0000850261 false 0000850261 2020-10-16 2020-10-16 iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares

 

 

 

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): October 16, 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 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

On October 16, 2020, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) held its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved the Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”), an amendment to the Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) and the CEO Performance Award for Henry Ji. Ph.D. (the “Performance Award”).

 

The ESPP, the amendment to the 2019 Plan and the Performance Award had been previously approved, subject to stockholder approval, by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. A summary of each of the ESPP, the 2019 Plan and the Performance Award was included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the Meeting filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2020 (the “Proxy Statement”). Each summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the ESPP, the 2019 Plan and the Performance Award, which are filed as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 hereto, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

On October 16, 2020, the Company held the Meeting. At the Meeting, a total of 192,050,194 shares, or 74.6% of the Company’s common stock issued and outstanding as of the record date, were represented virtually or by proxy.

 

At the Meeting, the Company’s stockholders considered five proposals, each of which is described in more detail in the Proxy Statement.

 

Set forth below is a brief description of each matter voted upon at the Meeting and the voting results with respect to each matter.

 

Proposal No. 1: To elect the following nominees as directors to serve until the Company’s 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

 

Nominee   For   Withhold   Broker Non-Votes
Henry Ji, Ph.D.   88,266,373   1,705,434   102,078,387
Dorman Followwill   77,101,463   12,870,344   102,078,387
Kim D. Janda, Ph.D.   83,374,981   6,596,826   102,078,387
David Lemus   88,519,467   1,452,340   102,078,387
Jaisim Shah   84,829,865   5,141,942   102,078,387
Dr. Robin L. Smith   88,923,290   1,048,517   102,078,387
Yue Alexander Wu, Ph.D.   77,019,681   12,952,126   102,078,387

 

Proposal No. 2: To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.

 

 For   Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
189,039,863   1,913,413   1,096,918   0

 

Proposal No. 3: To approve the Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

 For   Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
87,108,079   2,277,742   585,986   102,078,387

 

Proposal No. 4: To approve an amendment to the Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder by 12,500,000 shares.

 

 For   Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
71,040,909   18,351,405   579,493   102,078,387

 

 

 

 

Proposal No. 5: To approve the CEO Performance Award for Henry Ji, Ph.D.

 

Pursuant to the votes cast standard, the votes were as follows:

 

 For   Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
70,047,961   19,119,560   804,286   102,078,387

 

Pursuant to the votes cast by holders of shares of the Company’s common stock that are not beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by Dr. Ji standard, the votes were as follows:

 

 For   Against   Abstentions   Broker Non-Votes
65,690,461   19,119,560   804,286   102,078,387

 

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

10.1 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
10.2 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.
10.3 Performance Stock Option Award Agreement, dated as of August 7, 2020, by and between Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. and Henry Ji, Ph.D.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File, formatted in Inline Extensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL).

  

 

 

 

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:  October 20, 2020 By: /s/ Henry Ji, Ph.D.  
    Name: Henry Ji, Ph.D.  
    Title: President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.

2020 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

 

Adopted by the Board of Directors on August 15, 2020

Approved by Stockholders on or about October 16, 2020

 

1. Establishment of Plan.

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) proposes to grant options to purchase shares (“Purchase Rights”) of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Common Stock”) to eligible employees of the Company and its Participating Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) pursuant to this Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (this “Plan”). For the purposes of this Plan, “Parent Corporation” and “Subsidiary” shall have the same meanings with respect to the Company as “parent corporation” and “subsidiary corporation” in Sections 424(e) and 424(f), respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). “Participating Subsidiaries” are Subsidiaries that the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) or the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) designates from time to time as corporations that shall participate in this Plan. The Company intends this Plan to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code (including any amendments to or replacements of such Section), and this Plan shall be so construed. Any term not expressly defined in this Plan but defined for purposes of Section 423 of the Code shall have the same definition herein.

 

2. Number of Shares.

 

The total number of shares of Common Stock initially reserved and available for issuance pursuant to this Plan shall be 7,500,000, subject to adjustments effected in accordance with Section 15. If any Purchase Right granted under this Plan terminates without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not purchased under such Purchase Right will again become available for issuance under this Plan. The shares purchasable under this Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market.

 

3. Purpose.

 

The purpose of this Plan is to provide eligible employees of the Company and Participating Subsidiaries with a convenient means of acquiring an equity interest in the Company through payroll deductions, to enhance such employees’ sense of participation in the affairs of the Company and Participating Subsidiaries, and to provide an incentive for continued employment. For the purposes of this Plan, “employee” shall mean any individual who is an employee of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary. Whether an individual qualifies as an employee shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion. The Committee shall be guided by the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7 and Section 3401(c) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder, with the intent that this Plan cover all “employees” within the meaning of those provisions other than those who are not eligible to participate in this Plan. For purposes of an individual’s participation in or other rights, if any, under this Plan as of the time of the determination by the Committee of whether or not an individual is an employee, all such determinations by the Committee shall be final, binding and conclusive as to such rights, if any, notwithstanding that the Company or any court of law or governmental agency subsequently makes a contrary determination as to such individual’s status as an employee. Unless the Committee makes a contrary determination, the employees of the Company shall, for all purposes of this Plan, be those individuals who are carried as employees of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary for regular payroll purposes or are on a leave of absence for not more than 90 days. Any inquiries regarding eligibility to participate in this Plan shall be directed to the Committee, whose decision shall be final.

 

 

4. Administration.

 

This Plan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and the limitations of Section 423 of the Code or any successor provision in the Code, all questions of interpretation or application of this Plan shall be determined by the Committee and its decisions shall be final, binding and conclusive upon all participants. Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services in connection with the administration of this Plan, other than standard fees as established from time to time by the Board for services rendered by Board members serving on Board committees. All expenses incurred in connection with the administration of this Plan shall be paid by the Company. The Committee will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of this Plan: (a) to designate from time to time which entities are Participating Subsidiaries, (b) to construe and interpret this Plan and rights granted hereunder, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration, (c) to settle all controversies regarding this Plan and Purchase Rights granted under this Plan, (d) to amend or terminate this Plan at any time as provided in Section 26, and (e) to adopt such rules, procedures and sub-plans relating to the operation and administration of this Plan as are necessary or appropriate under applicable local laws, regulations and procedures to permit or facilitate participation in this Plan by employees who are foreign nationals or employed or located outside the United States.

 

5. Eligibility.

 

Any employee of the Company or the Participating Subsidiaries is eligible to participate in an Offering Period (as hereinafter defined) under this Plan except the following:

 

(a)            employees who are not employed by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary prior to the beginning of such Offering Period or, if specified by the Committee with respect to an Offering Period, the employee has not been in the employ of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary, as the case may be, for such continuous period preceding such start of such Offering Period as the Committee may require, but in no event will the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than two years,

 

(b)            employees who are customarily employed for twenty (20) hours or less per week,

 

(c)            employees who are customarily employed for five (5) months or less in a calendar year, and

 

(d)            employees who, together with any other person whose stock would be attributed to such employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code, own stock or hold options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary or who, as a result of being granted an option under this Plan with respect to such Offering Period, would own stock or hold options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary.

 

2

 

6. Offering & Purchase Periods.

 

Unless otherwise specified by the Committee, the offering periods of this Plan (each, an “Offering Period”) shall (a) be of six (6) months’ duration, and (b) commence on November 6th and end on May 5th, or commence on May 6th of each year and end on November 5th of the following year, as applicable.

 

Each Offering Period shall consist of one (1) six (6)-month purchase period (a “Purchase Period”) during which payroll deductions of the participants are accumulated under this Plan.

 

The first business day of each Offering Period is referred to as the “Offering Date”. The last business day of each Purchase Period is referred to as the “Purchase Date”.

 

The Committee shall have the power to change the Offering Dates, the Purchase Dates and the duration of Offering Periods (provided that the duration of an Offering Period may not exceed twenty-seven (27) months from the Offering Date) or Purchase Periods without stockholder approval if such change is announced prior to the relevant Offering Period or prior to such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

7. Participation in this Plan.

 

Eligible employees may become participants in an Offering Period under this Plan on the Offering Date, after satisfying the eligibility requirements, by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company prior to such Offering Date, or such other time period as specified by the Committee. An eligible employee who does not deliver a subscription agreement to the Company after becoming eligible to participate in an Offering Period shall not participate in that Offering Period or any subsequent Offering Period unless such employee enrolls in this Plan by delivering a subscription agreement with the Company prior to such Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee. Once an employee becomes a participant in an Offering Period by delivering a subscription agreement to the Company, such employee shall automatically participate in the Offering Period commencing immediately following the last day of the prior Offering Period unless the employee withdraws or is deemed to withdraw from this Plan or terminates further participation in the Offering Period as set forth in Section 12. Such participant is not required to deliver any additional subscription agreement in order to continue participation in this Plan.

 

8. Grant of Purchase Right on Enrollment.

 

On each Offering Date, each eligible employee will be granted a Purchase Right to purchase up to that number of shares of Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) purchasable either with a percentage or with a maximum dollar amount, as designated by the Committee, but in either case not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of such employee’s compensation for such Offering Period during the period that begins on the Offering Date and ends on the last day of the Offering Period.

 

3

 

9. Purchase Price.

 

The purchase price per share at which a share of Common Stock shall be sold in any Offering Period shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of the lesser of: (a) the fair market value on the Offering Date; or (b) the fair market value on the Purchase Date.

 

For the purposes of this Plan, the term “fair market value” means, as of any date, the value of a share of the Company’s Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(a)            If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock will be the closing sales price for such shares as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in such source as the Committee deems reliable. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the fair market value will be the closing sales price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists;

 

(b)            If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock will be the average of the closing bid and asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or if no bids and asks were reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading day such bids and asks were reported); or

 

(c)            In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock will be determined in good faith by the Committee.

 

10. Payment of Purchase Price; Changes in Payroll Deductions; Issuance of Shares.

 

(a)           The purchase price of the shares is accumulated by regular payroll deductions made during each Offering Period. The deductions may be made (at the election of the participant) either (a) as an election of a whole dollar amount not less than $10 per payroll period, nor greater than an amount equal to the amount that is fifteen percent (15%) of the participant’s compensation, or (b) as a percentage of the participant’s compensation in one percent (1%) increments, not less than one percent (1%), nor greater than fifteen percent (15%), or, in each case, such lower limit set by the Committee. Compensation shall mean base pay, incentive compensation, bonuses and commissions (provided, however, that with respect to an Offering Period, the participant may elect to have his or her percentage of payroll deductions under this Plan calculated with respect to (and solely deducted from) only his or her base pay); provided, however, that for purposes of determining a participant’s compensation, any election by such participant to reduce his or her regular cash remuneration under Sections 125 or 401(k) of the Code shall be treated as if the participant did not make such election. Payroll deductions shall commence on the first payday after the beginning of the Offering Period and shall continue to the end of the Offering Period unless sooner altered or terminated as provided by this Plan.

 

4

 

(b)           A participant may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a new authorization for payroll deductions, in which case the new rate shall become effective for the next payroll period commencing after the Company’s receipt of the authorization and shall continue for the remainder of the Offering Period unless changed as described below. Such change in the rate of payroll deductions may be made at any time during an Offering Period, but unless otherwise provided by the Committee with respect to a Purchase Period, not more than one (1) change may be made effective during any Purchase Period. A participant may increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions for any subsequent Offering Period by filing with the Company a new authorization for payroll deductions prior to the beginning of such Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

(c)           A participant may reduce his or her payroll deduction percentage to zero during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a request for cessation of payroll deductions. Such reduction shall be effective beginning with the next payroll period after the Company’s receipt of the request and no further payroll deductions shall be made for the duration of the Offering Period. Payroll deductions credited to the participant’s account prior to the effective date of the request shall be used to purchase shares of Common Stock of the Company in accordance with Section 10(e). A participant may not resume making payroll deductions during the Offering Period in which he or she reduced his or her payroll deductions to zero.

 

(d)           All payroll deductions made for a participant are credited to his or her account under this Plan and are deposited with the general funds of the Company. No interest accrues on the payroll deductions. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.

 

(e)           On each Purchase Date, for so long as this Plan remains in effect and provided that the participant has not submitted a signed and completed withdrawal form before that date (or such deadline prior to the Purchase Date established by the Committee), which notifies the Company that the participant wishes to withdraw from that Offering Period under this Plan and have all payroll deductions accumulated in the account maintained on behalf of the participant, as of that date returned to the participant, the Company shall apply the funds then in the participant’s account to the purchase of whole shares of Common Stock reserved under the Purchase Right granted to such participant with respect to the Offering Period to the extent that such Purchase Right is exercisable on the Purchase Date. The purchase price per share shall be as specified in Section 9. Any cash remaining in a participant’s account after such purchase of shares shall be refunded to such participant in cash, without interest; provided, however, that any amount remaining in such participant’s account on a Purchase Date which is less than the amount necessary to purchase a full share of Common Stock shall be carried forward, without interest, into the next Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be. In the event that this Plan has been oversubscribed, all funds not used to purchase shares on the Purchase Date shall be returned to the participant, without interest. No Common Stock shall be purchased on a Purchase Date on behalf of any employee whose participation in this Plan has terminated prior to such Purchase Date.

 

(f)           As soon as practicable after the Purchase Date, the Company shall issue shares for the participant’s benefit representing the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her Purchase Right.

 

5

 

(g)           During a participant’s lifetime, his or her Purchase Right hereunder is exercisable only by him or her. The participant shall have no interest or voting rights in shares covered by any of his or her Purchase Right until such Purchase Right has been exercised.

 

11. Limitations on Shares to be Purchased.

 

(a)           As specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, an eligible employee may be granted Purchase Rights under this Plan only if such Purchase Rights, together with any other rights granted under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and any Parent Corporation or Subsidiary, do not permit such eligible employee’s Purchase Rights to accrue at a rate which, when aggregated, exceeds $25,000 of fair market value of such shares (determined at the time such rights are granted, and which, with respect to this Plan, will be determined as of their respective Offering Dates) for each calendar year in which such Purchase Rights are outstanding at any time. The Company shall automatically suspend the payroll deductions of any participant as necessary to enforce such limit; provided that when the Company automatically resumes such payroll deductions, the Company must apply the rate in effect immediately prior to such suspension. This limitation shall apply on a calendar year by calendar year basis and no unused portion of this limitation may be used in subsequent calendar years.

