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):   January 6, 2012
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Delaware
001-31326
84-1368850
(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

721 Route 202/206, Suite 130, Bridgewater, NJ
08807
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)

(908) 864-4444
(Registrant's telephone number,
including area code)

 
Not applicable
 (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K 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)).
 
 
 

 
 
Item 1.01               Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
 
On November 9, 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) declared effective the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-170140) of Senesco Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), filed on October 26, 2010 with the Commission (the “Registration Statement”). The Registration Statement permits the Company to issue, in one or more offerings, shares of common stock, preferred stock or warrants at an aggregate initial offering price not to exceed $25,000,000.
 
On January 9, 2012, the Company issued a press release announcing that it will raise approximately $2.0 million in gross proceeds, before deducting estimated offering expenses, in a registered direct offering of approximately 7,692,308 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Shares”) and five year warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase approximately 3,269,231 shares of Common Stock with an exercise price of $0.286 per share (the shares underlying the Warrants, the “Warrant Shares”, together with the Shares and Warrants, the “Securities”) (the “Offering”).  Each Share, together with the Warrant, were sold at a price of $0.26 per unit (which represents the closing price of the Company’s Common Stock on the trading day immediately prior to the date of the Securities Purchase Agreement (as defined below)).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent any officer or director of the Company or any affiliate of such officer or director participates in this offering, he, she or it will not be issued any warrants in exchange for the purchase price paid by such officer, director or affiliate.  The sale of the Securities is registered on the Registration Statement, and the Offering will close on or about January 11, 2012.
 
The Securities were offered and will be sold pursuant to a securities purchase agreement, dated January 6, 2012 (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”), among the Company and the investors set forth therein.
 
The Warrants issued in connection with the Offering are exerciseable from the date that is six months following the issuance date until the fifth anniversary of the issuance date and contain standard adjustment provisions in the event of stock splits, combinations, dividends, distributions or reorganizations.
 
The Company has not engaged a placement agent in connection with the Offering, and the Company will be issuing the Securities directly to the participating investors.
 
The net offering proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Common Stock and Warrants, after deducting the estimated offering expenses payable by the Company of approximately $55,000, are expected to be approximately $1,945,000.  The net proceeds of the offering will be used primarily for working capital, research and development and general corporate purposes.
 
The Securities Purchase Agreement and the Form of Warrant used in connection with the Offering are filed as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and such documents are incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing is only a brief description of the material terms of the Securities Purchase Agreement and the Form of Warrant, does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties thereunder and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.
 
The Company’s press release announcing the Offering is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and is incorporated herein by reference.
 
 
 

 
 
Item 9.01           Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.
 
Description
     
4.1
 
Form of Warrant.
     
5.1
 
Opinion of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
     
10.1
 
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement.
     
23.1
 
Consent of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (contained in Exhibit 5.1 above)
     
99.1
  
Press Release of Senesco Technologies, Inc. dated as of January 9, 2012.
 
 
 

 
 
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.
 
 
SENESCO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
   
Dated: January 9, 2012
By:
/s/ Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D.   
   
Name: Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D.
   
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
  
 
 

 

 
 
Warrant No.
Number of Shares:
(subject to adjustment)
Original Issue Date (as defined in subsection
2(a)): January [__], 2012
 
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
 
Common Stock Purchase Warrant
 
(Void after Janaury [__], 2017)
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), for value received, hereby certifies that [____], or its registered assigns (the “Registered Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, to purchase from the Company, at any time or from time to time on or after June [__], 2012 and on or before 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on January [__], 2017, [____] shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”), at a purchase price of $0.286 per share.  The shares purchasable upon exercise of this Warrant, and the purchase price per share, each as adjusted from time to time pursuant to the provisions of this Warrant, are hereinafter referred to as the “Warrant Shares” and the “Purchase Price,” respectively.  This Warrant is one of a series of Warrants issued by the Company in connection with a public offering of Common Stock and of like tenor, except as to the number of shares of Common Stock subject thereto (collectively, the “Company Warrants”).
 
1.            Exercise .
 
(a)            Exercise for Cash .  The Registered Holder may, at its option, elect to exercise this Warrant, in whole or in part and at any time or from time to time, by surrendering this Warrant, with the purchase form appended hereto as Exhibit I duly executed by or on behalf of the Registered Holder, at the principal office of the Company, or at such other office or agency as the Company may designate, accompanied by payment in full, in lawful money of the United States, of the Purchase Price payable in respect of the number of Warrant Shares purchased upon such exercise.  A facsimile signature of the Registered Holder on the purchase form shall be sufficient for purposes of exercising this Warrant, provided that the Company receives the Registered Holder’s original signature within three (3) business days thereafter.
 
(b)            Exercise Date .  Each exercise of this Warrant shall be deemed to have been effected immediately prior to the close of business on the day on which this Warrant shall have been surrendered to the Company as provided in subsection 1(a) above (the “Exercise Date”).  At such time, the person or persons in whose name or names any certificates for Warrant Shares shall be issuable upon such exercise as provided in subsection 1(d) below shall be deemed to have become the holder or holders of record of the Warrant Shares represented by such certificates.
 
