UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM 8-A 

 

 

 

FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES

PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

 

FIRST WAVE BIOPHARMA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

     
Delaware   46-4993860
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
   

777 Yamato Road, Suite 502

Boca Raton, Florida

  33431
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

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

 

     

Title of each class

to be so registered

 

Name of each exchange on which

each class is to be registered

Not Applicable   Not Applicable

 

 

 

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c) or (e), check the following box. ¨

 

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d) or (e), check the following box. x

 

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities concurrently with a Regulation A offering, check the following box. ¨

 

Securities Act registration statement or Regulation A offering statement file number to which this form relates:     N/A    (if applicable)

 

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

 

Series F Preferred Stock,

par value $0.0001 per share

 

(Title of class)

 

 

 

 

  

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

Item 1. Description of Registrant’s Securities To Be Registered.

 

On November 25, 2022, the board of directors (the “Board”) of First Wave BioPharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), declared a dividend of 0.001 of a share of Series F Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”), for each outstanding share of Company common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), to stockholders of record at 5:00 pm Eastern Time on December 5, 2022 (the “Record Date”).

 

General; Transferability. Shares of Series F Preferred Stock will be uncertificated and represented in book-entry form. No shares of Series F Preferred Stock may be transferred by the holder thereof except in connection with a transfer by such holder of any shares of Common Stock held by such holder, in which case a number of one one-thousandths (1/1,000ths) of a share of Series F Preferred Stock equal to the number of shares of Common Stock to be transferred by such holder will be automatically transferred to the transferee of such shares of Common Stock.

 

Voting Rights. Each share of Series F Preferred Stock will entitle the holder thereof to 1,000,000 votes per share (and, for the avoidance of doubt, each fraction of a share of Series F Preferred Stock will have a ratable number of votes). Thus, each 0.001 of a share of Series F Preferred Stock would entitle the holder thereof to 1,000 votes. The outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock will vote together with the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company as a single class exclusively with respect to (1) any proposal (the “Reverse Stock Split Proposal”) to adopt an amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), to reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock at a ratio specified in or determined in accordance with the terms of such amendment (the “Reverse Stock Split”) and (2) any proposal to adjourn any meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of voting on the Reverse Stock Split (the “Adjournment Proposal”). The Series F Preferred Stock will not be entitled to vote on any other matter, except to the extent required under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Unless otherwise provided on any applicable proxy or ballot with respect to the voting on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal or the Adjournment Proposal, the vote of each share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) entitled to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal will be cast in the same manner as the vote, if any, of the share of Common Stock (or fraction thereof) in respect of which such share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) was issued as a dividend is cast on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or such other matter, as applicable, and the proxy or ballot with respect to shares of Common Stock held by any holder on whose behalf such proxy or ballot is submitted will be deemed to include all shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) held by such holder. Holders of Series F Preferred Stock will not receive a separate ballot or proxy to cast votes with respect to the Series F Preferred Stock on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.

 

Dividend Rights. The holders of Series F Preferred Stock, as such, will not be entitled to receive dividends of any kind.

 

2

 

 

Liquidation Preference. The Series F Preferred Stock will rank senior to the Common Stock as to any distribution of assets upon a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntarily or involuntarily (a “Dissolution”). Upon any Dissolution, each holder of outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock will be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Company available for distribution to stockholders, prior and in preference to any distribution to the holders of Common Stock, an amount in cash equal to $0.0001 per outstanding share of Series F Preferred Stock.

 

Redemption. All shares of Series F Preferred Stock that are not present in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split and the Adjournment Proposal as of immediately prior to the opening of the polls at such meeting (the “Initial Redemption Time”) will automatically be redeemed in whole, but not in part, by the Company at the Initial Redemption Time without further action on the part of the Company or the holder of shares of Series F Preferred Stock (the “Initial Redemption”). Any outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock that have not been redeemed pursuant to an Initial Redemption will be redeemed in whole, but not in part, (i) if such redemption is ordered by the Board in its sole discretion, automatically and effective on such time and date specified by the Board in its sole discretion or (ii) automatically upon the effectiveness of the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation implementing the Reverse Stock Split.