 

(b)           No participant shall be entitled to purchase more than the Maximum Share Amount (as defined below) on any single Purchase Date. Prior to the commencement of any Offering Period or prior to such time period as specified by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, set a maximum number of shares which may be purchased by any employee at any single Purchase Date (hereinafter the “Maximum Share Amount”) and unless otherwise specified by the Committee, the Maximum Share Amount shall be 20,000 shares. If a new Maximum Share Amount is set, then all participants must be notified of such Maximum Share Amount prior to the commencement of the next Offering Period. The Maximum Share Amount shall continue to apply with respect to all succeeding Purchase Dates and Offering Periods unless revised by the Committee as set forth above. In addition, prior to the commencement of an Offering Period or prior to such time period as may be specified by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, set a maximum number of shares which may be purchased by all participants on any single Purchase Date (hereinafter the “Aggregate Purchase Date Amount”).

 

(c)            If the number of shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date by all employees participating in this Plan exceeds the number of shares then available for issuance under this Plan (or if applicable, the Aggregate Purchase Date Amount), then the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the remaining shares in as uniform a manner as shall be reasonably practicable and as the Committee shall determine to be equitable. In such event, the Company shall give written notice of such reduction of the number of shares to be purchased under a participant’s Purchase Right to each participant affected.

 

(d)           Any payroll deductions accumulated in a participant’s account which are not used to purchase stock due to the limitations in this Section 11 shall be returned to the participant as soon as practicable after the end of the applicable Purchase Period, without interest.

 

6

 

12. Withdrawal.

 

(a)            Each participant may withdraw from an Offering Period under this Plan by signing and delivering to the Company a written notice to that effect on a form provided for such purpose. Such withdrawal may be elected at any time prior to the end of an Offering Period, or such other time period as specified by the Committee.

 

(b)           Upon withdrawal from this Plan, the accumulated payroll deductions shall be returned to the withdrawn participant, without interest, and his or her interest in this Plan shall terminate. In the event a participant voluntarily elects to withdraw from this Plan, he or she may not resume his or her participation in this Plan during the same Offering Period, but he or she may participate in any Offering Period under this Plan which commences on a date subsequent to such withdrawal by filing a new authorization for payroll deductions in the same manner as set forth in Section 7 for initial participation in this Plan.

 

13. Termination of Employment.

 

Termination of a participant’s employment for any reason, including retirement, death or the failure of a participant to remain an eligible employee of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary, shall immediately terminate his or her participation in this Plan. In such event, the payroll deductions credited to the participant’s account shall be returned to him or her or, in the case of his or her death, to his or her legal representative, without interest. For purposes of this Section 13, an employee shall not be deemed to have terminated employment or failed to remain in the continuous employ of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary in the case of sick leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence approved by the Committee; provided, however, that such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days or reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute. The Committee will have sole discretion to determine whether a participant has terminated employment and the effective date on which the participant terminated employment.

 

14. Return of Payroll Deductions.

 

In the event a participant’s interest in this Plan is terminated by withdrawal, termination of employment or otherwise, or in the event this Plan is terminated by the Board or the Committee, the Company shall deliver to the participant all payroll deductions credited to such participant’s account. No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions of a participant in this Plan.

 

15. Capital Changes.

 

Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the number and type of shares of Common Stock covered by each Purchase Right under this Plan which has not yet been exercised and the number and type of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under this Plan but have not yet been placed under a Purchase Right (collectively, the “Reserves”), the Maximum Share Amount and, if applicable, any Aggregate Purchase Date Amount, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each Purchase Right under this Plan which has not yet been exercised, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company resulting from a stock split or the payment of a stock dividend (but only on the Common Stock), any other increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of any consideration by the Company or other change in the corporate structure or capitalization affecting the Company’s present Common Stock; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Committee, whose determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issue by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to a Purchase Right.

 

7

 

In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Committee. The Committee may, in the exercise of its sole discretion in such instances, declare that this Plan shall terminate as of a date fixed by the Committee and give each participant the right to purchase shares under this Plan prior to such termination. In the event of (a) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger or consolidation with a wholly-owned subsidiary, a reincorporation of the Company in a different jurisdiction, or other transaction in which there is no substantial change in the stockholders of the Company or their relative stock holdings and the Purchase Rights under this Plan are assumed, converted or replaced by the successor corporation, which assumption shall be final, binding and conclusive on all participants), (b) a merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation but after which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger (other than any stockholder that merges, or which owns or controls another corporation that merges, with the Company in such merger) cease to own their shares or other equity interest in the Company, (c) the sale of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, or (d) the acquisition, sale, or transfer of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company or similar transaction, then (i) any surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) may assume or continue outstanding Purchase Rights granted under this Plan or may substitute similar rights (including a right to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders in the transaction) for outstanding Purchase Rights, or (ii) if any surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume or continue such Purchase Rights or does not substitute similar rights for such Purchase Rights, then the participants’ accumulated Plan contributions will be used to purchase shares of Common Stock (rounded down to the nearest whole share) under the outstanding Purchase Rights within ten business days (or such other period specified by the Committee) prior to the transaction, and the Purchase Rights will terminate immediately after such purchase.

 

The Committee may, if it so determines in the exercise of its sole discretion, also make provision for adjusting the Reserves, as well as the price per share of Common Stock covered by each outstanding Purchase Right, in the event that the Company effects one or more reorganizations, recapitalizations, rights offerings or other increases or reductions of shares of its outstanding Common Stock, or in the event of the Company being consolidated with or merged into any other corporation.

 

8

 

16. Nonassignability.

 

Neither payroll deductions credited to a participant’s account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of a Purchase Right or to receive shares under this Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 23) by the participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be void and without effect.

 

17. Reports.

 

Individual accounts shall be maintained for each participant in this Plan. Each participant shall receive, at least annually, a report of his or her account setting forth the total payroll deductions accumulated, the number of shares purchased, the per share price thereof and the remaining cash balance, if any, carried forward to the next Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be.

 

18. Disposition Requirements.

 

(a)            Each participant shall notify the Company in writing if the participant disposes of any of the shares purchased in any Offering Period pursuant to this Plan if such disposition occurs within two (2) years from the Offering Date or within one (1) year from the Purchase Date on which such shares were purchased (the “Notice Period”). After the Notice Period, the Company may require each participant to give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares purchased in any Offering Period pursuant to this Plan.

 

(b)           The Company may place a legend or legends on any certificate representing shares acquired pursuant to this Plan requesting the Company’s transfer agent to notify the Company of any transfer of the shares.

 

19. No Rights to Continued Employment.

 

Neither this Plan nor the grant of any Purchase Right hereunder shall confer any right on any employee to remain in the employ of the Company or any Participating Subsidiary, or restrict the right of the Company or any Participating Subsidiary to terminate such employee’s employment.

 

20. Equal Rights and Privileges; Rules for Foreign Jurisdictions.

 

All eligible employees shall have equal rights and privileges with respect to this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code and the related regulations. Any provision of this Plan which is inconsistent with Section 423 or any successor provision of the Code shall, without further act or amendment by the Company, the Committee or the Board, be reformed to comply with the requirements of Section 423. This Section 20 shall take precedence over all other provisions in this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may adopt (a) rules or procedures relating to the operation and administration of this Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures, including, without limitation, rules and procedures regarding handling of payroll deductions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, payroll tax, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with local requirements, or (b) sub-plans applicable to particular Subsidiaries or locations, which sub-plans may be designed to be outside the scope of Section 423 of the Code, and the rules of such sub-plans may take precedence over other provisions of this Plan with respect to such foreign participants, but unless otherwise superseded by the specific terms of such sub-plan, the provisions of this Plan shall govern the operation of such sub-plan.

 

9

 

21. Notices.

 

All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company under or in connection with this Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

 

22. Term; Stockholder Approval.

 

This Plan shall be approved by the stockholders of the Company, in any manner permitted by applicable corporate law, within twelve (12) months after the date this Plan is adopted by the Board. No purchase of shares pursuant to this Plan shall occur prior to such stockholder approval. This Plan shall continue until the earlier to occur of (a) termination of this Plan by the Board or the Committee (which termination may be effected by the Board or the Committee at any time), or (b) issuance of all of the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under this Plan.

 

23. Designation of Beneficiary.

 

(a)            The Company may, but is not obligated to, permit a participant to submit a form designating a beneficiary who will receive any shares of Common Stock and/or contributions from the participant’s account under this Plan if the participant dies before such shares and/or contributions are delivered to the participant. The Company may, but is not obligated to, permit the participant to change such designation of beneficiary. Any such designation and/or change must be on a form approved by the Company.

 

(b)            If a participant dies and has no valid beneficiary designation, the Company will deliver any shares of Common Stock and/or contributions to the executor or administrator of the estate of the participant. If no executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its sole discretion, may deliver such shares of Common Stock and/or contributions, without interest, to the participant’s spouse, dependents or relatives, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

 

24. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares; Limitation on Sale of Shares.

 

Shares shall not be issued with respect to a Purchase Right unless the exercise of such Purchase Right and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

10

 

25. Applicable Law.

 

This Plan shall be governed by the substantive laws (excluding the conflict of laws rules) of the State of Delaware.

 

26. Amendment or Termination.

 

The Board or the Committee may at any time amend, terminate or extend the term of this Plan, except that any such termination cannot affect Purchase Rights previously granted under this Plan, nor may any amendment make any change in a Purchase Right previously granted which would adversely affect the right of a participant without the consent of such participant, nor may any amendment be made without approval of the stockholders of the Company obtained in accordance with Section 22 within twelve (12) months of the adoption of such amendment (or earlier if required by Section 22) if such amendment would:

 

(a)            increase the number of shares that may be issued under this Plan; or

 

(b)            change the designation of the employees (or class of employees) eligible for participation in this Plan.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Board or the Committee determines that the ongoing operation of this Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Board (or the Committee) may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend or terminate this Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence.

 

11

 

 

Exhibit 10.2

 

SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
2019 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

PLAN DOCUMENT

 

 

1.            Establishment, Purpose, and Types of Awards

 

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby establishes this equity-based incentive compensation plan to be known as the “Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan” (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”) in order to provide incentives and awards to select employees, directors, consultants, and advisors of the Company and its Affiliates. Upon approval by the Company’s stockholders of the Plan, the Company shall no longer issue new awards under its Amended and Restated 2009 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Original Plan”). In the event that the Company’s stockholders do not approve the Plan, the Original Plan will continue in full force and effect.

 

(a)          Awards. The Plan permits grants of the following types of awards (“Awards”), according to the Sections of the Plan listed here:

 

Section 6            Options
Section 7            Share Appreciation Rights
Section 8            Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Unrestricted Shares and Dividend Equivalents

Section 9            Performance Awards

 

(b)          Effect on Other Plans. The Plan is not intended to affect and shall not affect any stock options, equity-based compensation or other benefits that the Company or its Affiliates may have provided pursuant to any agreement, plan, or program that is independent of this Plan.

 

2.            Defined Terms

 

Terms in the Plan that begin with an initial capital letter have the defined meaning set forth in Appendix A, unless defined elsewhere in this Plan or the context of their use clearly indicates a different meaning.

 

3.            Shares Subject to the Plan

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 12:

 

(a)          The maximum number of Shares that the Company may issue for all Awards is 22,500,000 Shares.

 

(b)          For all Awards, the Shares issued pursuant to the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares, or Shares that the Company has reacquired or otherwise holds in treasury. Shares that are subject to an Award under this Plan that for any reason expire, are forfeited, are cancelled, become unexercisable, or are settled for cash (in whole or in part), and Shares that are for any other reason not paid or delivered under the Plan shall again, except to the extent prohibited by Applicable Law, be available for subsequent Awards under this Plan. In addition, the Committee may make future Awards with respect to Shares that the Company retains from otherwise delivering pursuant to an Award under this Plan either (i) as payment of the exercise or purchase price of an Award, or (ii) in order to satisfy the withholding or employment taxes due upon grant, exercise, vesting or distribution of an Award. Any Shares forfeited by the Participant or repurchased by the Company under Section 8(b) at a price not greater than the price originally paid by the Participant so that such Shares are returned to the Company will again be available for Awards under the Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in cash in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the Shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 3(b), no Shares may again be optioned, granted or awarded if such action would cause an Incentive Share Option to fail to qualify as an incentive stock option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

     
     

 

(c)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to adjustments pursuant to Section 12, the number of Shares that are available for ISO Awards shall be determined, to the extent required under applicable tax laws, by reducing the number of Shares designated in Section 3(a) by the number of Shares issued pursuant to Awards, provided that any Shares that are either issued or purchased under the Plan and forfeited back to the Plan, or surrendered in payment of the exercise price for an Award, shall be available for issuance pursuant to future ISO Awards.

 

(d)          Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by stockholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available Shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were employed by or providing services to the acquired company immediately prior to such acquisition or combination.

 

4.            Administration

 

(a)          General. The Committee shall administer the Plan in accordance with its terms. In its sole discretion, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan except with respect to matters which, under Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act or any successor rule or the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded are required to be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act, the Committee (or another committee or subcommittee of the Board assuming the functions of the Committee under the Plan) shall take all action with respect to such Awards, and the individuals taking such action shall consist solely of two or more non-employee directors appointed by and holding office at the pleasure of the Board, each of whom is intended to qualify as both a “non-employee director” as defined by Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor rule. Additionally, to the extent required by Applicable Law, each of the individuals constituting the Committee (or another committee or subcommittee of the Board assuming the functions of the Committee under the Plan) shall be an “independent director” under the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares are listed, quoted or traded. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action taken by the Committee shall be valid and effective, whether or not members of the Committee at the time of such action are later determined not to have satisfied the requirements for membership set forth in this Section 4 or otherwise provided in any charter of the Committee. The Committee shall hold meetings at such times and places as it may determine, and shall make such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it deems advisable.