(c)            Issuance of Certificates .  As soon as practicable after the exercise of this Warrant in whole or in part, and in any event within 10 days thereafter, the Company, at its expense, will cause to be issued in the name of, and delivered to, the Registered Holder, or as the Registered Holder (upon payment by the Registered Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct:
 
 
 

 
 
 (i)           a certificate or certificates for the number of full Warrant Shares to which the Registered Holder shall be entitled upon such exercise plus, in lieu of any fractional share to which the Registered Holder would otherwise be entitled, cash in an amount determined pursuant to Section 3 hereof; and
 
 (ii)           in case such exercise is in part only, a new warrant or warrants (dated the date hereof) of like tenor, calling in the aggregate on the face or faces thereof for the number of Warrant Shares equal (without giving effect to any adjustment therein) to the number of such shares called for on the face of this Warrant minus the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant was so exercised.
 
2.            Adjustments .
 
(a)            Adjustment for Stock Splits and Combinations .  If the Company shall at any time or from time to time after the date on which this Warrant was first issued (or, if this Warrant was issued upon partial exercise of, or in replacement of, another warrant of like tenor, then the date on which such original warrant was first issued) (either such date being referred to as the “Original Issue Date”) effect a subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before that subdivision shall be proportionately decreased.  If the Company shall at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before the combination shall be proportionately increased.  Any adjustment under this paragraph shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.
 
(b)            Adjustment for Certain Dividends and Distributions .  In the event the Company at any time, or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in additional shares of Common Stock, then and in each such event the Purchase Price then in effect immediately before such event shall be decreased as of the time of such issuance or, in the event such a record date shall have been fixed, as of the close of business on such record date, by multiplying the Purchase Price then in effect by a fraction:
 
(1)           the numerator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance or the close of business on such record date, and
 
(2)           the denominator of which shall be the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the time of such issuance or the close of business on such record date plus the number of shares of Common Stock issuable in payment of such dividend or distribution; provided , however , that if such record date shall have been fixed and such dividend is not fully paid or if such distribution is not fully made on the date fixed therefor, the Purchase Price shall be recomputed accordingly as of the close of business on such record date and thereafter the Purchase Price shall be adjusted pursuant to this paragraph as of the time of actual payment of such dividends or distributions.
 
 
- 2 -

 
 
(c)            Adjustment in Number of Warrant Shares .  When any adjustment is required to be made in the Purchase Price pursuant to subsections 2(a) or 2(b), the number of Warrant Shares purchasable upon the exercise of this Warrant shall be changed to the number determined by dividing (i) an amount equal to the number of shares issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant immediately prior to such adjustment, multiplied by the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment, by (ii) the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment.
 
(d)            Adjustments for Other Dividends and Distributions .  In the event the Company at any time or from time to time after the Original Issue Date shall make or issue, or fix a record date for the determination of holders of Common Stock entitled to receive, a dividend or other distribution payable in securities of the Company (other than shares of Common Stock) or in cash or other property (other than regular cash dividends paid out of earnings or earned surplus, determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles), then and in each such event provision shall be made so that the Registered Holder shall receive upon exercise hereof, in addition to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable hereunder, the kind and amount of securities of the Company, cash or other property which the Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive had this Warrant been exercised on the date of such event and had the Registered Holder thereafter, during the period from the date of such event to and including the Exercise Date, retained any such securities receivable during such period, giving application to all adjustments called for during such period under this Section 2 with respect to the rights of the Registered Holder.
 
(e)            Adjustment for Reorganization .  If there shall occur any reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, consolidation or merger involving the Company in which the Common Stock is converted into or exchanged for securities, cash or other property (other than a transaction covered by subsections 2(a), 2(b) or 2(d)) (collectively, a “Reorganization”), then, following such Reorganization, the Registered Holder shall receive upon exercise hereof the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property which the Registered Holder would have been entitled to receive pursuant to such Reorganization if such exercise had taken place immediately prior to such Reorganization.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if (x) there shall occur any Reorganization in which the Common Stock is converted into or exchanged for anything other than solely equity securities, and (y) the common stock of the acquiring or surviving company is publicly traded, then, as part of such Reorganization, (i) the Registered Holder shall have the right thereafter to receive upon the exercise hereof such number of shares of common stock of the acquiring or surviving company as is determined by multiplying (A) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to this Warrant immediately prior to such Reorganization by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock as of the effective date of such Reorganization, as determined below, and the denominator of which is the fair market value per share of common stock of the acquiring or surviving company as of the effective date of such transaction, as determined in good faith by the Board (using the principles set forth below to the extent applicable), and (ii) the exercise price per share of common stock of the acquiring or surviving company shall be the Purchase Price divided by the fraction referred to in clause (B) above.  In any such case, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Board) shall be made in the application of the provisions set forth herein with respect to the rights and interests thereafter of the Registered Holder, to the end that the provisions set forth in this Section 2 (including provisions with respect to changes in and other adjustments of the Purchase Price) shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to any securities, cash or other property thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant.
 
 
- 3 -

 
 
The Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be determined as follows:
 
(1)           If the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange or another nationally recognized trading system as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be deemed to be the reported closing price per share of Common Stock thereon on the trading day immediately preceding the Exercise Date ( provided that if no such price is reported on such day, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be determined pursuant to clause (2) below).
 