 

Each share of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed in any redemption described above will be redeemed in consideration for the right to receive an amount equal to $0.001 in cash for each ten whole shares of Series F Preferred Stock that are “beneficially owned” by the “beneficial owner” (as such terms are defined in the certificate of designation with respect to the Preferred Stock (the “Certificate of Designation”)) thereof as of immediately prior to the applicable redemption time and redeemed pursuant to such redemption. However, the redemption consideration in respect of the shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fractions thereof) redeemed in any redemption described above: (i) will entitle the former beneficial owners of less than ten whole shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed in any redemption to no cash payment in respect thereof and (y) will, in the case of a former beneficial owner of a number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fractions thereof) redeemed pursuant to any redemption that is not equal to a whole number that is a multiple of ten, entitle such beneficial owner to the same cash payment, if any, in respect of such redemption as would have been payable in such redemption to such beneficial owner if the number of shares (or fractions thereof) beneficially owned by such beneficial owner and redeemed pursuant to such redemption were rounded down to the nearest whole number that is a multiple of ten (such, that for example, the former beneficial owner of 25 shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed pursuant to any redemption will be entitled to receive the same cash payment in respect of such redemption as would have been payable to the former beneficial owner of 20 shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed pursuant to such redemption).

 

Miscellaneous. The distribution of the Series F Preferred Stock is not expected to be taxable to stockholders or to the Company. However, stockholders may, depending upon the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event of the redemption of the Series F Preferred Stock as described above. The Series F Preferred Stock is not be convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or series of stock or other securities of the Company. The Series F Preferred Stock has no stated maturity and is not be subject to any sinking fund. The Series F Preferred Stock is not subject to any restriction on the redemption or repurchase of shares by the Company while there is any arrearage in the payment of dividends or sinking fund installments.

 

* * * * *

 

The foregoing description of the Series F Preferred Stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Certificate of Designation, which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   Description
   
3.1   Certificate of Designation of the Series F Preferred Stock of the Company, dated November 28, 2022.

 

3

 

  

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

  FIRST WAVE BIOPHARMA, INC.
   
Date: November 28, 2022  
     
  By:  

/s/ James Sapirstein

      James Sapirstein
      Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.1

 

FIRST WAVE BIOPHARMA, INC.

 

CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATION

OF

 

SERIES F PREFERRED STOCK

 

Pursuant to Section 151 of the

General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

 

THE UNDERSIGNED DOES HEREBY CERTIFY, on behalf of First Wave BioPharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), that the following resolution was duly adopted by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”), in accordance with the provisions of Section 151 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), pursuant to a written consent executed on November 25, 2022, which resolution provides for the creation of a series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, which is designated as “Series F Preferred Stock,” with the rights, powers and preferences, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, set forth therein.

 

WHEREAS, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation (as amended, the “Certificate of Incorporation”), provides for one or more series of capital stock of the Corporation designated as preferred stock, consisting of 10,000,000 shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), and further provides that the Board of Directors may, by resolution or resolutions thereof, divide the Preferred Stock into any number of series, fix the designation and number of each such series, and determine or change the designation, relative rights (including voting powers), preferences and limitations of any series of Preferred Stock.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that, pursuant to authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the Certificate of Incorporation, (i) a series of Preferred Stock be, and hereby is, authorized by the Board of Directors, (ii) the Board of Directors hereby authorizes the issuance of 7,000 shares of Series F Preferred Stock and (iii) the Board of Directors hereby fixes the designations, powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of such shares of Preferred Stock, in addition to any provisions set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation that are applicable to all series of the Preferred Stock, as follows:

 

TERMS OF PREFERRED STOCK

 

1. Designation, Amount and Par Value. The series of Preferred Stock created hereby shall be designated as the Series F Preferred Stock (the “Series F Preferred Stock”), and the number of shares so designated shall be 7,000. Each share of Series F Preferred Stock shall have a par value of $0.0001 per share.

 

2. Dividends. The holders of Series F Preferred Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to receive dividends of any kind.