 

(b)          Committee Composition. The Board shall appoint the members of the Committee. If, and to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Committee may authorize one or more Reporting Persons (or other officers) to make Awards to Eligible Persons who are not Reporting Persons (or other officers whom the Committee has specifically authorized to make Awards). The Board may at any time appoint additional members to the Committee, remove and replace members of the Committee with or without Cause, and fill vacancies on the Committee however caused.

 

(c)          Powers of the Committee. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its sole discretion:

 

(i)          to determine Eligible Persons to whom Awards shall be granted from time to time, and the number of Shares, units, or SARs to be covered by each Award;

 

(ii)         to determine, from time to time, the Fair Market Value of Shares;

 

(iii)        to determine, and to set forth in Award Agreements, the terms and conditions of all Awards, including any applicable exercise or purchase price, the installments and conditions under which an Award shall become vested (which may be based on performance), terminated, expired, cancelled, or replaced, and the circumstances for vesting acceleration or waiver of forfeiture restrictions, and other restrictions and limitations;

 

  PAGE 2  

 

 

(iv)         to approve the forms of Award Agreements, and all other documents, notices and certificates in connection therewith, which need not be identical either as to type of Award or among Participants;

 

(v)          to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement, to determine the meaning of their terms, and to prescribe, amend, and rescind rules and procedures relating to the Plan and its administration;

 

(vi)         to the extent consistent with the purposes of the Plan, and without amending the Plan, to modify, cancel, or waive the Company’s rights with respect to any Awards, to adjust or to modify Award Agreements for changes in Applicable Law, and to recognize differences in foreign law, tax policies, or customs;

 

(vii)        to implement paperless documentation, granting, settlement, or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system, in all cases, in the event that the Company establishes for itself, or uses, the services of a third party to establish an automated system for the documentation, granting, settlement, or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response; and

 

(viii)       to make all other interpretations, and to take all other actions that the Committee may consider necessary or advisable to administer the Plan, or to effectuate its purposes.

 

Subject to Applicable Law and the restrictions set forth in the Plan, the Committee may delegate administrative functions to individuals who are Reporting Persons, officers, or Employees of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(d)          Action by Committee. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by an officer or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate thereof, the Company’s independent certified public accounts, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

 

(e)          Deference to Committee Determinations. The Committee shall have the discretion to interpret or construe ambiguous, unclear, or implied (but omitted) terms in any fashion it deems to be appropriate in its sole discretion, and to make any findings of fact needed in the administration of the Plan or Award Agreements. The Committee’s prior exercise of its discretionary authority shall not obligate it to exercise its authority in a like fashion thereafter. The Committee’s interpretation and construction of any provision of the Plan, or of any Award or Award Agreement, shall be final, binding, and conclusive. The validity of any such interpretation, construction, decision or finding of fact shall not be given de novo review if challenged in court, by arbitration, or in any other forum, and shall be upheld unless clearly made in bad faith or materially affected by fraud. The Committee may make any determination required hereunder, including determinations under Section 12, on an Award-by-Award basis.

 

(f)          No Liability; Indemnification. Neither the Board nor any Committee member, nor any Person acting at the direction of the Board or the Committee, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement. The Company and its Affiliates shall pay or reimburse any member of the Committee, as well as any Director, Employee, or Consultant who takes action in connection with the Plan, for all expenses incurred with respect to the Plan, and, to the fullest extent allowable under Applicable Law, shall indemnify each and every one of them for any claims, liabilities, and costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of their good faith performance of duties under the Plan. The Company and its Affiliates may obtain liability insurance for this purpose.

 

5.            Eligibility

 

(a)          General Rule. The Committee may grant ISOs only to Employees (including officers who are Employees) of the Company, or an Affiliate that is a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code, and may grant all other Awards to any Eligible Person. A Participant who has been granted an Award may be granted an additional Award or Awards if the Committee shall so determine, if such person is otherwise an Eligible Person and, if otherwise, in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

 

  PAGE 3  

 

 

(b)          Grant of Awards. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine from the class of Eligible Persons those individuals to whom Awards under the Plan may be granted, the number of Shares subject to each Award, and the price (if any) to be paid for the Shares or the Award and, in the case of Performance Awards, in addition to the matters addressed in Section 9, the specific objectives, goals and performance criteria that further define the Performance Award. Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement signed by the Company and, if required by the Committee, by the Participant. The Award Agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the Award established by the Committee, and each Award shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Sections 22, 23, and 25 unless otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement. All Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall have a minimum vesting period of one year from the date of grant.

 

(c)          Limits on Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Section 12(a): (i) the maximum aggregate number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one person other than a Non-Employee Director during any calendar year shall be 4,000,000; (ii) the maximum aggregate number of Shares, with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any Non-Employee Director during any calendar year, shall be 250,000; and (iii) no Participant may be granted, during any calendar year, Awards initially payable in cash that could result in such Participant receiving cash payments exceeding $5,000,000 pursuant to such Awards. The Committee will adjust these limitations pursuant to Section 12 below.

 

(d)          Replacement Awards. Subject to Applicable Laws (including any associated stockholder approval requirements), the Committee may, in its sole discretion and upon such terms as it deems appropriate, require as a condition of the grant of an Award to a Participant that the Participant surrender for cancellation some or all of the Awards that have previously been granted to the Participant under this Plan or otherwise. An Award that is conditioned upon such surrender may or may not be the same type of Award, may cover the same (or a lesser or greater) number of Shares as such surrendered Award, may have other terms that are determined without regard to the terms or conditions of such surrendered Award, and may contain any other terms that the Committee deems appropriate. In the case of Options, these other terms may not include an exercise price that is lower than the exercise price of the surrendered Option unless the Company’s stockholders approve the Option grant itself or the program under which the Option grant is made pursuant to the Plan.

 

6.            Option Awards

 

(a)          Types; Documentation. Subject to Section 5(a), the Committee may in its discretion grant Options pursuant to Award Agreements that are delivered to Participants. Each Option shall be designated in the Award Agreement as an ISO or a Non-ISO, and the same Award Agreement may grant both types of Options. At the sole discretion of the Committee, any Option may be exercisable, in whole or in part, immediately upon the grant thereof, or only after the occurrence of a specified event, or only in installments, which installments may vary. Options granted under the Plan may contain such terms and provisions not inconsistent with the Plan that the Committee shall deem advisable in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

(b)          ISO Limitations. No ISO shall be granted to any person who is not an Employee of the Company or any “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, within the meaning of Section 424 of the Code. No person who qualifies as a Ten Percent Holder may be granted an ISO unless such ISO conforms to the applicable provisions of Section 422 of the Code. Any ISO granted under the Plan may be modified by the Committee, with the consent of the Participant, to disqualify such Option from treatment as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value of Shares with respect to which Options designated as ISOs first become exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year (under this Plan and any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate) exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall automatically be treated as Non-ISOs. For purposes of determining whether the $100,000 limit is exceeded, the Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to an ISO shall be determined as of the Grant Date. In reducing the number of Options treated as ISOs to meet the $100,000 limit, the most recently granted Options shall be reduced first. In the event that Section 422 of the Code is amended to alter the limitation set forth therein, the limitation of this Section 6(b) shall be automatically adjusted accordingly.

 

(c)          Term of Option. Each Award Agreement shall specify a term at the end of which the Option automatically expires, subject to earlier termination provisions contained in Section 6(h); provided that the term of any Option may not exceed ten years from the Grant Date. In the case of an ISO granted to an Employee who is a Ten Percent Holder on the Grant Date, the term of the ISO shall not exceed five years from the Grant Date.

 

  PAGE 4  

 

 

(d)          Exercise Price. The exercise price of an Option shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and shall be set forth in the Award Agreement, provided that:

 

(i)           if an ISO is granted to an Employee who on the Grant Date is a Ten Percent Holder, the per Share exercise price shall not be less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date (or the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code); and

 

(ii)          for all other Options, such per Share exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date (or, as to ISOs, on the date the Option is modified, extended or renewed for purposes of Section 424(h) of the Code).

 

Neither the Company nor the Committee shall, without stockholder approval, allow for a repricing of Options within the meaning of the federal securities laws applicable to proxy statement disclosures.

 

(e)          Exercise of Option. The times, circumstances and conditions under which an Option shall be exercisable shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion and set forth in the Award Agreement. The Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether and to what extent the vesting of Options shall be tolled during any unpaid leave of absence; provided, however, that, in the absence of such determination, vesting of Options shall be tolled during any such leave approved by the Company. Except as limited by the Plan, at any time after the grant of an Option, the Committee, in its sole discretion, and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, may accelerate the period during which an Option vests.

 

(f)          Minimum Exercise Requirements. An Option may not be exercised for a fraction of a Share. The Committee may require in an Award Agreement that an Option be exercised as to a minimum number of Shares, provided that such requirement shall not prevent a Participant from purchasing the full number of Shares as to which the Option is then exercisable.

 

(g)          Methods of Exercise. Prior to its expiration pursuant to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, and subject to the times, circumstances and conditions for exercise contained in the applicable Award Agreement, each Option may be exercised, in whole or in part (provided that the Company shall not be required to issue fractional shares), by delivery of written notice of exercise to the secretary of the Company accompanied by payment of the full exercise price of the Shares being purchased. The Committee shall determine the acceptable methods of payment for exercise of the Option on the Grant Date, and such methods shall be specified in the applicable Award Agreement. The methods of payment that the Committee may, in its discretion, accept or commit to accept in an Option Award Agreement include:

 

(i)           cash or check payable to the Company (in U.S. dollars);

 

(ii)          the Participant’s surrender of a number of Shares that are subject to the Option being exercised, and that have a Fair Market Value equal to the exercise price and minimum taxes payable (at statutory rates) upon exercise, with any additional amount that the Participant owes being paid in cash or by check payable to the Company (in U.S. dollars);

 

(iii)         other Shares that (A) are owned by the Participant who is purchasing Shares pursuant to an Option, (B) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which the Option is being exercised, (C) were not acquired by such Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Option, unless such Shares have been owned by such Participant for at least six months or such longer period as the Committee may determine, (D) are all, at the time of such surrender, free and clear of any and all claims, pledges, liens and encumbrances, or any restrictions which would in any manner restrict the transfer of such shares to or by the Company (other than such restrictions as may have existed prior to an issuance of such Shares by the Company to such Participant), and (E) are duly endorsed for transfer to the Company;

 

  PAGE 5  

 

 

(iv)         a cashless exercise program that the Committee may approve, from time to time in its discretion, pursuant to which a Participant may concurrently provide irrevocable instructions (A) to such Participant’s broker or dealer to effect the immediate sale of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the exercise price of the Option plus all applicable taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise, and (B) to the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such broker or dealer in order to complete the sale;

 

(v)          any combination of the foregoing methods of payment; or

 

(vi)         any other form of legal consideration acceptable to the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

The Company shall not be required to deliver Shares pursuant to the exercise of an Option until payment of the full exercise price therefore is received by the Company.

 

(h)          Termination of Continuous Service. The Committee may establish and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement the terms and conditions on which an Option shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service. Except as limited by the requirements of Section 409A or Section 422 of the Code and regulations and rulings thereunder, the Committee may waive or modify these provisions at any time. To the extent that a Participant is not entitled to exercise an Option at the date of his or her termination of Continuous Service, or if the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Option) does not exercise the Option to the extent so entitled within the time specified in the Award Agreement or below (as applicable), the Option shall terminate and the Shares underlying the unexercised portion of the Option shall revert to the Plan and become available for future Awards. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan, in no event may any Option be exercised after the expiration of the Option term as set forth in the Award Agreement.

 

The following provisions shall apply to the extent an Award Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an Option shall terminate when there is a termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service:

 

(i)           Termination other than Upon Disability or Death or for Cause. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service (other than as a result of Participant’s death, Disability or termination for Cause), the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within 3 months following such termination to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination.

 

(ii)          Disability. In the event of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service as a result of his or her being Disabled, the Participant shall have the right to exercise an Option at any time within one year following such termination to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option at the date of such termination.

 

(iii)         Death. In the event of the death of a Participant either during the period of Continuous Service since the Grant Date of an Option, or within 30 days following termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service for any reason other than due to Cause, the Option may be exercised, at any time within one year following the date of the Participant’s death, by the Participant’s estate or by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance, but only to the extent the right to exercise the Option had vested as of the earlier to occur of the date of the Participant’s death or the date the Participant’s Continuous Service terminated.

 

(iv)         Cause. If the Committee determines that a Participant’s Continuous Service terminated due to Cause, the Participant shall immediately forfeit the right to exercise any Option, and any such Option shall be considered immediately null and void.

 

  PAGE 6  

 

 

7.            Share Appreciation Rights (SARs)

 

(a)          Grants. The Committee may, in its discretion, grant Share Appreciation Rights to any Eligible Person pursuant to Award Agreements, in any of the following forms:

 

(i)           SARs Related to Options. The Committee may grant SARs either concurrently with the grant of an Option or with respect to an outstanding Option, in which case the SAR shall extend to all or a portion of the Shares covered by the related Option. An SAR shall entitle the Participant who holds the related Option, upon exercise of the SAR and surrender of the related Option, or portion thereof, to the extent the SAR and related Option each were previously unexercised, to receive payment of an amount determined pursuant to Sections 7(e) and 7(f). Any SAR granted in connection with an ISO will contain such terms as may be required to comply with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(ii)          SARs Independent of Options. The Committee may grant SARs that are independent of any Option subject to such conditions as the Committee may in its discretion determine, which conditions will be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(iii)         Limited SARs. The Committee may grant SARs exercisable only upon, or in respect of, a Change in Control or any other specified event, and such limited SARs may relate to or operate in tandem or combination with or substitution for Options or other SARs, or on a stand-alone basis, and may be payable in cash or Shares based on the spread between the exercise price of the SAR, and (A) a price based upon, or equal to, the Fair Market Value of the Shares during a specified period, at a specified time within a specified period before, after or including the date of such event, or (B) a price related to consideration payable to Company’s stockholders generally in connection with the event.

 

(b)          Exercise Price. The per Share exercise price of an SAR shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, and shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date the SAR is granted. The exercise price of an SAR related to an Option shall be the same as the exercise price of the related Option. Neither the Company nor the Committee shall, without stockholder approval, allow for a repricing of any SAR within the meaning of federal securities laws applicable to proxy statement disclosures.