(2)           If the Common Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange or another nationally recognized trading system as of the Exercise Date, the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock shall be deemed to be the amount most recently determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) to represent the fair market value per share of the Common Stock (including without limitation a determination for purposes of granting Common Stock options or issuing Common Stock under any plan, agreement or arrangement with employees of the Company); and, upon request of the Registered Holder, the Board (or a representative thereof) shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable but in any event not later than 10 days after such request, notify the Registered Holder of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock and furnish the Registered Holder with reasonable documentation of the Board’s determination of such Fair Market Value.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board has not made such a determination within the three-month period prior to the Exercise Date, then the Board shall make, and shall provide or cause to be provided to the Registered Holder notice of, a determination of the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock within 15 days of a request by the Registered Holder that it do so.
 
(f)            Certificate as to Adjustments .  Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment of the Purchase Price pursuant to this Section 2, the Company at its expense shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable but in any event not later than 10 days thereafter, compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and furnish to the Registered Holder a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment (including the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property for which this Warrant shall be exercisable and the Purchase Price) and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based.  The Company shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable after the written request at any time of the Registered Holder (but in any event not later than 10 days thereafter), furnish or cause to be furnished to the Registered Holder a certificate setting forth (i) the Purchase Price then in effect and (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock and the amount, if any, of other securities, cash or property which then would be received upon the exercise of this Warrant.
  
3.            Fractional Shares .  The Company shall not be required upon the exercise of this Warrant to issue any fractional shares, but shall pay the value thereof to the Registered Holder in cash on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock, as determined pursuant to subsection 2(e) above.
 
 
- 4 -

 
 
4.            Transfers, etc .
 
(a)           This Warrant and the Warrant Shares shall not be sold or transferred unless the Company agrees, in writing, to such transfer.
 
(b)           The Company will maintain a register containing the name and address of the Registered Holder of this Warrant.  The Registered Holder may change its address as shown on the warrant register by written notice to the Company requesting such change.
 
(c)           Subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant with a properly executed assignment (in the form of Exhibit II hereto) at the principal office of the Company (or, if another office or agency has been designated by the Company for such purpose, then at such other office or agency).
 
5.            No Impairment .  The Company will not, by amendment of its charter or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Registered Holder against impairment.
 
6.            Notices of Record Date, etc.   In the event:
 
(a)           the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Common Stock (or other stock or securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant) for the purpose of entitling or enabling them to receive any dividend or other distribution, or to receive any right to subscribe for or purchase any shares of stock of any class or any other securities, or to receive any other right; or
 
(b)           of any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification of the Common Stock of the Company, any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation, or any transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or
 
(c)           of the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company, then, and in each such case, the Company will send or cause to be sent to the Registered Holder a notice specifying, as the case may be, (i) the record date for such dividend, distribution or right, and the amount and character of such dividend, distribution or right, or (ii) the effective date on which such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed, as of which the holders of record of Common Stock (or such other stock or securities at the time deliverable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other stock or securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, transfer, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up.  Such notice shall be sent at least 10 days prior to the record date or effective date for the event specified in such notice.
 
- 5 -

 
 
7.            Reservation of Stock .  The Company will at all times reserve and keep available, solely for issuance and delivery upon the exercise of this Warrant, such number of Warrant Shares and other securities, cash and/or property, as from time to time shall be issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant.
 
8.            Exchange or Replacement of Warrants .
 
(a)           Upon the surrender by the Registered Holder, properly endorsed, to the Company at the principal office of the Company, the Company will, subject to the provisions of Section 4 hereof, issue and deliver to or upon the order of the Registered Holder, at the Company’s expense, a new Warrant or Warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Registered Holder or as the Registered Holder (upon payment by the Registered Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct, calling in the aggregate on the face or faces thereof for the number of shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash and/or property) then issuable upon exercise of this Warrant.
 
(b)           Upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) upon delivery of an indemnity agreement (with surety if reasonably required) in an amount reasonably satisfactory to the Company, or (in the case of mutilation) upon surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company will issue, in lieu thereof, a new Warrant of like tenor.
 
9.            Notices .  All notices and other communications from the Company to the Registered Holder in connection herewith shall be mailed by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, or sent via a reputable nationwide overnight courier service guaranteeing next business day delivery, to the address last furnished to the Company in writing by the Registered Holder.  All notices and other communications from the Registered Holder to the Company in connection herewith shall be mailed by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, or sent via a reputable nationwide overnight courier service guaranteeing next business day delivery, to the Company at its principal office set forth below.  If the Company should at any time change the location of its principal office to a place other than as set forth below, it shall give prompt written notice to the Registered Holder and thereafter all references in this Warrant to the location of its principal office at the particular time shall be as so specified in such notice. All such notices and communications shall be deemed delivered one business day after being sent via a reputable international overnight courier service guaranteeing next business day delivery.
 
