As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 18, 2017.

Registration No. 333-217245

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Amendment No. 1

to

FORM S-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   2834   46-5270895

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

1460 Broadway, Suite 15044

New York, New York 10036

(646) 661-7661

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Jeremy M. Levin, DPhil, MB BChir

Chief Executive Officer

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

1460 Broadway, Suite 15044 New York, New York 10036

(646) 661-7661

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Laura A. Berezin

Divakar Gupta

Robert W. Phillips

Jaime L. Chase

Cooley LLP

3175 Hanover Street

Palo Alto, California 94304

(650) 843-5000

 

Yaron Werber, MD

Chief Business and Financial Officer

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

1460 Broadway, Suite 15044

New York, New York 10036

(646) 661-7661

 

Mitchell S. Bloom

Edwin M. O’Connor

Seo Salimi

Goodwin Procter LLP

The New York Times Building

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, New York 10018

(212) 813-8800

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  ☐

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer  ☐   Accelerated filer  ☐   Non-accelerated filer  ☒   Smaller reporting company  ☐   Emerging growth company  ☒
    (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☒

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of each class of securities

to be registered

  Proposed maximum
aggregate offering price (1)
 

Amount of

registration fee (1)

Common stock, $0.001 par value per share

  $86,250,000   $9,997 (2)

 

 

(1)   Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price. Includes the offering price of additional shares of common stock that the underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.
(2)   Previously paid.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

Ovid Therapeutics Inc. is filing this Amendment No. 1 (this “Amendment”) to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-217245) (the “Registration Statement”) to file certain exhibits to the Registration Statement as indicated on the Index to Exhibits. Accordingly, this Amendment consists only of the facing page, this explanatory note, the signature page to the Registration Statement, the Index to Exhibits and the filed exhibits. Parts I and II of the Registration Statement are unchanged and have therefore been omitted.


SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this amendment to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on April 18, 2017.

 

  OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.
 

By: /s/ Jeremy M. Levin, DPhil, MB BChir

 

Jeremy M. Levin, DPhil, MB BChir

Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this amendment to the registration statement on Form S-1 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jeremy M. Levin, DPhil, MB BChir

Jeremy M. Levin, DPhil, MB BChir

 

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

  April 18, 2017

/s/ Timothy Daly

Timothy Daly

 

Vice President, Finance and Corporate Controller

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  April 18, 2017

*

Matthew During, MD, DSc

 

President, Chief Scientific Officer and Director

  April 18, 2017

*

Karen Bernstein, PhD

 

Director

  April 18, 2017

*

Bart Friedman

 

Director

  April 18, 2017

*

Douglas Williams, PhD

 

Director

  April 18, 2017

 

*By:  

/s/ Timothy Daly

  Timothy Daly
  Attorney-in-fact


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

    

Description

    1.1      Form of Underwriting Agreement.
    3.1#      Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as currently in effect.
    3.2      Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering.
    3.3#      Amended and Restated Bylaws, as currently in effect.
    3.4      Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws, to be effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering.
    4.1*      Form of Common Stock Certificate of the Registrant.
    4.2#      Second Amended and Restated Investors’ Rights Agreement, by and among the Registrant and certain of its stockholders, dated January 6, 2017.
    5.1*      Opinion of Cooley LLP.
  10.1+      Form of Indemnity Agreement by and between the Registrant and its directors and officers.
  10.2+      2017 Equity Incentive Plan.
  10.3+      Forms of Option Grant Notice and Option Agreement under 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.
  10.4+#      2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended.
  10.5+#      Amendment to 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of March 9, 2015.
  10.6+#      Amendment to 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of June 4, 2015.
  10.7+#      Amendment to 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of July 28, 2015.
  10.8+#      Amendment to 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, effective as of February 11, 2016.
  10.9+#      Forms of Stock Option Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.
  10.10+#      Form of Stock Option Agreement—Early Exercise under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.
  10.11+#      Form of Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement under the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan.
  10.12+      2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
  10.13+      Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Jeremy M. Levin.
  10.14+      Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Amit Rakhit.
  10.15+      Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Dirk Haasner.
  10.16†#      License Agreement by and between H. Lundbeck A/S and the Registrant, dated March 25, 2015.
  10.17†#      Collaboration and License Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, effective January 6, 2017.
  10.18†#      Series B-1 Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement, by and between the Registrant and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, dated January 6, 2017.