 

(c)          Exercise of SARs. Unless the Award Agreement otherwise provides, an SAR related to an Option will be exercisable at such time or times, and to the extent, that the related Option will be exercisable; provided that the Award Agreement shall not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, provide for a vesting period for the exercise of the SAR that is more favorable to the Participant than the exercise period for the related Option. An SAR may not have a term exceeding ten years from its Grant Date. An SAR granted independently of any other Award will be exercisable pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement. Whether an SAR is related to an Option or is granted independently, the SAR may only be exercised when the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the SAR exceeds the exercise price of the SAR. Except as limited by the Plan, at any time after the grant of an SAR, the Committee, in its sole discretion, and subject to whatever terms and conditions it selects, may accelerate the period during which an SAR vests.

 

(d)          Effect on Available Shares. All SARs that are settled in shares of the Company’s stock shall be counted in full against the number of shares available for award under the Plan, regardless of the number of shares actually issued upon settlement of the SARs.

 

(e)          Payment. Upon exercise of an SAR related to an Option and the attendant surrender of an exercisable portion of any related Award, the Participant will be entitled to receive payment of an amount determined by multiplying:

 

(i)           the excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the SAR over the exercise price per Share of the SAR, by

 

(ii)          the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR has been exercised.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, an SAR granted independently of an Option (i) may limit the amount payable to the Participant to a percentage specified in the Award Agreement, and (ii) shall be subject to any payment or other restrictions that the Committee may, at any time, impose in its discretion, including restrictions intended to conform the SARs with Section 409A of the Code.

 

  PAGE 7  

 

 

(f)          Form and Terms of Payment. Subject to Applicable Law, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, settle the amount determined under Section 7(e) solely in cash, solely in Shares (valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the SAR), or partly in cash and partly in Shares, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares.

 

(g)          Termination of Employment or Consulting Relationship. The Committee shall establish, and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, the terms and conditions on which an SAR shall remain exercisable, if at all, following termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service. The provisions of Section 6(h) shall apply to the extent an Award Agreement does not specify the terms and conditions upon which an SAR shall terminate when a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates.

 

8.            Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, Unrestricted Shares and Dividend Equivalents

 

(a)          Grants. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant restricted shares (“Restricted Shares”) to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant and that sets forth the number of Restricted Shares, the purchase price for such Restricted Shares (if any), and the terms upon which the Restricted Shares may become vested. In addition, the Company may, in its discretion, grant to any Eligible Person the right to receive Shares after certain vesting requirements are met (“Restricted Share Units”), and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant and that sets forth the number of Shares (or formula, that may be based on future performance or conditions, for determining the number of Shares) that the Participant shall be entitled to receive upon vesting and the terms upon which the Shares subject to a Restricted Share Unit may become vested. The Committee may condition any Award of Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units to a Participant on receiving from the Participant such further assurances and documents as the Committee may require to enforce the restrictions. In addition, the Committee may grant Awards hereunder in the form of unrestricted shares (“Unrestricted Shares”), which shall vest in full upon the date of grant or such other date as the Committee may determine or which the Committee may issue pursuant to any program under which one or more Eligible Persons (selected by the Committee in its sole discretion) elect to pay for such Shares or to receive Unrestricted Shares in lieu of cash bonuses that would otherwise be paid.

 

(b)          Vesting and Forfeiture. The Committee shall set forth in an Award Agreement granting Restricted Shares or Restricted Share Units, the terms and conditions under which the Participant’s interest in the Restricted Shares or the Shares subject to Restricted Share Units will become vested and non-forfeitable. Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or the Committee otherwise determines, upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service for any reason, the Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Shares and Restricted Share Units; provided that if a Participant purchases the Restricted Shares and forfeits them for any reason, the Company shall return the purchase price to the Participant only if and to the extent set forth in an Award Agreement.

 

(c)          Issuance of Restricted Shares Prior to Vesting. The Company shall issue stock certificates that evidence Restricted Shares pending the lapse of applicable restrictions, and that bear a legend making appropriate reference to such restrictions. Except as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or as the Committee otherwise determines, the Company or a third party that the Company designates shall hold such Restricted Shares and any dividends that accrue with respect to Restricted Shares pursuant to Section 8(e) below.

 

(d)          Issuance of Shares upon Vesting. As soon as practicable after vesting of a Participant’s Restricted Shares (or Shares underlying Restricted Share Units) and the Participant’s satisfaction of applicable tax withholding requirements, the Company shall release to the Participant, free from the vesting restrictions, one Share for each vested Restricted Share (or issue one Share free of the vesting restriction for each vested Restricted Share Unit), unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise. No fractional shares shall be distributed, and cash shall be paid in lieu thereof.

 

(e)          Rights as a Stockholder. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, and subject to Section 8(b), upon issuance of Restricted Shares, the Participant shall have, unless otherwise provided by the Committee, all the rights of a stockholder with respect to said Shares, including the right to vote the Shares; provided, however, that in no event shall a Participant holding Restricted Shares be entitled to receive dividends, payments or other distributions paid with respect to Restricted Shares prior to the time the Restricted Shares. In addition, with respect to a Restricted Share with performance-based vesting, dividends which are paid prior to vesting shall only be paid out to the Participant to the extent that the performance-based vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Restricted Share vests.

 

  PAGE 8  

 

 

(f)          Section 83(b) Elections. A Participant may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code (the “Section 83(b) Election”) with respect to Restricted Shares.

 

(g)          Dividend Equivalents. Dividend Equivalents may be granted by the Committee based on dividends declared on Shares, during the period between the date an Award is granted to a Participant and the date such Award vests, is exercised, is distributed or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee. In addition, Dividend Equivalents with respect to an Award with performance-based vesting that are based on dividends paid prior to the vesting of such Award shall only be paid out to the Participant to the extent that the performance-based vesting conditions are subsequently satisfied and the Award vests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Dividend Equivalents shall be payable with respect to Options or Share appreciation rights.

 

9.            Performance Awards

 

(a)          Performance Awards. The Committee is authorized to grant Performance Awards, including Performance Unit awards, determined in the Committee’s discretion from time to time, to any Eligible Person. The value of Performance Awards, including Performance Units and any cash awards, may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Measures or other specific criteria determined by the Committee, in each case, on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Performance Awards, including Performance Unit awards, may be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination of cash and Shares, as determined by the Committee. Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), the Committee may, in its discretion, grant Performance Awards to any Eligible Person and shall evidence such grant in an Award Agreement that is delivered to the Participant which sets forth the terms and conditions of the Award. With respect to each such Performance Award, the Committee shall establish, in writing, a “Performance Period,” “Performance Goal(s)” based on the “Performance Measure(s),” and “Performance Formula(e)” (each such term being hereinafter defined).

 

A Participant shall be eligible to receive payment in respect of a Performance Award only to the extent that the Performance Goal(s) for such Award is achieved and the Performance Formula(e), as applied against such Performance Goal(s), determines that all or some portion of such Participant’s Award has been earned for the Performance Period. As soon as practicable after the close of each Performance Period, the Committee shall review and certify in writing whether, and to what extent, the Performance Goal(s) for the Performance Period have been achieved and, if so, determine and certify in writing the amount of the Performance Award to be paid to the Participant and, in so doing, may use negative discretion to decrease, but not increase, the amount of the Award otherwise payable to the Participant based upon such performance.

 

(b)          Definitions.

 

(i)           “Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, one or more objective formulas or standards established by the Committee for purposes of determining whether or the extent to which an Award has been earned based on the level of performance attained or to be attained with respect to one or more Performance Goal(s). Performance Formulae may vary from Performance Period to Performance Period and from Participant to Participant and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative.

 

(ii)          “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, one or more goals established in writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon one or more Performance Measures. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the achievement of each Performance Goal shall be determined, to the extent applicable, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as consistently applied by the Company (or such other standard applied by the Committee).

 

  PAGE 9  

 

 

(iii)         “Performance Measure” means one or more of the following selected by the Committee to measure Company, Affiliate, and/or business unit performance for a Performance Period, whether in absolute or relative terms (including, without limitation, terms relative to a peer group or index): net earnings (either before or after one or more of the following: (A) interest, (B) taxes, (C) depreciation and (D) amortization); gross or net sales or revenue; net income (either before or after taxes); adjusted net income; operating earnings or profit; cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow); return on assets; return on capital or return on capital or invested capital; return on stockholders’ equity; total stockholder return; return on sales; gross or net profit or operating margin; operating or other costs and expenses; improvements in expense levels; working capital; earnings per share or adjusted earnings per share; price per Share; regulatory body approval for commercialization of a product; implementation or completion of critical projects; market share; economic value; comparisons with various stock market indices; stockholders’ equity; market recognition (including but not limited to awards and analyst ratings); financial ratios; net promoter score; customer satisfaction; and strategic team goals. Performance Measures may vary from Performance Period to Performance Period, and from Participant to Participant, and may be established on a stand-alone basis, in tandem or in the alternative.

 

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide that one or more objectively determinable adjustments shall be made to one or more of the Performance Goals. Such adjustments may include one or more of the following: items related to a change in accounting principle; items relating to financing activities; expenses for restructuring or productivity initiatives; other non-operating items; items related to acquisitions; items attributable to the business operations of any entity acquired by the Company during the Performance Period; items related to the disposal of a business or segment of a business; items related to discontinued operations that do not qualify as a segment of a business under generally accepted accounting principles as consistently applied by the Company (or such other standard applied by the Committee); items attributable to any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of stock occurring during the Performance Period; any other items of significant income or expense which are determined to be appropriate adjustments; items relating to unusual or extraordinary corporate transactions, events or developments, items related to amortization of acquired intangible assets; items that are outside the scope of the Company’s core, on-going business activities; items related to acquired in-process research and development; items relating to changes in tax laws; items relating to major licensing or partnership arrangements; items relating to asset impairment charges; items relating to gains or losses for litigation, arbitration and contractual settlements; or items relating to any other unusual or nonrecurring events or changes in Applicable Law, accounting principles or business conditions.

 

(iv)         “Performance Period” means one or more periods of time (of not less than one fiscal year of the Company), as the Committee may designate, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goal(s) will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s rights in respect of an Award.

 

10.          Taxes

 

(a)          General. As a condition to the issuance or distribution of Shares pursuant to the Plan, the Participant (or in the case of the Participant’s death, the person who succeeds to the Participant’s rights) shall make such arrangements as the Company may require for the satisfaction of any applicable federal, state, local or foreign withholding tax obligations that may arise in connection with the Award and the issuance of Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue any Shares until such obligations are satisfied. If the Committee allows the withholding or surrender of Shares to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations, the Committee shall not allow Shares to be withheld in an amount that exceeds the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal and state tax purposes, including payroll taxes.

 

(b)          Default Rule for Employees. In the absence of any other arrangement, an Employee shall be deemed to have directed the Company to withhold or collect, from his or her cash compensation, an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations from the next payroll payment otherwise payable after the date of the exercise of an Award.

 

(c)          Surrender of Shares. If permitted by the Committee, in its discretion, a Participant may satisfy the minimum applicable tax withholding and employment tax obligations associated with an Award by surrendering Shares to the Company (including Shares that would otherwise be issued pursuant to the Award) that have a Fair Market Value, determined as of the applicable date, that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined under the Applicable Law equal to the amount required to be withheld. In the case of Shares previously acquired from the Company that are surrendered under this Section 10, such Shares must have been owned by the Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender (or such longer period of time the Company may in its discretion require).

 

  PAGE 10  

 

 

(d)          Income Taxes and Deferred Compensation. Participants are solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may arise in connection with Awards (including any taxes arising under Section 409A of the Code), and the Company shall not have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold any Participant harmless from any or all of such taxes. The Committee shall have the discretion to organize any deferral program, to require deferral election forms, and to grant or to unilaterally modify any Award in a manner (i) that conforms with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code with respect to compensation that is deferred and that vests after December 31, 2004, (ii) that voids any Participant election to the extent it would violate Section 409A of the Code, and (iii) for any distribution election that would violate Section 409A of the Code, to make distributions pursuant to the Award at the earliest to occur of a distribution event that is allowable under Section 409A of the Code or any distribution event that is both allowable under Section 409A of the Code and is elected by the Participant, subject to any valid second election to defer, provided that the Committee permits second elections to defer in accordance with Section 409A(a)(4)(C) of the Code. The Committee shall have the sole discretion to interpret the requirements of the Code, including Section 409A, for purposes of the Plan and all Awards.

 

11.          Non-Transferability of Awards

 

(a)          General. Except as set forth in this Section 11, or as otherwise approved by the Committee, Awards may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution, or in the case of an option other than an ISO, pursuant to a domestic relations order as defined under Rule 16a-12 under the Exchange Act. The designation of a beneficiary by a Participant will not constitute a transfer. An Award may be exercised, during the lifetime of the holder of an Award, only by such holder, the duly-authorized legal representative of a Participant who is Disabled, a transferee permitted by this Section 11, or except as would cause an ISO to lose such status, by a bankruptcy trustee.

 

(b)          Limited Transferability Rights. Notwithstanding anything else in this Section 11, the Committee may in its discretion provide in an Award Agreement that an Award relating to non-ISOs, SARs settled only in Shares, Restricted Shares, or Performance Shares may be transferred, on such terms and conditions as the Committee deems appropriate, either (i) by instrument to the Participant’s “Immediate Family” (as defined below), (ii) by instrument to an inter vivos or testamentary trust (or other entity) in which the Award is to be passed to the Participant’s designated beneficiaries, or (iii) by gift to charitable institutions. Each share of restricted stock shall be non-transferable until such share becomes non-forfeitable. Any transferee of the Participant’s rights shall succeed and be subject to all of the terms of the applicable Award Agreement and the Plan (other than the ability to further transfer the award). Such transferee shall execute any and all documents requested by the Committee, including, without limitation, documents to (i) confirm the status of the transferee as a permitted transferee, (ii) satisfy any requirements for an exemption for the transfer under Applicable Law and (iii) evidence the transfer. “Immediate Family” means any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, former spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, and shall include adoptive relationships.