10.          No Rights as Stockholder .  Until the exercise of this Warrant, the Registered Holder shall not have or exercise any rights by virtue hereof as a stockholder of the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event (i) the Company effects a split of the Common Stock by means of a stock dividend and the Purchase Price of and the number of Warrant Shares are adjusted as of the date of the distribution of the dividend (rather than as of the record date for such dividend), and (ii) the Registered Holder exercises this Warrant between the record date and the distribution date for such stock dividend, the Registered Holder shall be entitled to receive, on the distribution date, the stock dividend with respect to the shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise, notwithstanding the fact that such shares were not outstanding as of the close of business on the record date for such stock dividend.
 
 
- 6 -

 
 
11.          Amendment or Waiver .  Any term of this Warrant may be amended or waived (either generally or in a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively) with the written consent of the Company and the holders of Company Warrants representing at least two-thirds of the number of shares of Common Stock then subject to outstanding Company Warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) this Warrant may be amended and the observance of any term hereunder may be waived without the written consent of the Registered Holder only in a manner which applies to all Company Warrants in the same fashion and (b) the number of Warrant Shares subject to this Warrant and the Purchase Price of this Warrant may not be amended, and the right to exercise this Warrant may not be waived, without the written consent of the Registered Holder (it being agreed that an amendment to or waiver under any of the provisions of Section 2 of this Warrant shall not be considered an amendment of the number of Warrant Shares or the Purchase Price).  The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Registered Holder of any amendment hereof or waiver hereunder that was effected without the Registered Holder’s written consent.  No waivers of any term, condition or provision of this Warrant, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be, or construed as, a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition or provision.
 
12.          Section Headings .  The section headings in this Warrant are for the convenience of the parties and in no way alter, modify, amend, limit or restrict the contractual obligations of the parties.
 
13.          Governing Law .  This Warrant will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware (without reference to the conflicts of law provisions thereof).
 
14.          Facsimile Signatures . This Warrant may be executed by facsimile signature.
 
* * * * * * *
 
 
- 7 -

 
 
EXECUTED as of the Date of Issuance indicated above.
 
SENESCO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
   
By:
 
 
Name: Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D.
 
Title: President and CEO
 
ATTEST:
 
 
 
 

 
 
EXHIBIT I
 
PURCHASE FORM
 
To: Senesco Technologies, Inc.
Dated:____________
 
The undersigned, pursuant to the provisions set forth in the attached Warrant (No. ___ ), hereby elects to purchase (check applicable box) :
 
▪              _________ shares of the Common Stock of Senesco Technologies, Inc. covered by such Warrant.
 
The undersigned herewith makes payment of the full purchase price for such shares at the price per share provided for in such Warrant.  Such payment takes the form of (check applicable box or boxes) :
 
 
$______ in lawful money of the United States.
 
Signature:
 
   
Address:
 
   
   
 
 
 

 
 
EXHIBIT II
 
ASSIGNMENT FORM
 
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ______________________________________ hereby sells, assigns and transfers all of the rights of the undersigned under the attached Warrant (No. ____) with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock of Senesco Technologies, Inc. covered thereby set forth below, unto:
 
Name of Assignee
 
Address
 
No. of Shares
         
         
         
 
Dated:_____________________
Signature:________________________________
 
Signature Guaranteed:
 
By:
 
 
The signature should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program) pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
 
 

 
 

Exhibit 5.1
January 9, 2012
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
721 Route 202/206, Suite 130
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
 
RE:
Senesco Technologies, Inc., Registration Statement on Form S-3
 
(Registration No. 333-170140)
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
We have acted as counsel to Senesco Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the filing of the referenced Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  The Registration Statement relates to the proposed offering and sale of up to 7,692,308 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Shares”) and warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase 3,846,154 shares of common stock of the Company (the “Warrant Shares”, and together with the Shares and the Warrants, the “Securities”).
 
In connection with this opinion letter, we have examined the Registration Statement and originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company and such other documents, records and other instruments as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of the opinion set forth herein.
 
We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of the documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as certified, facsimile or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.
 
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when issued and sold by the Company and delivered by the Company against receipt of the purchase price therefor, in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
 
The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of New Jersey and the Delaware General Corporation Law.
 
 
 

 
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
January 9, 2012
Page 2
 
We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement.  In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are acting within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules or regulations of the SEC thereunder.
 
Very truly yours,

/s/ MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
 
 

 
 
 
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
 
This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of January 6, 2012, by and among Senesco Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of the investors listed on the signature pages hereto (each a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”).
 
WITNESSETH :
 
WHEREAS , the Company and each Purchaser desire to enter into a transaction to purchase the Shares (as defined below) set forth herein pursuant to a currently effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which has at least [_____] unallocated shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), registered thereunder (Registration Number 333-170140) as of January [_], 2012 (the “Registration Statement”), which Registration Statement has been declared effective in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”); and

WHEREAS , except as otherwise set forth herein, each Purchaser wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto at a price per share of $0.26 (which aggregate amount for all Purchasers shall be [____] shares of Common Stock and shall collectively be referred to herein as the “Shares”) and (ii) a five year warrant to initially acquire up to that number of additional shares of Common Stock set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto with an initial exercise price of $0.286 per share, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Warrants”) (as exercised, collectively, the “Warrant Shares”).  The Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares shall be referred to herein as the “Securities”.
 