Exhibit

Number

    

Description

  23.1#      Consent of KPMG LLP, an Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
  23.2*      Consent of Cooley LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
  24.1#      Power of Attorney (included on the signature page to this registration statement).

 

*   To be filed by amendment.
+   Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan.
  Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment that will be separately filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
#   Previously filed.

Exhibit 1.1

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

[•] Shares

Common Stock

($0.001 par value)

Underwriting Agreement

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Cowen and Company, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, [•] shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (“Common Stock”) of the Company (said shares to be issued and sold by the Company being hereinafter called the “Underwritten Securities”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to [•] additional shares of Common Stock to cover over-allotments, if any (the “Option Securities”; the Option Securities, together with the Underwritten Securities, being hereinafter called the “Securities”). To the extent there are no additional Underwriters listed on Schedule I other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms Representatives and Underwriters shall mean either the singular or plural as the context requires. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section  21 hereof. The offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement is referred to herein as the “Offering.”

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as set forth below in this Section  1 .

(a) The Company has prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement (file number 333-217245) on Form S-1, including a related preliminary prospectus, for registration under the Act (as defined herein) of the Offering. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution


Time, has become effective. The Company may have filed one or more amendments thereto, including a related preliminary prospectus, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus shall contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the latest Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein.

(b) On the Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date (as defined herein) and on any date on which Option Securities are purchased, if such date is not the Closing Date (a “settlement date”), the Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the rules thereunder; on the Effective Date, at the Execution Time and on the Closing Date, the Registration Statement 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 in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and any settlement date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement, or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section  8 hereof.

(c) (i) The Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, when taken together as a whole; (ii) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus; and (iii) any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package and the price to the public, the number of Underwritten Securities and the number of Option Securities to be included on the cover page of the Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section  8 hereof.

 

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(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement; and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(e) From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any Person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication) through the Execution Time, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.

(f) The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act; and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company reconfirms that the Representatives have been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act.

(g) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section  8 hereof.

(h) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(i) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(j) There is no franchise, contract or other document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to be filed as an exhibit thereto, which is not described or filed as required (and the Preliminary Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus); and the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the headings “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders,” “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property,” “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Regulatory Compliance,” “Business – Government Regulation” and “Business – Intellectual Property” insofar as such statements summarize legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings discussed therein, are accurate and fair summaries of such legal matters, agreements, documents or proceedings.

(k) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(l) No consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except (i) such as have been obtained under the Act; (ii) such as are required by the listing rules of the NASDAQ Global Market; (iii) such as are required by the applicable rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”); and (iv) such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(m) Neither the issue and sale of the Securities nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except in the cases of clauses (ii) and (iii) for such conflict, breach, violation or imposition as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(n) No holders of securities of the Company have rights to the registration of such securities under the Registration Statement, except to the extent such registration rights have been waived in connection with this Offering.

 

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(o) The historical financial statements and schedules of the Company included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form, in all material respects, with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The selected financial data set forth under the caption “Selected Financial Data” in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and Registration Statement fairly present, in all material respects, on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Registration Statement, the information included therein.

(p) No action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or its property is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(q) The Company owns or leases all such properties as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted, except for intellectual property which is separately addressed in subsection (jj) below, and except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(r) The Company is not in violation or default of (i) any provision of its charter or bylaws; (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which it is a party or bound or to which its property is subject; or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violation or default as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) KPMG LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and delivered their report with respect to the audited financial statements and schedules included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(t) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Securities.

(u) The Company has filed all tax returns that are required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto)) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or

 

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penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(v) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(w) The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as the Company reasonably believes are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; all policies of insurance insuring the Company or its business, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company is in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; and there are no claims by the Company under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; the Company has not been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and the Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(x) The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations required to be issued by all applicable authorities necessary to conduct its business, expect where the failure to possess such licenses, permits and other authorizations would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(y) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company’s internal controls over financial reporting are effective at the reasonable

 

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assurance level and the Company is not aware of any material weakness in their internal controls over financial reporting (it being understood that, as of the date hereof, the Company is not required to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (as defined herein).

(z) The Company maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective at the reasonable assurance level.

(aa) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, without giving effect to activities by the Underwriters, any action designed to or that would constitute or that would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(bb) The Company is (i) in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”); (ii) has received and is in compliance with all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct its business; and (iii) has not received notice of any actual or potential liability under any environmental law, except where such non-compliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals, or liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). Except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not been named as a “potentially responsible party” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended.