 

12.          Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation or a Change in Control

 

(a)          Changes in Capitalization. The Committee shall equitably adjust the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, the maximum number of Shares with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to persons during any calendar year as set out in Section 5(c) and the number of Shares that have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or that have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation, forfeiture, or expiration of an Award, as well as the price per Share covered by each such outstanding Award, to reflect any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination, recapitalization or reclassification of the Shares, or any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company, in each case effected at any time after this Plan is approved by the Board. In the event of any such transaction or event, the Committee may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Awards under the Plan such alternative consideration (including securities of any surviving entity) as it may in good faith determine to be equitable under the circumstances and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Awards so replaced. In any case, such substitution of securities shall not require the consent of any person who is granted Awards pursuant to the Plan. Except as expressly provided herein, or in an Award Agreement, if the Company issues for consideration shares of stock of any class or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, the issuance shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be required to be made with respect to the number or price of Shares subject to any Award.

 

  PAGE 11  

 

 

(b)          Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company other than as part of a Change in Control, each Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such action, subject to the ability of the Committee to exercise any discretion authorized in the case of a Change in Control.

 

(c)          Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion and authority, without obtaining the approval or consent of the Company’s stockholders or any Participant with respect to his or her outstanding Awards, take one or more of the following actions:

 

(i)            cause or otherwise provide that each outstanding Award shall be assumed through the continuation of the Plan and the assumption of the agreements covering the Award or substituted for a substantially similar award issued by a successor entity or a parent or subsidiary of such successor entity (the “Successor Entity”), in each case with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares subject to the Award, the exercise price of such Award and such other terms deemed appropriate, as applicable;

 

(ii)           arrange or otherwise provide for the payment of cash or other consideration to Participants in exchange for the satisfaction and cancellation of outstanding Awards;

 

(iii)          accelerate, in part or in full, to a date prior to the effective time of such Change in Control as the Committee shall determine (or, if the Committee shall not determine such a date, to the date that is four days prior to the effective time of the Change in Control) the vesting of Awards so that Awards shall vest (and, to the extent applicable, become exercisable) as to the Shares that otherwise would have been unvested and provide that repurchase rights of the Company with respect to Shares issued upon exercise of an Award shall lapse as to the Shares subject to such repurchase right; or

 

(iv)          make such other modifications, adjustments or amendments to outstanding Awards or this Plan as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate, subject, however, to the terms of Section 14(a).

 

Notwithstanding the above, (i) to the extent that an Award is not exercised prior to consummation of a transaction, including a Change in Control, in which the Award is not being assumed or substituted for in such transaction, such Award shall automatically terminate as of immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction; and (ii) in the event a Participant holding an Award assumed or substituted by the Successor Entity in a Change in Control is Involuntarily Terminated by the Successor Entity in connection with, or within 12 months following consummation of, the Change in Control, then any assumed or substituted Award held by the terminated Participant at the time of termination shall accelerate and become fully vested (and exercisable in full in the case of Options and SARs), and any repurchase right applicable to any Shares shall lapse in full, unless an Award Agreement provides for a more restrictive acceleration or vesting schedule or more restrictive limitations on the lapse of repurchase rights or otherwise places additional restrictions, limitations and conditions on an Award. The acceleration of vesting and lapse of repurchase rights provided for in the previous sentence shall occur immediately prior to the effective time of the Participant’s termination, unless an Award Agreement provides otherwise.

 

(d)          Certain Distributions. In the event of any distribution to the Company’s stockholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (other than dividends payable in cash or stock of the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Committee may, in its discretion, appropriately adjust the price per Share covered by each outstanding Award to reflect the effect of such distribution.

 

(e)          Limitation on Adjustments. No adjustment or action described in this Section 12, or in any other provision of the Plan, shall be authorized to the extent that such adjustment or action would cause the Plan to violate Section 422(b)(1) of the Code. Furthermore, no such adjustment or action shall be authorized to the extent such adjustment or action would result in short-swing profits liability under Section 16 or violate the exemptive conditions of Rule 16b-3 unless the Committee determines that the Award is not to comply with such exemptive conditions. No action shall be taken under this Section 12 which shall cause an Award to fail to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code or the regulations thereunder.

 

  PAGE 12  

 

 

13.          Time of Granting Awards.

 

The date of grant (“Grant Date”) of an Award shall be the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such Award or such other date as is determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement, provided that in the case of an ISO, the Grant Date shall be the later of the date on which the Committee makes the determination granting such ISO or the date of commencement of the Participant’s employment relationship with the Company.

 

14.          Modification of Awards and Substitution of Options.

 

(a)          Modification, Extension, and Renewal of Awards. Within the limitations of the Plan, the Committee may modify an Award to accelerate the rate at which an Option or SAR may be exercised (including without limitation permitting an Option or SAR to be exercised in full without regard to the installment or vesting provisions of the applicable Award Agreement or whether the Option or SAR is at the time exercisable, to the extent it has not previously been exercised), to accelerate the vesting of any Award only in the event of a Change in Control, to extend or renew outstanding Awards or to accept the cancellation of outstanding Awards to the extent not previously exercised. However, the Committee may not cancel an outstanding option that is underwater for the purpose of reissuing the option to the participant at a lower exercise price or granting a replacement award of a different type. Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, no modification of an outstanding Award shall materially and adversely affect such Participant’s rights thereunder, unless either the Participant provides written consent or there is an express Plan provision permitting the Committee to act unilaterally to make the modification. Neither the Company nor the Committee shall, without prior stockholder approval, allow for a cash buyout of underwater options or SARs.

 

(b)          Substitution of Options. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions or limits under the Plan, in the event the Company or an Affiliate acquires (whether by purchase, merger or otherwise) all or substantially all of outstanding capital stock or assets of another corporation or in the event of any reorganization or other transaction qualifying under Section 424 of the Code, the Committee may, in accordance with the provisions of that Section, substitute Options for options under the plan of the acquired company provided (i) the excess of the aggregate fair market value of the shares subject to an option immediately after the substitution over the aggregate option price of such shares is not more than the similar excess immediately before such substitution and (ii) the new option does not give persons additional benefits, including any extension of the exercise period.

 

15.          Term of Plan.

 

The Plan shall continue in effect for a term of ten years from the date this Plan is first adopted by the Board, unless the Plan is sooner terminated under Section 16.

 

16.          Amendment and Termination of the Plan.

 

(a)          Authority to Amend or Terminate. Subject to Applicable Laws, the Board may, from time to time, amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan.

 

(b)          Effect of Amendment or Termination. No amendment, suspension, or termination of the Plan shall materially and adversely affect Awards already granted unless either it relates to an adjustment pursuant to Section 12, or it is otherwise mutually agreed between the Participant and the Committee, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may amend the Plan to eliminate provisions which are no longer necessary as a result of changes in tax or securities laws or regulations, or in the interpretation thereof.

 

17.          Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreement entered into by the Company pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall not be obligated, and shall have no liability for failure, to issue or deliver any Shares under the Plan unless such issuance or delivery would comply with Applicable Law, with such compliance determined by the Company in consultation with its legal counsel.

 

  PAGE 13  

 

 

18.          Reservation of Shares.

 

The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. Neither the Company nor the Committee shall, without stockholder approval, allow for a repricing within the meaning of the federal securities laws applicable to proxy statement disclosures.

 

19.          Effective Date and Contingencies.

 

The Plan shall become effective on the date it is adopted by the Board or the Committee; provided that this Plan shall be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for approval. If this Plan is not approved by the Company’s stockholders in accordance with Applicable Laws (as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion) within one year from the date of approval by the Board, this Plan and any Awards shall be null, void, and of no force and effect. Awards granted under this Plan before approval of this Plan by the stockholders shall be granted subject to such approval, and no Shares shall be distributed before such approval.

 

20.          Controlling Law.

 

This Plan shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflicts of laws principles), to the extent not preempted by United States federal law. If any provision of this Plan is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid and unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue to be fully effective.

 

21.          Laws and Regulations.

 

(a)          U.S. Securities Laws. This Plan, the grant of Awards, and the exercise of Options and SARs under this Plan, and the obligation of the Company to sell or deliver any of its securities (including, without limitation, Options, Restricted Shares, Restricted Share Units, and Shares) under this Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Law. In the event that the Shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or any applicable state securities laws prior to the delivery of such Shares, the Company may require, as a condition to the issuance thereof, that the persons to whom Shares are to be issued represent and warrant in writing to the Company that such Shares are being acquired by him or her for investment for his or her own account and not with a view to, for resale in connection with, or with an intent of participating directly or indirectly in, any distribution of such Shares within the meaning of the Act, and a legend to that effect may be placed on the certificates representing the Shares.

 

(b)          Other Jurisdictions. To facilitate the making of any grant of an Award under this Plan, the Committee may provide for such special terms for Awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Company or any Affiliate outside of the United States of America as the Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. The Company may adopt rules and procedures relating to the operation and administration of this Plan to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures of particular countries. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company is specifically authorized to adopt rules and procedures regarding the conversion of local currency, taxes, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with the customs and requirements of particular countries. The Company may adopt sub-plans and establish escrow accounts and trusts as may be appropriate or applicable to particular locations and countries.

 

  PAGE 14  

 

 

(c)          Data Privacy. As a condition of receipt of any Award, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use, and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section by and among, as applicable, the Company and its Affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering, and managing this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan. In furtherance of such implementation, administration, and management, the Company and its Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant with respect to one or more Awards under the Plan, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s name, home address, telephone number, date of birth, social security or insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title(s), information regarding any securities of the Company or any of its Affiliates, and details of all Awards (the “Data”). In addition to transferring the Data amongst themselves as necessary for the purpose of implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan, the Company and its Affiliates each may transfer the Data to any third parties assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan. Recipients of the Data may be located in the Participant’s country or elsewhere, and the Participant’s country and any given recipient’s country may have different data privacy laws and protections. By accepting an Award, each Participant authorizes such recipients to receive, possess, use, retain, and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes of assisting the Company in the implementation, administration, and management of this Plan and Awards and the Participant’s participation in this Plan, including any requisite transfer of such Data as may be required to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any Shares. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data held by the Company with respect to such Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data with respect to such Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data with respect to the Participant, or refuse or withdraw the consents herein in writing, in any case without cost, by contacting such Participant’s local human resources representative. The Company may cancel the Participant’s eligibility to participate in this Plan, and in the Committee’s discretion, the Participant may forfeit any outstanding Awards if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents described herein. For more information on the consequences of refusal to consent or withdrawal of consent, Participants may contact their local human resources representative.

 

22.          No Stockholder Rights. Neither a Participant nor any transferee of a Participant shall have any rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to any Shares underlying any Award until the date of issuance of a share certificate to a Participant or a transferee of a Participant for such Shares in accordance with the Company’s governing instruments and Applicable Law. Prior to the issuance of Shares pursuant to an Award, a Participant shall not have the right to vote or to receive dividends or any other rights as a stockholder with respect to the Shares underlying the Award, notwithstanding its exercise in the case of Options and SARs. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right that is determined based on a record date prior to the date the stock certificate is issued, except as otherwise specifically provided for in this Plan.

 

23.          No Employment Rights. The Plan shall not confer upon any Participant any right to continue an employment, service or consulting relationship with the Company, nor shall it affect in any way a Participant’s right or the Company’s right to terminate the Participant’s employment, service, or consulting relationship at any time, with or without Cause.

 

24.          References. All references herein to sections and appendices shall be deemed to be references to sections and appendices, respectively, of this Plan unless the context shall otherwise require. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, any agreement, instrument or statute defined or referred to herein or in any agreement or instrument defined or referred to herein means such agreement, instrument or statute as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented, including (in the case of agreements or instruments) by waiver or consent and (in the case of statutes) by succession of comparable successor statutes, and references to all attachments thereto and instruments incorporated therein.

 

25.          Termination, Rescission and Recapture of Awards. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, but only to the extent specifically provided in any Award Agreement, this Section shall only apply to a Participant who is, on the date of an Award, an Employee of the Company or its Affiliates, and shall automatically cease to apply to any Participant from and after his or her termination of Continuous Service after a Change in Control.

 

(a)          Each Award under the Plan is intended to align the Participant’s long-term interest with those of the Company. If the Participant engages in certain activities discussed below, either during employment or after employment with the Company, the Participant is acting contrary to the long-term interests of the Company. Accordingly, except as otherwise expressly provided in the Award Agreement, the Company may terminate any outstanding, unexercised, unexpired, unpaid, or deferred Awards (“Termination”), rescind any exercise, payment or delivery pursuant to the Award (“Rescission”), or recapture any Shares (whether restricted or unrestricted) or proceeds from the Participant’s sale of Shares issued pursuant to the Award (“Recapture”), if the Participant does not comply with the conditions of subsections (b) and (c) hereof (collectively, the “Conditions”).

 

  PAGE 15  

 

 

(b)          A Participant shall not, without the Company’s prior written authorization, disclose to anyone outside the Company, or use in other than the Company’s business, any proprietary or confidential information or material, as those or other similar terms are used in any applicable patent, confidentiality, inventions, secrecy, or other agreement between the Participant and the Company with regard to any such proprietary or confidential information or material.

 

(c)          Pursuant to any agreement between the Participant and the Company with regard to intellectual property (including but not limited to patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, inventions, developments, improvements, proprietary information, confidential business and personnel information), a Participant shall promptly disclose and assign to the Company or its designee all right, title, and interest in such intellectual property, and shall take all reasonable steps necessary to enable the Company to secure all right, title and interest in such intellectual property in the United States and in any foreign country.

 

(d)          Upon exercise, payment, or delivery of cash or Shares pursuant to an Award, the Participant shall certify on a form acceptable to the Company that he or she is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and, if a severance of Continuous Service has occurred for any reason, shall state the name and address of the Participant’s then-current employer or any entity for which the Participant performs business services and the Participant’s title, and shall identify any organization or business in which the Participant owns a greater-than-five-percent equity interest.