 
NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
 
ARTICLE 1 
 
PURCHASE AND SALE OF THE SECURITIES
 
1.1            Purchase and Sale .  Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and on the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein contained, the Company shall issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser severally, and not jointly, shall purchase from the Company on the Closing Date (as defined below), the Securities set forth opposite such Purchaser’s signature page hereto.
 
1.2            Closing .  The closing (the “Closing”) of the purchase of the Shares and the Warrants (if applicable) by the Purchasers shall occur at the offices of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, 502 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540. The date and time of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the third (3rd) trading day after the date hereof (or such earlier date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and each Purchaser). As used herein “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.
 
 
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1.3            Purchase Price .  The aggregate purchase price for the Shares and the Warrants to be purchased by each Purchaser (the “Purchase Price”) shall be the amount set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto.  For purposes of clarification, to the extent any officer or director of the Company or any affiliate of such officer or director is a Purchaser hereunder, he, she or it shall not be issued Warrants in exchange for the Purchase Price paid by such officer, director or affiliate to the Company hereunder.
 
1.4            Form of Payment; Deliveries .  On the Closing Date, (i) each Purchaser shall pay its respective Purchase Price to the Company for the Shares and the Warrants (if applicable) to be issued and sold to such Purchaser at the Closing, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Company’s written wire instructions, and (ii) the Company shall (A) cause American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC (together with any subsequent transfer agent, the “Transfer Agent”), upon the election of the Purchaser as set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto, either, (1) physically deliver a stock certificate, or (2) credit through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program to such Purchaser’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system, in each case, such aggregate number of Shares that such Purchaser is purchasing as is set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto, (B) if applicable, deliver to such Purchaser a Warrant pursuant to which such Purchaser shall have the right to initially acquire up to such number of Warrant Shares as is set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered in the name of such Purchaser or its designee and (C) deliver to such Purchaser the other documents, instruments and certificates set forth in ARTICLE 7.
 
ARTICLE 2
 
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
 
Except as set disclosed in the Registration Statement, all filings with the SEC incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the Prospectus supplement, and any “issuer free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act, relating to the Securities in the form filed or required to be filed with the SEC or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g) under the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Disclosure Package”), the Company represents and warrants to the Purchasers, as of the date hereof, that:
 
2.1            Organization; Good Standing .  The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has full corporate power and authority to own its properties and to conduct the business in which it is now engaged.
 
 
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2.2            Authority .  The Company has the full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform all of its obligations and covenants hereunder.  Other than the filing with the SEC of the prospectus supplement required by the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the “Prospectus Supplement”) supplementing the base prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies, no further filing, consent or authorization is required by the Company, its board of directors or its stockholders or other governing body.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations and covenants hereunder and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action.  This Agreement constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights in general or by general principles of equity.
 
2.3            No Legal Bar; Conflicts .  Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, violates any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, or By-Laws of the Company or any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental agency, or conflicts with or results in any breach of any of the terms of or constitutes a default under or results in the termination of or the creation of any lien pursuant to the terms of any contract or agreement to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of its assets is bound.
 
2.4            Non-Assessable Shares; Registration Statement .  The Securities being issued hereunder have been duly authorized and, the Shares, when issued to the Purchasers for the consideration herein provided, and the Warrant Shares upon exercise of the Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.  The issuance by the Company of the Securities has been registered under the 1933 Act, the Securities are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and all of the Securities are freely transferable and freely tradable by each of the Purchasers without restriction. The Registration Statement is effective and available for the issuance of the Securities thereunder and the Company has not received any notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened in writing to do so. The “Plan of Distribution” section under the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder. Upon receipt of the Securities, each of the Purchasers will have good and marketable title to the Securities. The Registration Statement and any prospectus included therein, including the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the Securities Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder and all other applicable laws and regulations. At the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at each deemed effective date thereof pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (including, without limitation the Prospectus Supplement), at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, complied, and will comply, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not, and will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The Registration Statement is available under the 1933 Act to be used by the Company for the offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, and the SEC has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) under the 1933 Act. The filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended June 30, 2011 qualifies under the 1933 Act as a Section 10(a)(3) update to the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the 1933 Act. At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the 1933 Act) relating to any of the Securities, the Company was not and is not an “Ineligible Issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act). The Company (i) has not distributed any offering material in connection with the offer or sale of any of the Securities and (ii) until no Purchaser holds any of the Securities, shall not distribute any offering material in connection with the offer or sale of any of the Securities to, or by, any of the Purchasers (if required), in each case, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement.
 
 
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2.5            SEC Documents; Financial Statements .  During the two years prior to the date hereof, the Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof or prior to the Closing Date, and all exhibits included therein and financial statements and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”).  The Company has made available to the Purchasers or their respective representatives true, correct and complete copies of the SEC Documents not available on the EDGAR system.  As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied as to form in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto.  Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments).  No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers which is not included in the SEC Documents, including, without limitation, information provided to any Purchasers by the Company in anticipation of this transaction, contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made, not misleading.
 
 
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2.6            Absence of Certain Changes .  Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations or prospects of the Company or its subsidiaries.  Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, the Company has not (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any assets, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $500,000 outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) had capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, in excess of $500,000.  The Company has not taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any bankruptcy law nor does the Company have any knowledge or reason to believe that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so.
 