 

3. Voting Rights. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or required by law, the holders of shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

 

 

 

 

3.1 Except as otherwise provided herein, each outstanding share of Series F Preferred Stock shall have 1,000,000 votes per share (and, for the avoidance of doubt, each fraction of a share of Series F Preferred Stock shall have a ratable number of votes). The outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall vote together with the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation as a single class exclusively with respect to the Reverse Stock Split Proposal (as defined below) and the Adjournment Proposal (as defined below) and shall not be entitled to vote on any other matter except to the extent required under the DGCL. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, each share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) redeemed pursuant to the Initial Redemption (as defined below) shall have no voting power with respect to, and the holder of each share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) redeemed pursuant to the Initial Redemption shall have no voting power with respect to any such share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) on, the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal. As used herein, the term “Reverse Stock Split Proposal” means any proposal to adopt an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to reclassify the outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares of Common Stock at a ratio specified in or determined in accordance with the terms of such amendment (the “Reverse Stock Split”). As used herein, the term “Adjournment Proposal” means any proposal to adjourn any meeting of stockholders called for the purpose of voting on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.

 

3.2 Unless otherwise provided on any applicable proxy or ballot with respect to the voting on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal or the Adjournment Proposal, the vote of each share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) entitled to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal shall be cast in the same manner as the vote, if any, of the share of Common Stock (or fraction thereof) in respect of which such share of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) was issued as a dividend is cast on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or such other matter, as applicable, and the proxy or ballot with respect to shares of Common Stock held by any holder on whose behalf such proxy or ballot is submitted will be deemed to include all shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) held by such holder. Holders of Series F Preferred Stock will not receive a separate ballot or proxy to cast votes with respect to the Series F Preferred Stock on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal.

 

4. Rank; Liquidation.

 

4.1 The Series F Preferred Stock shall rank senior to the Common Stock as to any distribution of assets upon a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily (a “Dissolution”). For the avoidance of any doubt, but without limiting the foregoing, neither the merger or consolidation of the Corporation with or into any other entity, nor the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets shall, in and of itself, be deemed to constitute a Dissolution.

 

4.2 Upon any Dissolution, each holder of outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders, prior and in preference to any distribution to the holders of Common Stock, an amount in cash equal to $0.0001 per outstanding share of Series F Preferred Stock.

 

5. Redemption.

 

5.1 All shares of Series F Preferred Stock that are not present in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal and the Adjournment Proposal as of immediately prior to the opening of the polls at such meeting (the “Initial Redemption Time”) shall automatically be redeemed by the Corporation at the Initial Redemption Time without further action on the part of the Corporation or the holder thereof (the “Initial Redemption”).

 

5.2 Any outstanding shares of Series F Preferred Stock that have not been redeemed pursuant to an Initial Redemption shall be redeemed in whole, but not in part, (i) if such redemption is ordered by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, automatically and effective on such time and date specified by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion or (ii) automatically upon the effectiveness of the amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation implementing the Reverse Stock Split (any such redemption pursuant to this Section 5.2, the “Subsequent Redemption” and, together with the Initial Redemption, the “Redemptions”). As used herein, the “Subsequent Redemption Time” shall mean the effective time of the Subsequent Redemption, and the “Redemption Time” shall mean (i) with respect to the Initial Redemption, the Initial Redemption Time and (ii) with respect to the Subsequent Redemption, the Subsequent Redemption Time.

 

 

 

 