 

(e)          To the extent permitted by Applicable Law, if the Company determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that (i) a Participant has violated any of the Conditions or (ii) during his or her Continuous Service, or within one (1) year after Participant’s termination for any reason, a Participant (a) has rendered services to or otherwise directly or indirectly engaged in or assisted, any organization or business that, in the judgment of the Company in its sole and absolute discretion, is or is working to become competitive with the Company; (b) has solicited any non-administrative employee of the Company to terminate employment with the Company; or (c) has engaged in activities which are materially prejudicial to or in conflict with the interests of the Company, including any breaches of fiduciary duty or the duty of loyalty, then the Company may, in its sole and absolute discretion, impose a Termination, Rescission, and/or Recapture with respect to any or all of the Participant’s relevant Awards, Shares, and the proceeds thereof.

 

(f)          Within ten days after receiving notice from the Company of any such activity, the Participant shall deliver to the Company the Shares acquired pursuant to the Award, or, if Participant has sold the Shares, the gain realized, or payment received as a result of the rescinded exercise, payment, or delivery; provided that if the Participant returns Shares that the Participant purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option (or the gains realized from the sale of such Shares), the Company shall promptly refund the exercise price, without earnings, that the Participant paid for the Shares. Any payment by the Participant to the Company pursuant to this Section 25 shall be made either in cash or by returning to the Company the number of Shares that the Participant received in connection with the rescinded exercise, payment, or delivery. It shall not be a basis for Termination, Rescission or Recapture if, after termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service, the Participant purchases, as an investment or otherwise, stock or other securities of such an organization or business, so long as (i) such stock or other securities are listed upon a recognized securities exchange or traded over-the-counter, and (ii) such investment does not represent more than a five percent (5%) equity interest in the organization or business.

 

(g)          Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, the Company has sole and absolute discretion not to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture, and its determination not to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture with respect to any particular act by a particular Participant or Award shall not in any way reduce or eliminate the Company’s authority to require Termination, Rescission and/or Recapture with respect to any other act or Participant or Award. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to impose obligations on the Participant to refrain from engaging in lawful competition with the Company after the termination of employment that does not violate subsections (b) or (c) of this Section, other than any obligations that are part of any separate agreement between the Company and the Participant or that arise under Applicable Law.

 

  PAGE 16  

 

 

(h)          All administrative and discretionary authority given to the Company under this Section shall be exercised by the most senior human resources executive of the Company or such other person or committee (including without limitation the Committee) as the Committee may designate from time to time.

 

(i)           Notwithstanding any provision of this Section, if any provision of this Section is determined to be unenforceable or invalid under any Applicable Law, such provision will be applied to the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, and shall automatically be deemed amended in a manner consistent with its objectives to the extent necessary to conform to any limitations required under Applicable Law. Furthermore, if any provision of this Section is illegal under any Applicable Law, such provision shall be null and void to the extent necessary to comply with Applicable Law.

 

(j)           All Awards (including any proceeds, gains or other economic benefit actually or constructively received by the Participant upon any receipt or exercise of any Award or upon the receipt or resale of any Shares underlying the Award) shall be subject to the provisions of any claw-back policy implemented by the Company, including, without limitation, any claw-back policy adopted to comply with the requirements of Applicable Law, including, without limitation, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder, to the extent set forth in such claw-back policy and/or in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

26.          Recoupment of Awards. Unless otherwise specifically provided in an Award Agreement, and to the extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion, without obtaining the approval or consent of the Company’s stockholders or of any Participant, require that any Participant reimburse the Company for all or any portion of any Awards granted to him or her under this Plan (“Reimbursement”), or the Committee may require the Termination or Rescission of, or the Recapture associated with, any Award, if and to the extent:

 

(a)          the granting, vesting, or payment of such Award (or portion thereof) was predicated upon the achievement of certain financial results or other performance criteria;

 

(b)          in the Committee’s view, the Participant either benefited from a calculation that later proves to be materially inaccurate, or engaged in one or more material acts of fraud or misconduct that caused or partially caused the need for a financial restatement by the Company or any material Affiliate thereof; and

 

(c)          a lower granting, vesting or payment of such Award would have occurred based upon the conduct described in clause (b) of this Section 26.

 

In each instance, the Committee may, to the extent practicable and allowable under Applicable Laws, require Reimbursement, Termination or Rescission of, or Recapture relating to, any such Award granted to a Participant; provided that the Company will not seek Reimbursement, Termination or Rescission of, or Recapture relating to, any such Awards that were paid or vested more than three years prior to the first date of the applicable restatement period.

 

[APPENDIX A FOLLOWS]

 

  PAGE 17  

 

 

SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
2019 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

Appendix A: Definitions

 

 

As used in the Plan, the following definitions shall apply:

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly controls or is controlled by or under common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any Person, means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person or the power to elect directors, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “affiliated,” “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

Applicable Law” means the legal requirements relating to the administration of options and share-based plans under applicable U.S. federal and state laws, the Code, any applicable stock exchange or automated quotation system rules or regulations, and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted, as such laws, rules, regulations and requirements shall be in place from time to time.

 

Award” means any award made pursuant to the Plan, including awards made in the form of an Option, an SAR, a Restricted Share, a Restricted Share Unit, an Unrestricted Share, a Dividend Equivalent, and a Performance Award, or any combination thereof, whether alternative or cumulative, authorized by and granted under this Plan.

 

Award Agreement” means any written document setting forth the terms of an Award that has been authorized by the Committee. The Committee shall determine the form or forms of documents to be used, and may change them from time to time for any reason.

 

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Cause” for termination of a Participant’s Continuous Service will have the meaning set forth in any unexpired employment, consulting or service agreement between the Company and the Participant. In the absence of such an agreement, “Cause” will exist if the Participant is terminated from employment or other service with the Company or an Affiliate for any of the following reasons: (i) the Participant’s failure to substantially perform his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or violation of a material Company policy; (ii) the Participant’s commission of any act or acts of fraud, embezzlement, dishonesty, or other misconduct; (iii) the Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom the Participant owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of his or her relationship with the Company; or (iv) the Participant’s material breach of any of his or her obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company.

 

The Committee shall in its discretion determine whether or not a Participant is being terminated for Cause. The Committee’s determination shall, unless arbitrary and capricious, be final and binding on the Participant, the Company, and all other affected persons. The foregoing definition does not in any way limit the Company’s ability to terminate a Participant’s employment, consulting or service relationship at any time, and the term “Company” will be interpreted herein to include any Affiliate or successor thereto, if appropriate.

 

     
     

 

Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence during the term of the Plan of any of the following events, subject however to the Committee’s determination (to the extent required to conform with Section 409A of the Code) that any occurrence listed below is a permissible distribution event within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (it being the intention of the Company to set forth, interpret and apply the following provisions in a manner conforming with Section 409A insofar as applicable): (i) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act of the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of all outstanding securities of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction in which the holders of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such merger or consolidation hold, in the aggregate, securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all outstanding voting securities of the surviving entity immediately after such merger or consolidation; (iii) the sale, transfer or other disposition (in one or more transactions or series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (iv) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (v) any reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding voting securities are transferred to or acquired by one or more Persons different from the Persons (or their Affiliates) holding those securities immediately prior to such merger.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the former assets or capital stock of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.

 

Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Committee” means one or more committees or subcommittees of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 4. With respect to any decision involving an Award intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors of the Company who are “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. With respect to any decision relating to a Reporting Person, the Committee shall consist of two or more Directors who are disinterested within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.

 

Company” means Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation; provided, however, that in the event the Company reincorporates to another jurisdiction, all references to the term “Company” shall refer to the Company in such new jurisdiction.

 

Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is engaged by the Company or any Affiliate to render services and is compensated for such services.

 

Continuous Service” means a Participant’s most recent period of service, in the absence of any interruption or termination of service, as an Employee, Director, or Consultant. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of: (i) sick leave; (ii) military leave; (iii) any other leave of absence approved by the Committee, provided that such leave is for a period of not more than 90 days, unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute, or unless provided otherwise pursuant to Company policy adopted from time to time; (iv) changes in status from Director to advisory director or emeritus status; or (iv) in the case of transfers between locations of the Company or between the Company, its Affiliates or their respective successors. Changes in status between service as an Employee, Director, and a Consultant will not, by itself, constitute an interruption of Continuous Service.

 

Director” means a member of the Board, or a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate.

 

Disabled” or “Disability” means a condition under which a Participant:

 

(a)          is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or

 

(b)          has, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, received income replacement benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident or health plan covering employees of the Company.

 

  A-2  
     

 

Dividend Equivalent” means a right to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Shares) of dividends paid on Shares, awarded under Section 8.

 

Eligible Person” means any Consultant, Director or Employee and includes non-Employees to whom an offer of employment has been extended by the Company or an Affiliate.

 

Employee” means any person whom the Company or any Affiliate classifies as an employee (including an officer) for employment tax purposes, whether or not that classification is correct. The payment by the Company of a director’s fee to a Director shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” of such Director by the Company.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Fair Market Value” means, unless otherwise determined by the Board on the committee, as of any date (the “Determination Date”): (i) the closing price of a Share on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (as applicable, the “Exchange”), on the Determination Date, or, if shares were listed, but not traded, on such Exchange on the Determination Date, then on the nearest preceding trading day during which a sale occurred; or (ii) if such stock is not quoted on an Exchange, but is otherwise traded on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin BoardTM or the Pink Sheets®, the mean between the representative bid and asked prices on the Determination Date or the last preceding date for which such information is available; or (iii) if subsections (i) and (ii) do not apply, the fair market value established in good faith by the Board.

 

Incentive Share Option” or “ISO” hereinafter means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

Involuntarily Terminated” means a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated under the following circumstances occurring in connection with, or within 12 months following consummation of, a Change in Control: (i) termination without Cause by the Company or an Affiliate or successor thereto, as appropriate; or (ii) voluntary termination by the Participant within 60 days following (A) a material reduction in the Participant’s job responsibilities, provided that neither a mere change in title alone nor reassignment to a substantially similar position shall constitute a material reduction in job responsibilities; (B) an involuntary relocation of the Participant’s work site to a facility or location more than 50 miles from the Participant’s principal work site as of immediately prior to the Change in Control; or (C) a material reduction in Participant’s total compensation other than as part of a reduction by the same percentage amount in the compensation of all other similarly-situated Employees, Directors or Consultants.

 

Non-Employee Director” means a Director of the Company who is not an Employee.

 

Non-ISO” means an Option not intended to qualify as an ISO, as designated in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

Option” means any stock option granted pursuant to Section 6.

 

Original Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.

 

Participant” means any holder of one or more Awards, or the Shares issuable or issued upon exercise of such Awards, under the Plan.

 

Performance Awards” mean a cash bonus award, stock bonus award, performance award or incentive award that is paid in cash, Shares or a combination of both, awarded under Section 9.

 

Performance Unit” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 9(a) that are denominated in units of value, which may include, without limitation, the dollar value of Shares, and that may be paid in cash, in Shares, or such combination of cash and Shares as the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine.

 

  A-3  
     

 

Person” means any natural person, association, trust, business trust, cooperative, corporation, general partnership, joint venture, joint-stock company, limited partnership, limited liability company, real estate investment trust, regulatory body, governmental agency or instrumentality, unincorporated organization or organizational entity.

 

Reporting Person” means an officer, Director, or greater than ten percent stockholder of the Company within the meaning of Rule 16a-2 under the Exchange Act, who is required to file reports pursuant to Rule 16a-3 under the Exchange Act.

 

Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, or any successor provision.

 

SAR” or “Share Appreciation Right” means Awards granted pursuant to Section 7.

 

Share” means a share of common stock of the Company, as adjusted in accordance with Section 12.

 

Substitute Award” means an Award granted under the Plan upon the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding equity awards previously granted by a company or other entity in connection with a corporate transaction, such as a merger, combination, consolidation or acquisition of property or stock; provided, however, that in no event shall the term “Substitute Award” be construed to refer to an award made in connection with the cancellation and repricing of an Option or SAR.

 

Ten Percent Holder” means a person who owns stock representing more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

  A-4  

 

Exhibit 10.3

 

SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
PERFORMANCE STOCK OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Part I. NOTICE OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

 

Participant Name: Henry Ji, Ph.D.

 

Participant has been granted a Non-Qualified Stock Option to purchase Common Stock of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Performance Stock Option Award Agreement (this “Agreement”), as follows. Any capitalized term that is not defined in this Part I of this Agreement titled “Notice of Stock Option Grant” has the meaning assigned to such term in Part II of this Agreement titled “Terms and Conditions of Stock Option Grant,” attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Terms and Conditions”).

 

Date of Grant August 7, 2020
   
Exercise Price Per Share $17.30
   
Total Number of Shares Granted 24,935,882
   
Total Exercise Price $431,390,758.60
   
Type of Option Non-Qualified Stock Option
   
Expiration Date August 7, 2030

 

I. Vesting Requirements

 

The Option is a performance-based stock option award and, subject to Participant continuing as (a) the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, or (b) the Executive Chairman of the Company (such roles satisfying either of clauses (a) or (b), the “Chief Company Executive”) through each vesting event, shall vest and be exercisable upon the satisfaction of the Market Capitalization Milestones as described in more detail below.

 

As detailed in Table 1 below, the Option is divided into ten (10) vesting tranches (each a “Tranche”), with each Tranche representing a portion of the Option covering that number of Shares specified next to the applicable Tranche number in Table 1 below. Each Tranche shall vest upon satisfaction of the Market Capitalization Milestone set forth next to the applicable Tranche in Table 1 below (each, a “Market Capitalization Milestone”), all subject to Participant continuing as the Chief Company Executive through the date the Administrator determines, approves and certifies in writing that the requisite vesting conditions for the applicable Tranche have been satisfied on or before the Expiration Date (a “Certification”).

 

 

 

 

The Administrator shall, periodically and upon request of Participant, assess whether the vesting requirements have been satisfied. The maximum term of the Option shall be ten (10) years so that absent earlier termination as provided herein, the Option shall expire automatically on the Expiration Date specified above (without regard to whether any or all of the Option vested or whether Participant exercised any vested part of the Option).

 

Table 1. Vesting Requirements for Performance-Based Option.