2.7            No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances .  No event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is contemplated to occur, with respect to the Company or its subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, prospects, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced.
 
2.8            Foreign Corrupt Practices .  Neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has, in the course of its actions for, or on behalf of, the Company (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expenses relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee.
 
2.9            Sarbanes-Oxley Act .  The Company is in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that are effective as of the date hereof, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof, except where such noncompliance would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect.
 
ARTICLE 3 
 
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASERS
 
Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company, as of the date hereof, that:
  
 
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3.1            Organization (if applicable) .  The Purchaser is, and as of the Closing will be, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization.
 
3.2            Authorization .  The Purchaser has, and as of the Closing will have, all requisite power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Purchaser.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Purchaser and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting the enforceability of creditors’ rights in general or by general principles of equity.
 
3.3            No Legal Bar; Conflicts .  Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement, nor the consummation by the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby, violates any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, order, judgment or decree of any court or governmental agency applicable to the Purchaser, or violates, or conflicts with, any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind to which the Purchaser is a party or by which the Purchaser is bound.
 
3.4            No Litigation .  No action, suit or proceeding against the Purchaser relating to the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement nor any governmental action against the Purchaser seeking to delay or enjoin any such transactions is pending or, to the Purchaser’s knowledge, threatened.
 
ARTICLE 4
 
COVENANTS
 
4.1            Maintenance of Registration Statement .  For so long as any of the Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for the issuance thereunder of the Warrant Shares, provided that, if at any time while the Warrants are outstanding the Company shall be ineligible to utilize Form S-3 (or any successor form) for the purpose of issuance of the Warrant Shares, the Company shall promptly amend the Registration Statement on such other form as may be necessary to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement for this purpose. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement is not effective or is not otherwise available for the issuance of the Securities or any prospectus contained therein is not available for use, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Securities in writing that the Registration Statement is not then effective or a prospectus contained therein is not available for use and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the Registration Statement is effective again and available for the issuance of the Securities or such prospectus is again available for use.
 
 
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4.2            Prospectus Supplement and Blue Sky . Immediately prior to execution of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered, and as soon as practicable after execution of this Agreement the Company shall file, the Prospectus Supplement with respect to the Securities as required under, and in conformity with, the 1933 Act, including Rule 424(b) thereunder. If required, the Company, on or before the Closing Date, shall take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to qualify the Securities for sale to the Purchasers at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Purchasers on or prior to the Closing Date. Without limiting any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall timely make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under all applicable securities laws (including, without limitation, all applicable federal securities laws and all applicable “Blue Sky” laws), and the Company shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and the like relating to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Purchasers.
 
4.3            Reporting Status .  During the period from the date hereof until the date on which no Warrants are outstanding (such period, the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall timely file all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would no longer require or otherwise permit such termination.
 
4.4            Use of Proceeds . The Company shall use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities for working capital, the expansion of its business through internal growth or acquisitions and general corporate purposes.
 
4.5            Financial Information . The Company agrees to send the following to each Purchaser during the Reporting Period unless the following are filed with the SEC through EDGAR and are available to the public through the EDGAR system, (i) within one (1) Business Day after the filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, any interim reports or any consolidated balance sheets, income statements, stockholders’ equity statements and/or cash flow statements for any period other than annual, any Current Reports on Form 8-K and any registration statements (other than on Form S-8) or amendments filed pursuant to the 1933 Act, (ii) on the same day as the release thereof, facsimile copies of all press releases issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and (iii) copies of any notices and other information made available or given to the stockholders of the Company generally, contemporaneously with the making available or giving thereof to the stockholders.
 
4.6            Listin g . The Company shall promptly (but in no event later than the Closing Date) secure the listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Shares and Warrant Shares upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as the case may be) (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all the shares of Common Stock from time to time issuable under the terms of this Agreement on such national securities exchange or automated quotation system. The Company shall maintain the Common Stock’s listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) on the The New York Stock Exchange, the NYSE Amex LLC, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the OTC Bulletin Board (each, an “Eligible Market”). The Company shall not take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on an Eligible Market. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company hereby advises the Purchasers that the Company has received notification that it does not currently meet all of the NYSE Amex LLC’s continued listing standards as set forth in Part 10 of the NYSE Amex LLC Company Guide, and the Company has submitted a plan to regain compliance with the NYSE Amex LLC’s continued listing standards, which was accepted by the NYSE Amex LLC.  The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4.6.
 
 
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4.7            Pledge of Securities . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company acknowledges and agrees that the Securities may be pledged by a Purchaser in connection with a bona fide margin agreement or other loan or financing arrangement that is secured by the Securities. The pledge of Securities shall not be deemed to be a transfer, sale or assignment of the Securities hereunder (except to the extent otherwise required under applicable law), and no Purchaser effecting a pledge of Securities shall be required to provide the Company with any notice thereof or otherwise make any delivery to the Company pursuant to this Agreement. The Company hereby agrees to execute and deliver such documentation as a pledgee of the Securities may reasonably request in connection with a pledge of the Securities to such pledgee by a Purchaser.
 