5.3 Each share of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed in any Redemption pursuant to this Section 5 shall be redeemed in consideration for the right to receive an amount equal to $0.001 in cash for each ten whole shares of Series F Preferred Stock that are “beneficially owned” by the “beneficial owner” (as such terms are defined below) thereof as of immediately prior to the applicable Redemption Time and redeemed pursuant to such Redemption, payable upon the applicable Redemption Time; provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt, the redemption consideration in respect of the shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fractions thereof) redeemed in any Redemption pursuant to this Section 5: (x) shall entitle the former beneficial owners of less than ten whole shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed in any Redemption to no cash payment in respect thereof and (y) shall, in the case of a former beneficial owner of a number of shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fractions thereof) redeemed pursuant to any Redemption that is not equal to a whole number that is a multiple of ten, entitle such beneficial owner to the same cash payment, if any, in respect of such Redemption as would have been payable in such Redemption to such beneficial owner if the number of shares (or fractions thereof) beneficially owned by such beneficial owner and redeemed pursuant to such Redemption were rounded down to the nearest whole number that is a multiple of ten (such, that for example, the former beneficial owner of 25 shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed pursuant to any Redemption shall be entitled to receive the same cash payment in respect of such Redemption as would have been payable to the former beneficial owner of 20 shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed pursuant to such Redemption). As used herein, “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) to such entity. As used herein, a Person shall be deemed the “beneficial owner” of, and shall be deemed to “beneficially own,” any securities which such Person is deemed to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Rule l3d-3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

  

5.4 From and after the time at which any shares of Series F Preferred Stock are called for redemption (whether automatically or otherwise) in accordance with Section 5.1 or Section 5.2, such shares of Series F Preferred Stock shall cease to be outstanding, and the only right of the former holders of such shares of Series F Preferred Stock, as such, will be to receive the applicable redemption price, if any. The shares of Series F Preferred Stock redeemed by the Corporation pursuant to this Certificate of Designation shall, upon such redemption, be automatically retired and restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein or otherwise, and for the avoidance of doubt, any shares of Series F Preferred Stock (or fraction thereof) that have been redeemed pursuant to an Initial Redemption shall not be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of voting or determining the number of votes entitled to vote on any matter submitted to stockholders (including the Reverse Stock Split Proposal, the Adjournment Proposal or any other matter brought before any meeting of stockholders held to vote on the Reverse Stock Split Proposal) from and after the time of the Initial Redemption. Notice of any meeting of stockholders for the submission to stockholders of any proposal to approve the Reverse Stock Split shall constitute notice of (i) a redemption of shares of Series F Preferred Stock pursuant to an Initial Redemption and result in the automatic redemption of the applicable shares of Series F Preferred Stock (and/or fractions thereof) pursuant to the Initial Redemption at the Initial Redemption Time pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof and (ii) a redemption of shares of Series F Preferred Stock pursuant to a Subsequent Redemption and result in the automatic redemption of the applicable shares of Series F Preferred Stock (and/or fractions thereof) pursuant to the Subsequent Redemption at the Subsequent Redemption Time pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof. In connection with the filing of this Certificate of Designation, the Corporation has set apart funds for payment for the redemption of all shares of Series F Preferred Stock pursuant to the Redemptions and shall continue to keep such funds apart for such payment through the payment of the purchase price for the redemption of all such shares.

 

6. Transfer. Shares of Series F Preferred Stock will be uncertificated and represented in book-entry form. No shares of Series F Preferred Stock may be transferred by the holder thereof except in connection with a transfer by such holder of any shares of Common Stock held thereby, in which case a number of one one-thousandths (1/1,000ths) of a share of Series F Preferred Stock equal to the number of shares of Common Stock to be transferred by such holder shall be automatically transferred to the transferee of such shares of Common Stock. Notice of the foregoing restrictions on transfer shall be given in accordance with Section 151 of the DGCL.

 

7. Fractional Shares. The Series F Preferred Stock may be issued in whole shares or in any fraction of a share that is one one-thousandth (1/1,000th) of a share or any integral multiple of such fraction, which fractions shall entitle the holder, in proportion to such holder’s fractional shares, to exercise voting rights, participate in distributions upon a Dissolution and have the benefit of any other rights of holders of Series F Preferred Stock.

 

8. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision hereof shall be interpreted in a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision hereof is held to be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, then such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating or otherwise adversely affecting the remaining provisions hereof.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, First Wave BioPharma, Inc. has caused this Certificate of Designation of Series F Preferred Stock to be duly executed by the undersigned duly authorized officer as of this 28th day of November, 2022.

     
  FIRST WAVE BIOPHARMA, INC.
     
  By:

/s/ James Sapirstein

    James Sapirstein
    Chief Executive Officer