 

          Vesting Requirements1  
Tranche #   Number of Shares Subject
to Option
    Market Capitalization Milestones2  
1     2,493,588     $ 5,000,000,000  
2     2,493,588     $ 7,000,000,000  
3     2,493,588     $ 9,000,000,000  
4     2,493,588     $ 12,000,000,000  
5     2,493,588     $ 15,000,000,000  
6     2,493,588     $ 18,000,000,000  
7     2,493,588     $ 22,000,000,000  
8     2,493,588     $ 26,000,000,000  
9     2,493,588     $ 30,000,000,000  
10     2,493,590     $ 35,000,000,000  
Total:     24,935,882          

 

II. Determination of Market Capitalization

 

A. Market Capitalization, Generally.

 

For purposes of the Option, “Market Capitalization” on a particular day (the “Determination Date”) refers to either the Six-month Market Cap or the Thirty-day Market Cap, determined in accordance with the following:

 

1. A trading day refers to a day on which the primary stock exchange or national market system on which the Common Stock trades (e.g., the Nasdaq Capital Market) is open for trading.

 

2. The Company’s daily market capitalization for a particular trading day is equal to the product of (a) the total number of outstanding Shares as of the close of such trading day, as reported by the Company’s transfer agent, and (b) the closing sales price per Share as of the close of such trading day, as reported by The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) (or other reliable source selected by the Administrator if Nasdaq is not reporting a closing sales price for that day) (such product, the “Daily Market Capitalization”).

 

 

1 Achievement of the vesting requirements for each Tranche shall be determined, approved and certified by the Administrator, in its sole, good faith discretion. Subject to any applicable clawback provisions, policies or other terms herein, once a milestone is achieved, it is forever deemed achieved for determining the vesting of a Tranche. For purposes of clarity, more than one Tranche may vest simultaneously upon a Certification. For example, assume that none of the Tranches has vested, and upon a Certification, the Market Capitalization is determined to be $7,000,000,000. As of the date of such Certification, and subject to Participant remaining the Chief Company Executive through such date, both Tranches 1 and 2 will become vested.
2 The Market Capitalization Milestones are subject to adjustment pursuant to the terms of this Agreement relating to certain corporate transactions. See Section V.

 

  2  

 

 

3. The “Six-month Market Cap” is equal to (a) the sum of the Daily Market Capitalization of the Company for each trading day during the six (6) calendar month period immediately prior to and including the Determination Date, divided by (b) the number of trading days during such period.

 

4. The “Thirty-day Market Cap” is equal to (a) the sum of the Daily Market Capitalization of the Company for each trading day during the thirty (30) calendar day period immediately prior to and including the Determination Date, divided by (b) the number of trading days during such period.

 

In order for the Market Capitalization Milestone set forth in Table 1 for any particular Tranche above to be met, both the Six-month Market Cap and the Thirty-day Market Cap must equal or exceed the value of such applicable Market Capitalization Milestone on any Determination Date.

 

III. Vesting Determination upon Change in Control of the Company

 

In the event of a Change in Control, the Six-month Market Cap and Thirty-day Market Cap shall be disregarded, and the Market Capitalization shall equal the product of (a) the total number of outstanding Shares immediately prior to the effective time of such Change in Control, as reported by the Company’s transfer agent, and (b) the per Share price (plus the per Share value of any other consideration) received by the Company’s stockholders in the Change in Control (with such value determined in good faith by the Administrator in its sole discretion).

 

To the extent that any Tranche has not vested as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Change in Control and otherwise does not vest as a result of the Change in Control, such unvested Tranche will be forfeited automatically as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Change in Control and never shall become vested.

 

IV. Milestone Adjustments in the Event of Certain Corporate Transactions

 

A. Milestone Adjustments for Acquisitions: Upon and effective as of the closing of an Acquisition with a Purchase Price greater than the Transaction Value Threshold, any and all Market Capitalization Milestones that are unachieved as of immediately before the closing of such Acquisition will be increased by the dollar amount equal to the Purchase Price of such Acquisition.

 

B. Milestone Adjustments for Spin-Offs: Upon and effective as of the completion of a Spin-Off with a Spin-Off Value greater than the Transaction Value Threshold, any and all Market Capitalization Milestones that are unachieved as of immediately before the completion of such Spin-Off will be decreased by the dollar amount equal to the Spin-Off Value of such Spin-Off.

 

  3  

 

 

C. All adjustments pursuant to this Section IV shall be made by the Administrator in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

V. Termination Period

 

If Participant ceases to be the Chief Company Executive as a result of resignation by Participant with thirty (30) days’ advance written notice or any termination by the Company, the Administrator shall promptly assess whether any vesting requirements have been satisfied as of a Determination Date scheduled to be the business day prior to the date Participant ceases to be the Chief Company Executive, and provide Certification of the same, effective as of the date Participant ceases to be the Chief Company Executive.

 

Notwithstanding Section I to the contrary, if Participant ceases to be the Chief Company Executive for any reason, any portion of the Option that has not vested by the date of Participant’s cessation as the Chief Company Executive will remain outstanding until the date of such final Certification specified in the immediately preceding paragraph (but in no event later than the Expiration Date) solely for purposes of such final Certification, and any such portion of the Option that fails to vest upon such final Certification will be forfeited automatically and never shall become vested. If, upon Participant’s cessation as the Chief Company Executive, Participant continues as an Employee of the Company, and as long as Participant continues as an Employee of the Company, any vested and unexercised portion of the Option may be exercised until the Expiration Date of the Option.

 

If Participant ceases to be an Employee for any reason, the Option may, to the extent vested as of the date of Participant’s cessation as an Employee, be exercised until the date that is three (3) months after the date of cessation as an Employee, but in no event later than the Expiration Date.

 

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the Option may expire other than as provided in this Section V as provided in Section 7 of the Terms and Conditions.

 

VI. Holding Period

 

During Participant’s lifetime, except as permitted under a cashless exercise in accordance with Section 6.2 of the Terms and Conditions and to satisfy tax withholding obligations in accordance with Section 9.2 of the Terms and Conditions, Participant shall not sell, transfer or dispose of the Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option until after the five (5) year anniversary of the date of the option exercise resulting in the purchase of such Shares; provided, however, Participant may conduct transactions that involve merely a change in the form in which Participant owns such Shares (e.g., transfer Shares to an inter vivos trust for which Participant is the beneficiary during Participant’s lifetime), or as permitted by the Administrator consistent with the Company’s internal policies; and provided further that Participant may sell, transfer or dispose of the Shares acquired upon exercise of the Option in connection with a Change in Control.

 

  4  

 

 

VII. Acceptance of Option

 

By Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement, either electronically through the electronic acceptance procedure established by the Company or through a written acceptance delivered to the Company in a form satisfactory to the Company, Participant agrees that the Option is granted under and governed by the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the Terms and Conditions, attached hereto as Exhibit A, all of which are made a part of this document. Participant confirms that he has reviewed this Agreement in its entirety, has had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing this Agreement and fully understands all provisions of the Agreement. Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions relating to the Agreement. Participant further agrees to notify the Company upon any change in the residence address indicated above.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

  5  

 

 

In witness whereof, Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its duly-authorized officer on the day and year first indicated above.

 

  SORRENTO THERAPEUTICS, INC.
   
   
  /s/ Yue Alexander Wu, Ph.D.
  Name: Yue Alexander Wu, Ph.D.
  Title: Chairperson of the Compensation Committee

 

Agreed and accepted:  
   
Participant:  
   
   
/s/ Henry Ji, Ph.D.    
Henry Ji, Ph.D.  

 

  6  

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Part II. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK OPTION GRANT

 

1.            Definitions. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply to the following capitalized terms:

 

1.1.            Acquisition” means any merger of a corporation or other entity with or into the Company by the Company of a corporation or other entity, or purchase by the Company of all or substantially all assets of a corporation or other entity.

 

1.2.            Administrator” means the Board or any committee of Directors or other individuals (excluding Participant) satisfying Applicable Laws appointed by the Board; provided that while Participant is a Director, Participant shall recuse himself from any Board approvals relating to the administration of the Agreement or the Option.

 

1.3.            Agreement” means this Performance Stock Option Agreement between the Company and Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of the Option.

 

1.4.            Applicable Laws” means the legal and regulatory requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards and the related issuance of shares of common stock, including but not limited to U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the laws of any non-U.S. country or jurisdiction applicable to the Option.

 

1.5.            Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

1.6.            Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events, subject however to the Administrator’s determination (to the extent required to conform with Section 409A of the Code) that any occurrence listed below is a permissible distribution event within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code (it being the intention of the Company to set forth, interpret and apply the following provisions in a manner conforming with Section 409A insofar as applicable): (a) the acquisition, directly or indirectly, by any person or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) of the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of all outstanding securities of the Company; (b) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction in which the holders of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such merger or consolidation hold, in the aggregate, securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all outstanding voting securities of the surviving entity immediately after such merger or consolidation; (c) the sale, transfer or other disposition (in one or more transactions or series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (d) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (e) any reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding voting securities are transferred to or acquired by one or more persons different from the persons (or their affiliates) holding those securities immediately prior to such merger.

 

  7  

 

 

1.7.         Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference to a specific section of the Code or regulation thereunder shall include such section, any valid regulation or other guidance promulgated under such section, and any comparable provision of any future legislation or regulation amending, supplementing or superseding such section or regulation.

 

1.8.         Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.

 

1.9.         Company” means Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

1.10.       Director” means a member of the Board.

 

1.11.       Employee” means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed by the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor payment of a director’s fee by the Company will be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.

 

1.12.       Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

1.13.       Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

 

(a)            If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market or the Nasdaq Capital Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for the Common Stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system on the day of determination (or if the day of determination is not a day on which the exchange or system is not open for trading, then the last day prior thereto on which the exchange or system was open for trading), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

 

(b)            If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a Share will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the day of determination (or if the day of determination is not a day on which the dealer is not open for trading, then the last day prior thereto on which the dealer was open for trading), as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

 

(c)            In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Administrator.

 

1.14.       Non-Qualified Stock Option” means a stock option that, by its terms, does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

  8  

 

 

1.15.       Notice of Grant” means the written notice, in Part I of this Agreement titled “Notice of Stock Option Grant,” evidencing certain terms and conditions of the Option. The Notice of Grant constitutes a part of the Agreement.

 

1.16.        Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

1.17.       Option” means this stock option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to this Agreement.

 

1.18.       Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

1.19.       Participant” means the person named as the “Participant” in the Notice of Grant.

 

1.20.       Purchase Price” means, for each Acquisition, the purchase price as determined reasonably and in good faith by the Administrator, taking into account, without limitation, the value of consideration paid or issued, future payments to be paid, assets acquired or liabilities discharged or assumed by the Company in the Acquisition.

 

1.21.       Share” means a share of the Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 7.

 

1.22.       Spin-Off” means any split-up, spin-off or divestiture transaction by the Company.

 

1.23.       Spin-Off Value” means, for each Spin-Off, the enterprise value of the split-up, spun-off or divested portion of the Company, as determined reasonably and in good faith by the Administrator.

 

1.24.       Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

 

1.25.       Tax Obligations” means any tax and/or social insurance liability obligations and requirements in connection with the Option, including, without limitation, (i) all federal, state and local taxes (including Participant’s Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) obligation) that are required to be withheld by the Company or other payment of tax-related items related to the Option and legally applicable to Participant, (ii) Participant’s and, to the extent required by the Company, the Company’s fringe benefit tax liability, if any, associated with the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option or sale of Shares, and (iii) any other Company taxes the responsibility for which Participant has, or has agreed to bear, with respect to the Option (or exercise thereof or issuance of Shares thereunder).

 

1.26.       Transaction Value Threshold” means a dollar amount equal to $100,000,000.

 

  9  

 

 

2.            Grant of Option. The Company hereby grants to Participant named in the Notice of Grant the Option to purchase the number of Shares, as set forth in the Notice of Grant, at the Exercise Price Per Share set forth in the Notice of Grant (the “Exercise Price”), subject to all of the terms and conditions in this Agreement. Shares may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

 

3.            Vesting Requirements. The Option awarded by this Agreement will vest in accordance with the vesting provisions set forth in the Notice of Grant. Except with respect to any vesting occurring under Section V of the Notice of Grant relating to a final Certification, the Option shall not vest with respect to any of the covered Shares, unless Participant will have been continuously the Chief Company Executive from the Date of Grant set forth in the Notice of Grant (“Date of Grant”) until the date such vesting occurs.

 

4.            Exercise of Option.

 

4.1.         Right to Exercise. The Option may be exercised only to the extent vested and only within the term set out in the Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

4.2.         Method of Exercise. The Option is exercisable by delivery of an exercise notice, in a form approved by the Administrator (the “Exercise Notice”), or in a manner and pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may determine, which will state the election to exercise the Option, the number of Shares in respect of which the Option is being exercised (the “Exercised Shares”), and such other representations and agreements as may be required by the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement. The Exercise Notice will be completed by Participant and delivered to the Company. The Exercise Notice will be accompanied by payment of the aggregate Exercise Price as to all Exercised Shares together with any Tax Obligations. The Option will be deemed to be exercised upon receipt by the Company of such fully executed Exercise Notice accompanied by such aggregate Exercise Price.

 

5.            Term of Option. Subject to Section 7, the Option may be exercised only within the term specified in the Notice of Grant, and may be exercised during such term only in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. In the event that the Company’s stockholders (a) do not approve the Option within twelve (12) months following the Date of Grant, or (b) vote upon the Option at any meeting of the Company’s stockholders and do not approve the Option by the requisite vote, in each case in accordance with the applicable rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or other primary stock exchange or national market system on which the Common Stock trades), the Option automatically will be forfeited as of such date, and Participant shall have no further rights to the Option or any Shares underlying the Option. In no event may the Option or any portion thereof be exercised before the Company’s stockholders approve the Option, notwithstanding any vesting of all or a portion of the Option prior to such stockholder approval.

 

6.            Method of Payment. Payment of the aggregate Exercise Price will be by any of the following, or a combination thereof, at the election of Participant.

 

6.1.         cash; or

 

  10  

 

 

6.2.         consideration received by the Company under a cashless exercise program, whether through a broker or otherwise, implemented by the Company in connection with the Option.