4.8            Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information . The Company shall, on or before 9:30 a.m. (but in no event prior to 9:15 a.m.), New York time, on the trading day immediately following the date of this Agreement, (i) issue a press release (the “Press Release”) disclosing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) file a Current Report on Form 8-K describing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching this Agreement and the form of Warrants (including all attachments, the “8-K Filing”). From and after the issuance of the Press Release, the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company, or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated herein. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its officers, directors, employees and agents, not to, provide any Purchaser with any material, non-public information regarding the Company from and after the issuance of the Press Release without the express prior written consent of such Purchaser. In the event of a breach of any of the foregoing covenants or any of the covenants contained in this Section 4.8 by the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of such Purchaser), in addition to any other remedy provided herein, such Purchaser shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents. No Purchaser shall have any liability to the Company or any of its officers, directors, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure. Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Purchaser, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8-K Filing and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations (provided that in the case of clause (i) each Purchaser shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release). Without the prior written consent of the applicable Purchaser, other then with respect to the attachment of this Agreeemnt to the 8-K Filing, the Company shall not disclose the name of such Purchaser in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise.
 
 
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4.9            Reservation of Shares . So long as any Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of all the Warrants as of the date hereof (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of the Warrants set forth therein), less the number of Warrant Shares represented by any such Warrants that have been exercised.
 
4.10          Conduct of Business .  The business of the Company shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any governmental entity, except where such violations would not result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a material adverse effect.
 
4.11          Closing Documents .  On or prior to fourteen (14) calendar days after the Closing Date, the Company agrees to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to each Purchaser executed copies of his Agreement, the Warrants (if applicable), Securities and other document required to be delivered to any party pursuant to ARTICLE 7 hereof.
 
ARTICLE 5
 
REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONSL LEGEND
 
5.1            Register . The Company shall maintain at its principal executive offices (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice to each holder of Securities), a register for the Shares and the Warrants in which the Company shall record the name and address of the person in whose name the Shares and   the Warrants have been issued (including the name and address of each transferee), the number of Shares held by such person and the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants held by such person. The Company shall keep the register open and available at all times during business hours for inspection of any Purchaser or its legal representatives.
 
5.2            Transfer Agent Instructions . The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent in the form previously provided to the Company (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) to issue certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC, registered in the name of each Purchaser or its respective nominee(s), for the Shares and the Warrant Shares in such amounts as specified from time to time by each Purchaser to the Company upon delivery of the Shares or the exercise of the Warrants (as the case may be). The Company represents and warrants that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5.2 will be given by the Company to the Transfer Agent with respect to the Securities, and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company. If a Purchaser effects a sale, assignment or transfer of the Securities, the Company shall permit the transfer and shall promptly instruct the Transfer Agent to issue one or more certificates or credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC in such name and in such denominations as specified by such Purchaser to effect such sale, transfer or assignment. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to each Purchaser. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5.2 will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5.2, that each Purchaser shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
 
 
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5.3            Legends . Certificates and any other instruments evidencing the Securities shall not bear any restrictive or other legend.
 
ARTICLE 6
 
CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL
 
6.1           The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Shares and the related Warrants to the Purchasers at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing each Purchaser with prior written notice thereof:
 
(a)           Such Purchaser shall have executed this Agreement and delivered the same to the Company.
 
(b)           Such Purchaser shall have delivered to the Company the Purchase Price for the Shares and the related Warrants being purchased by such Purchaser at the Closing by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to the wire instructions provided by the Company.
 
(c)           The representations and warranties of such Purchaser shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and such Purchaser shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by such Purchaser at or prior to the Closing Date.
 
ARTICLE 7
 
CONDITIONS TO EACH PURCHASER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE
 
7.1           The obligation of each Purchaser hereunder to purchase the Shares and the related Warrants at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Purchaser’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Purchaser at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:
 
(a)           The Company shall have (i) executed and delivered to such Purchaser this Agreement, (ii) electronically delivered the Shares being purchased by such Purchaser at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement and (iii) if applicable, executed and delivered the related Warrants (in such amounts as such Purchaser shall request) being purchased by such Purchaser at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement.
 
 
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(b)           The Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser a copy of the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, which instructions shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Transfer Agent.
 
(c)           The Common Stock (i) shall be listed on an Eligible Market and (ii) shall not have been suspended, as of the Closing Date, by the SEC or stock exchange or government body from trading on an Eligible Market.
 
(d)           From the date hereof to the Closing Date, (i) trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC or the NYSE Amex LLC (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, (ii) at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on the NYSE Amex LLC, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing
 
(e)           The representations and warranties of the Company shall be true and correct as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date.
 
(f)           The Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Shares, the Warrants and the Warrant Shares.
 
(g)          The Registration Statement shall be effective and available for the issuance and sale of the Shares hereunder and the Company shall have delivered to such Purchaser the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement as required thereunder.
 
ARTICLE 8
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 
8.1            Entire Agreement; Amendment .  This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and no modification hereof shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the party against which it is sought to be enforced.
 
8.2            Invalidity, Etc .  If any provision of this Agreement, or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.
 
 
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8.3            Headings .  The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not part of the substance of this Agreement.
 
