EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

(b)                                 Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile or pdf (or other electronic reproduction) signature shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original, not a facsimile or PDF (or other electronic reproduction) signature.

 

 

 

  

(c)                                  Headings.  The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

(d)                                 Severability.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.

 

(e)                                  Entire Agreement.  This Agreement supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Purchaser, the Company, their affiliates and persons acting on their behalf with respect to the matters discussed herein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor the Purchaser makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters.  Each of the Company and the Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that it has not relied on, in any manner whatsoever, any representations or statements, written or oral, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement.

 

(f)                                   Notices.  Any notices, consents or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); (iii) upon receipt, when sent by electronic message (provided the recipient responds to the message and confirmation of both electronic messages are kept on file by the sending party); or (iv) one (1) Business Day after timely deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:

 

If to the Company:

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

4955 Directors Place

San Diego, CA 92121

Attention: Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel

 

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Paul Hastings LLP

1117 S. California Avenue

Palo Alto, CA 94304-1106

Attention: Jeffrey T. Hartlin and Samantha H. Eldredge

  

If to the Purchaser:

 

Arnaki Ltd.
Rodus Building, 4th floor
Road Reef, P.O. Box 756 Road Town
Tortola, VG1110, British Virgin Islands
Attention: Ariel Samuel Belilo

 

 

 

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Attention: David E. Danovitch
 

If to the Transfer Agent:

 

Philadelphia Stock Transfer, Inc.
2320 Haverford Road
Suite 230
Ardmore, PA 19003

Attention: Bob Winterle

 

or at such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party at least one (1) Business Day prior to the effectiveness of such change.  Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, and recipient facsimile number, (C) electronically generated by the sender’s electronic mail containing the time, date and recipient email address or (D) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, shall be rebuttable evidence of receipt in accordance with clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, respectively.

 

(g)                                    Successors and Assigns.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns.  The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Purchaser, including by merger or consolidation; provided, however, that any transaction, whether by merger, reorganization, restructuring, consolidation, financing or otherwise, whereby the Company remains the surviving entity immediately after such transaction shall not be deemed a succession or assignment.  The Purchaser may not assign its rights or obligations under this Agreement.

 

(h)                                    No Third-Party Beneficiaries.  This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person.

 

(i)                                     Publicity.  The Purchaser shall have the right to approve before issuance any press release, SEC filing or any other public disclosure made by or on behalf of the Company whatsoever with respect to, in any manner, the Purchaser, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of the Purchaser, to make any press release or other public disclosure (including any filings with the SEC) with respect to such transactions as is required by applicable law and regulations so long as the Company and its counsel consult with the Purchaser in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure at least one (1) Business Day prior to its release; provided, however, that the Company’s obligations pursuant to this Section 11(i) shall not apply if the material provisions of such press release, SEC filing, or other public disclosure previously has been publicly disclosed by the Company in accordance with this Section 11(i).  The Purchaser must be provided with a copy thereof at least one (1) Business Day prior to any release or use by the Company thereof.

 

(j)                                    Further Assurances.  Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(k)                                  Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated only as follows:

 

(i)                                     By the Purchaser any time an Event of Default exists without any liability or payment to the Company.  However, if pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (any of which would be an Event of Default as described in Sections 9(f), 9(g) and 9(h) hereof) this Agreement shall automatically terminate without any liability or payment to the Company without further action or notice by any Person.  No such termination of this Agreement under this Section 11(k)(i) shall affect the Company’s or the Purchaser’s obligations under this Agreement with respect to pending purchases and the Company and the Purchaser shall complete their respective obligations with respect to any pending purchases under this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(ii)                                  In the event that the Commencement shall not have occurred the Company shall have the option to terminate this Agreement for any reason or for no reason without any liability whatsoever of either party to the other party under this Agreement.

 

(iii)                                 In the event that the Commencement shall not have occurred within ten (10) Business Days of the date of this Agreement, due to the failure to satisfy any of the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 above with respect to the Commencement, either party shall have the option to terminate this Agreement at the close of business on such date or thereafter without liability of either party to any other party; provided, however, that the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 11(k)(iii) shall not be available to either party if such failure to satisfy any of the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 is the result of a breach of this Agreement by such party or the failure of any representation or warranty of such party included in this Agreement to be true and correct in all material respects.

 

(iv)                                At any time after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have the option to terminate this Agreement for any reason or for no reason by delivering notice (a “Company Termination Notice”) to the Purchaser electing to terminate this Agreement without any liability whatsoever of either party to the other party under this Agreement.  The Company Termination Notice shall not be effective until one (1) Business Day after it has been received by the Purchaser.

 

(v)                                 This Agreement shall automatically terminate on the date that the Company sells and the Purchaser purchases the full Available Amount as provided herein, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement.

 

(vi)                                If by the conclusion of the Facility Term for any reason or for no reason the full Available Amount under this Agreement has not been purchased as provided for in Section 1 of this Agreement, this Agreement shall automatically terminate on the date that is 36 months from the Commencement Date, without any action or notice on the part of any party and without any liability whatsoever of any party to any other party under this Agreement.

 

Except as set forth in Sections 11(k)(i) (in respect of an Event of Default under Sections 9(f), 9(g) and 9(h)), 11(k)(v) and 11(k)(vi), any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11(k) shall be effected by written notice from the Company to the Purchaser, or the Purchaser to the Company, as the case may be, setting forth the basis for the termination hereof.  The representations and warranties of the Company and the Purchaser contained in Sections 2, 3 and 5 hereof, the indemnification provisions set forth in Section 8 hereof and the agreements and covenants set forth in Sections 4(e) and 11, shall survive the Commencement and any termination of this Agreement.  No termination of this Agreement shall affect the Company’s or the Purchaser’s rights or obligations under this Agreement with respect to pending purchases and the Company and the Purchaser shall complete their respective obligations with respect to any pending purchases under this Agreement.

 

(l)                                     No Financial Advisor, Placement Agent, Broker or Finder.  The Company represents and warrants to the Purchaser that it has not engaged any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Purchaser represents and warrants to the Company that it has not engaged any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.  Each party shall be responsible for the payment of any fees or commissions, if any, of any financial advisor, placement agent, broker or finder engaged by such party relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby.  Each party shall pay, and hold the other party harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and out of pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim.

 

 

 

 

(m)                                No Strict Construction.  The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party.

 

(n)                                 Failure or Indulgence Not Waiver.  No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercise thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Purchaser and the Company have caused this Common Stock Purchase Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

  THE COMPANY:
   
  SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
   
  By: /s/ Henry Ji, Ph.D.
  Name: Henry Ji, Ph.D.
  Title: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
   
   
  PURCHASER:
   
  ARNAKI LTD.
   
  By: /s/ Ariel Samuel Belilo
  Name: Ariel Samuel Belilo
  Title: Director