 

7.            Adjustments; Dissolution of Liquidation; Merger or Change in Control.

 

7.1.          Adjustments.

 

7.1.1.       In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent diminution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Agreement (and in a manner that will not provide Participant with any greater benefit or potential benefits than intended to be made available under the Agreement, other than as may be necessary solely to reflect changes resulting from any such aforementioned event), will adjust the number, class and exercise price of shares covered by the Option.

 

7.1.2.       It is intended that, if possible, any adjustments contemplated by this Section 7.1 be made in a manner that satisfies applicable legal, tax (including, without limitation and as applicable in the circumstances, Section 409A of the Code) and accounting (so as not to trigger any charge to earnings with respect to such adjustment) requirements.

 

7.2.          Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify Participant as soon as practicable prior to the effective date of such proposed transaction. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, the Option will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action.

 

7.3.          Merger or Change in Control. In the event of a merger or Change in Control, the Option will be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation; provided that the Administrator may not accelerate the vesting of any portion of the Option, and any portion of the Option that is unvested as of the effective time of a Change in Control will terminate automatically upon such effective time and, provided, further, that if the Option is not assumed by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation, the Option shall expire as of the effective time of the Change in Control as long as the Participant has been given at least five days’ prior notice and an opportunity to exercise and vested portion of the Option. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein other than the preceding sentence, upon a Change in Control, any vested and unexercised portion of the Option will be exercisable until the Expiration Date. For the purposes of this Section 7.3, the Option will be considered assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Option confers the right to purchase or receive, for each Share subject to the Option immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash or other securities or property) received in the Change in Control by holders of Common Stock for each Share held on the effective date of the transaction (and if holders were offered a choice of consideration, the type of consideration chosen by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares); provided, however, that if such consideration received in the Change in Control is not solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent, the Administrator may, with the consent of the successor corporation, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option, for each Share subject to the Option, to be solely common stock of the successor corporation or its Parent equal in fair market value to the per share consideration received by holders of Common Stock in the Change in Control.

 

  11  

 

 

8.            Leave of Absence. Unless the Administrator provides otherwise, no Determination Date shall occur during any unpaid leave of absence of Participant.

 

9.            Tax Matters.

 

9.1.         Tax Obligations. Participant acknowledges that, regardless of any action taken by the Company, the ultimate liability for any Tax Obligations is and remains Participant’s responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company. Participant further acknowledges that the Company (a) makes no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax Obligations in connection with any aspect of the Option, including, but not limited to, the grant, vesting or exercise of the Option, the subsequent sale of Shares acquired pursuant to such exercise and the receipt of any dividends or other distributions, and (b) does not commit to, and is under no obligation to structure the terms of, the grant or any aspect of the Option to reduce or eliminate Participant’s liability for Tax Obligations or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if Participant is subject to Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable or tax withholding event, as applicable, Participant acknowledges that the Company may be required to withhold or account for Tax Obligations in more than one jurisdiction. If Participant fails to make satisfactory arrangements for the payment of any required Tax Obligations hereunder at the time of the applicable taxable event, Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company may refuse to issue or deliver the Shares.

 

9.2.         Tax Withholdings. Pursuant to such procedures as the Administrator may specify from time to time, the Company shall withhold the amount required to be withheld for the payment of Tax Obligations. The Administrator, in its sole discretion and pursuant to such procedures as it may specify from time to time, may permit Participant to satisfy such Tax Obligations, in whole or in part (without limitation), if permissible by Applicable Laws, by (i) paying cash, or (ii) selling a sufficient number of such Shares otherwise deliverable to Participant through such means as the Company may determine in its sole discretion (whether through a broker or otherwise) equal to the minimum amount that is necessary to meet the withholding requirement for such Tax Obligations (or such greater amount as Participant may elect if permitted by the Administrator, if such greater amount would not result in adverse financial accounting consequences).

 

9.3.         Code Section 409A. Under Code Section 409A, a stock right (such as the Option) granted with a per Share exercise price that is determined by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) to be less than the fair market value of a Share on the date of grant (a “Discount Option”) may be considered “deferred compensation” and subject the holder of the Discount Option to adverse tax consequences. Participant agrees that if the IRS determines that the Option was granted with a per Share exercise price that was less than the fair market value of a Share on its date of grant, Participant will be solely responsible for Participant’s costs related to such a determination. In no event will the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company have any liability or obligation to reimburse, indemnify or hold harmless Participant for any taxes, interest or penalties that may be imposed, or other costs incurred, as a result of Section 409A or any state law equivalent.

 

  12  

 

 

9.4.         Tax Consequences. Participant has reviewed with Participant’s own tax advisors the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of this investment and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. With respect to such matters, Participant relies solely on such advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its agents, written or oral. Participant understands that Participant (and not the Company) shall be responsible for Participant’s own Tax Obligations and any other tax-related liabilities that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

10.            Rights as Stockholder. Neither Participant nor any person claiming under or through Participant will have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of the Company in respect of any Shares deliverable hereunder unless and until certificates representing such Shares (which may be in book entry form) will have been issued, recorded on the records of the Company or its transfer agents or registrars, and delivered to Participant (including through electronic delivery to a brokerage account). After such issuance, recordation and delivery, Participant will have all the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to voting such Shares and receipt of dividends and distributions on such Shares.

 

11.            No Guarantee of Continued Service. PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE VESTING OF SHARES PURSUANT TO THE VESTING PROVISIONS HEREOF IS EARNED ONLY BY (AMONG OTHER THINGS) CONTINUING AS THE CHIEF COMPANY EXECUTIVE AT THE WILL OF THE COMPANY AND NOT THROUGH THE ACT OF BEING HIRED, BEING GRANTED THE OPTION OR ACQUIRING SHARES HEREUNDER. PARTICIPANT FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THIS AGREEMENT, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREUNDER AND THE VESTING PROVISIONS SET FORTH HEREIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED PROMISE OF CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT AS THE CHIEF COMPANY EXECUTIVE FOR ANY PERIOD, OR AT ALL, AND WILL NOT INTERFERE IN ANY WAY WITH PARTICIPANT’S RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY (OR THE PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY EMPLOYING OR RETAINING PARTICIPANT) TO TERMINATE PARTICIPANT’S RELATIONSHIP AS THE CHIEF COMPANY EXECUTIVE OR AS A SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE COMPANY OR ANY PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY OF THE COMPANY AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE.

 

12.            Clawback. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary under this Agreement, the Option shall be subject to any clawback policy of the Company currently in effect or that may be established and/or amended from time to time that applies to the Option (the “Clawback Policy”); provided that the Clawback Policy does not discriminate solely against Participant except as required by Applicable Laws, and provided further that if there is a conflict between the terms of the Option and the Clawback Policy, the more stringent terms, as determined by the Administrator in good faith, shall apply. The Administrator may require Participant to forfeit, return or reimburse the Company all or a portion of the Option and any amounts paid thereunder pursuant to the terms of the Clawback Policy or as necessary or appropriate to comply with Applicable Laws.

 

  13  

 

 

13.            Address for Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms of this Agreement will be addressed to the Company, in care of the Chairperson of the Compensation Committee of the Board, at Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., 4955 Directors Place, San Diego, CA 92121, or at such other address as the Company may hereafter designate in writing.

 

14.            Amendment; No Repricing. This Agreement may be amended only by a written agreement executed by the Company and Participant. The provisions of this Agreement may not be waived or modified unless such waiver or modification is in writing and signed by a representative of the Administrator. The Company may not, without the approval of the stockholders of the Company (excluding Participant): (a) reduce, reprice or take any other action relative to the Option that would be treated as a repricing under applicable listing rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (or the rules of any other exchange on which the Common Stock is then traded); (b) cancel the Option in exchange for cash or in exchange for any other option or other equity security with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the Option; or (c) extend the exercise period of the Option beyond 10 years from the Date of Grant.

 

15.            Non-Transferability of Option. The Option may not be transferred in any manner otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised during the lifetime of Participant only by Participant.

 

16.            Successors and Assigns. The Company may assign any of its rights under this Agreement to single or multiple assignees, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Company. Subject to the restrictions on transfer herein set forth, this Agreement shall be binding upon Participant and Participant’s heirs, legatees, legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors and assigns. The rights and obligations of Participant under this Agreement may be assigned only with the prior written consent of the Company.

 

17.            Additional Conditions to Issuance of Stock. If at any time the Company will determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration, qualification or rule compliance of the Shares upon any securities exchange or under any state, federal or non-U.S. law, the tax code and related regulations or under the rulings or regulations of the SEC or any other governmental regulatory body or the clearance, consent or approval of the SEC or any other governmental regulatory authority (together, the “Issuance Requirements”) is necessary or desirable as a condition to the purchase by, or issuance of Shares to, Participant (or Participant’s estate) hereunder, such purchase or issuance will not occur unless and until such Issuance Requirements will have been completed, effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company. Shares will not be issued pursuant to the exercise of the Option unless the exercise of the Option and the issuance and delivery of such Shares will comply with Applicable Laws and, to the extent the Company determines to be appropriate, will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. Subject to the terms of the Agreement, the Company shall not be required to issue any certificate or certificates for Shares hereunder prior to the lapse of such reasonable period of time following the date of exercise of the Option as the Administrator may establish from time to time for reasons of administrative convenience. The Company will make all reasonable efforts to meet the Issuance Requirements. Assuming such satisfaction of the Issuance Requirements, for income tax purposes the Exercised Shares will be considered transferred to Participant on the date the Option is exercised with respect to such Exercised Shares. The inability of the Company to meet the Issuance Requirements deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary or advisable for the issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, will relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such Issuance Requirements will not have been met. As a condition to the exercise of the Option, the Company may require the person exercising the Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required.

 

  14  

 

 

18.            Administrator Authority. The Administrator will have the power and authority to construe and interpret this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Agreement as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any Shares subject to the Option have vested and whether any Change in Control or any Acquisition has occurred). No acceleration of vesting of any portion of the Option will be permitted on a discretionary basis without the approval of the Company’s stockholders. All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Administrator in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. No member of the Administrator will be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to this Agreement.

 

19.            Electronic Delivery. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to Options awarded under this Agreement or future options that may be awarded by the Company by electronic means or request Participant’s consent to participate in any equity-based compensation plan or program maintained by the Company by electronic means. Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in such plan or program through any on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

 

20.            Captions. Captions provided herein are for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

21.            Agreement Severable. In the event that any provision in this Agreement will be held invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be severable from, and such invalidity or unenforceability will not be construed to have any effect on, the remaining provisions of this Agreement.

 

22.            Modifications to the Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the parties on the subjects covered. Participant expressly warrants that he or she is not accepting this Agreement in reliance on any promises, representations or inducements other than those contained herein. Modifications to this Agreement can be made only in an express written contract executed by a duly authorized officer of the Company. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to revise this Agreement as it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion and without the consent of Participant, to comply with Code Section 409A or otherwise to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition under Code Section 409A in connection with the Option.

 

  15  

 

 

23.            No Waiver. Either party’s failure to enforce any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of any such provision or provisions, nor prevent that party from thereafter enforcing each and every other provision of this Agreement. The rights granted both parties herein are cumulative and shall not constitute a waiver of either party’s right to assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.

 

24.            No Advice Regarding Grant. The Company is not providing any tax, legal or financial advice, nor is the Company making any recommendations regarding this Agreement, the Option or Participant’s acquisition or sale of the underlying Shares. Participant is hereby advised to consult with Participant’s own tax, legal and financial advisors regarding this Agreement before taking any action related to this Agreement.

 

25.            Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed, construed, interpreted and enforced in accordance with its express terms, and otherwise in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of California without reference to the principles of conflicts of law of the State of California or any other jurisdiction, and where applicable, the laws of the United States. Any suit brought hereon shall be brought in the state or federal courts sitting in San Diego, California, the Company and Participant hereby waiving any claim or defense that such forum is not convenient or proper. Each of the Company and Participant hereby agrees that any such court shall have in personam jurisdiction over him or it and consents to service of process in any manner authorized by California law.

 

26.            Arbitration. Both Participant and the Company agree to submit any and all disputes, controversies or claims based upon, relating to or arising from this Agreement or the terms, interpretation, performance, breach or arbitrability thereof to final and binding arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator in San Diego County, California. Subject to the terms of this paragraph, the arbitration proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with, and governed by, the applicable rules (the “Rules”) for the resolution of employment disputes of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) (such rules previously referred to as the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes). Participant acknowledges that a copy of the current Rules have been provided to him. The arbitrator shall be appointed by agreement of the parties hereto or, if no agreement can be reached, by the AAA pursuant to its Rules. Notwithstanding the Rules, the parties hereto may take discovery in accordance with Sections 1283.05(a)-(d) of the California Code of Civil Procedure (but not subject to the restrictions of Section 1283.05(e)), and prior to the arbitration hearing the parties hereto may file, and the arbitrator shall rule on, pre-trial motions such as demurrers and motions for summary judgment (applying the procedural standard embodied in Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure). The time for filing such motions shall be determined by the arbitrator. The arbitrator will rule on all pre-trial motions at least ten (10) business days prior to the scheduled hearing date. Arbitration may be compelled, the arbitration award shall be enforced, and judgment thereon shall be entered, pursuant to the California Arbitration Act (Code of Civil Procedure §§ 1280 et seq.). Each party to this Agreement shall bear his or its own attorneys’ fees and costs (including expert witness fees) incurred in connection with the arbitration; provided, however, Participant and the Company agree that, to the extent permitted by law, the arbitrator may, in his or her discretion, award reasonable attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party. The Company shall bear all other costs and expenses of arbitration, including AAA’s administrative fees and the arbitrator’s fees and costs. If either party hereto is required to compel arbitration of a dispute governed by this paragraph, the party prevailing in that proceeding shall be entitled to recover from the other party reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees incurred to compel arbitration. This Section 26 is intended to be the exclusive method for resolving any and all claims by Participant or the Company against each other for payment of damages under this Agreement or relating to Participant’s employment or service; provided, however, that neither this Agreement nor the submission to arbitration shall limit Participant’s or the Company’s right to seek provisional relief, including without limitation injunctive relief, in any court of competent jurisdiction. Both Participant and the Company expressly waive their respective rights to a jury trial.

 

********

 

  16