8.4            Binding Effect .  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
 
8.5            Notices . Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
 
If to the Company:
 
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
721 Route 202/206, Suite 130
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Facsimile:  908-864-4444
Attention:  Joel Brooks

With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
 
Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP
502 Carnegie Center
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Facsimile:  (609) 919-6701
Attention:  Emilio Ragosa, Esq.

If to the Transfer Agent:
 
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
6201 15 th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Facsimile:  718-765-8712
Attention:  Craig Leibell
 
If to a Purchaser, to its address and facsimile number set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto,
 
or to such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
 
 
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8.6            Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including, as contemplated below, any assignee of any of the Securities. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of holders of Warrants exercisable into two-thirds of the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants then outstanding (without regard for any limitations on exercise set forth therein and excluding any Warrants held by the Company).  A Purchaser may assign some or all of its rights hereunder in connection with any transfer of any of its Securities without the consent of the Company, in which event such assignee shall be deemed to be a Purchaser hereunder with respect to such assigned rights.
 
8.7            Survival . The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants shall survive the Closing. Each Purchaser shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.
 
8.8            Further Assurances . Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
 
8.9            Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware   applicable in the case of agreements made and to be performed entirely within such State, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, and the parties hereto hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New Jersey.
 
8.10          Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in one or more identical counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
 
 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
 
SENESCO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
 
By:
 
Name: Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D.
Title: President and CEO
 
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
 
 
 

 
 
[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
 
Name of Purchaser: ____________________________________________________
 
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser : __________________________
 
Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________
 
Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________
 
Email Address of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________
 
Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________

Address for Notice of Purchaser:
 
Address for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as address for notice) or DWAC Instructions:
 
Purchase Price:____________
 
Shares of Common Stock:____________
 
Warrant Shares:________________
 
EIN Number:
 
[SIGNATURE PAGES CONTINUE]
 
 
 

 

Exhibit A

Form of Warrant

 
 

 

Exhibit B

Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instruction

 
 

 

 
Senesco Announces $2.0 Million Equity Financing
 
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (January 9 th , 2012) – Senesco Technologies, Inc. (“Senesco” or the “Company”) (NYSE AMEX: SNT)   announced today that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement to raise approximately $2.0 million in gross proceeds through the sale of 7,692,308 shares of its common stock.  The investors, excluding officers and directors of Senesco or funds affiliated with such officers or directors participating in the offering, will also receive 50% warrant coverage at an exercise price of $0.286 per share.  The common stock and 50% warrant coverage (the “Unit”) was priced at $0.26 per Unit.

The offering is expected to close on or about January 11, 2012. The net proceeds of the financing will be used primarily for working capital, research and development and general corporate purposes.

“We are very pleased to have the participation of both new and existing investors to supplement our financial resources despite the current challenging economic climate,” said Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D., President and CEO of Senesco. “Progress in the clinical development of SNS01-T in multiple myeloma and positive results from our non-clinical evaluation of SNS01-T in other B-cell cancers, is delivering additional options that we believe is recognized as adding value for our investors.”

The shares and warrants are being offered pursuant to a prospectus forming a part of the Company’s effective registration statement (File No. 333-170140) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), a copy of which may be obtained, when available, at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov .

This press release does not and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Additional terms of this offering (including the full terms and conditions of the securities purchase agreement and warrants) were disclosed on a Form 8-K filed with the SEC by Senesco simultaneously with this press release and will also be disclosed in the prospectus filed with the SEC in connection with this offering.

About Senesco Technologies, Inc.
 
Senesco, a leader in eIF5A technology, is running a clinical study in multiple myeloma with its lead therapeutic candidate SNS01-T, which targets B-cell cancers by selectively inducing apoptosis by modulating eukaryotic, translation, initiation Factor 5A (eIF5A), which is believed to be an important regulator of cell growth and cell death. Accelerating apoptosis may have applications in treating cancer, while delaying apoptosis may have applications in treating certain inflammatory and ischemic diseases. Senesco has already partnered with leading-edge companies engaged in agricultural biotechnology and is entitled to earn research and development milestones and royalties if its gene-regulating platform technology is incorporated into its partners’ products.
 
 
 

 
 
About Multiple Myeloma
 
Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell derived from B-lymphocytes, normally responsible for the production of antibodies. Senesco was previously granted orphan drug status for SNS01-T, the Company’s lead drug candidate for treatment of multiple myeloma.
 
Forward-Looking Statements
 
Certain statements included in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from such statements expressed or implied herein as a result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: the ability of the Company to consummate additional financings; the development of the Company’s gene technology; the approval of the Company’s patent applications; the successful implementation of the Company’s research and development programs and collaborations; the success of the Company's license agreements; the acceptance by the market of the Company’s products; the timing and success of the Company’s preliminary studies, preclinical research and clinical trials; competition and the timing of projects and trends in future operating performance, the Company’s ability to comply with the continued listing standards of the NYSE Amex, as well as other factors expressed from time to time in the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC. As a result, this press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
 
Contact:
Company:
Senesco Technologies, Inc.
Leslie J. Browne, Ph.D., 908-864-4444
President & CEO
 
or
 
Investor Relations:
CEOcast, Inc.
Robert Woods, 212-732-4300
rwoods@ceocast.com