(cc) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(dd) None of the following events has occurred or exists: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to a Plan, determined without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any

 

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amortization period; (ii) an audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by any of the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees by the Company that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the following events has occurred or is reasonably likely to occur: (i) a material increase in the aggregate amount of contributions required to be made to all Plans in the current fiscal year of the Company compared to the amount of such contributions made in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company; (ii) a material increase in the “accumulated post-retirement benefit obligations” (within the meaning of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 106) of the Company compared to the amount of such obligations in the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company; (iii) any event or condition giving rise to a liability under Title IV of ERISA that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iv) the filing of a claim by one or more employees or former employees of the Company related to their employment that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Plan” means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which the Company may have any liability.

(ee) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply as of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications.

(ff) Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation or a sanction for violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder; and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures to ensure compliance therewith. No part of the proceeds of the Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, each as may be amended, or similar law of any other relevant jurisdiction, or the rules or regulations thereunder.

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

 

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(hh) Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company (i) is, or is controlled or 50% or more owned by or is acting on behalf of, an individual or entity that is currently subject to any sanctions administered or enforced by the United States (including any administered or enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department, the U.S. Department of State, or the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the United Kingdom (including sanctions administered or enforced by Her Majesty’s Treasury) or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions” and such persons, “Sanctioned Persons”); (ii) is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions that broadly prohibit dealings with that country or territory (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries” and each, a “Sanctioned Country”); or (iii) will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of this Offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity in any manner that would result in a violation of any Sanctions by, or would result in the imposition of Sanctions against, any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the Offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

(ii) Except as has been disclosed to the Underwriters or is not material to the analysis under any Sanctions, the Company has not engaged in any dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of a Sanctioned Person, or with or in a Sanctioned Country, in the preceding three years, nor does the Company have any plans to increase its dealings or transactions with or for the benefit of Sanctioned Persons, or with or in Sanctioned Countries.

(jj) The Company owns, possesses, licenses, or has other rights to use, on reasonable terms, all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s business as now conducted or as proposed in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus to be conducted and (i) to the Company’s knowledge, there are no rights of third parties to any such Intellectual Property, except for certain rights of third-party licensors with respect to Intellectual Property that are described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) there is no material infringement by third parties of any such Intellectual Property; (iii) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s rights in or to any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (iv) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (v) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes or otherwise

 

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violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of others, and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim; (vi) to the Company’s knowledge, there is no U.S. patent or published U.S. patent application which contains claims that dominate or may dominate any Intellectual Property described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by or licensed to the Company or that interferes with the issued or pending claims of any such Intellectual Property; and (vii) there is no prior art of which the Company is aware that may render any U.S. patent held by the Company invalid or any U.S. patent application held by the Company unpatentable which has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; except, in the cases of clauses (i)—(vii), as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(kk) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any of the Underwriters; and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any of the Underwriters.

(ll) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as applicable, the Company (i) is and at all times has been in compliance in all material respects with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, advertising, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company including, without limitation, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. §301 et seq.), the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 U.S.C. §1320a-7b(b)), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. §1320d et seq.), as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. §17921 et seq.), and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Pub. Law 111-148), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. Law 111-152), the regulations promulgated pursuant to such laws, and any successor government programs and comparable state laws, regulations relating to Good Clinical Practice and Good Laboratory Practice and all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, manual provisions, policies and administrative guidance relating to the regulation of the Company (collectively, the “Applicable Laws”); (ii) has not received any written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, exemptions, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits, registrations and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”), except for such non-compliance as would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iii) possess all Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations, except where the absence of any such Authorization would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third

 

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party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations nor is, to the Company’s knowledge, has any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened; (v) has received written notice that any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority has taken, is taking or intends to take, action to limit, suspend, materially modify or revoke any Authorizations nor, to the Company’s knowledge, is any such limitation, suspension, modification or revocation threatened; (vi) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission), except where the failure to so file, obtain, maintain or submit or the failure of such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments to be complete or accurate or corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission, would not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect; and (vii) is not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority.

(mm) The pre-clinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of or sponsored by the Company, or in which the Company has participated, that are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as applicable, were and, if still pending, are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with standard medical and scientific research procedures and all applicable statutes, rules and regulations of the FDA and comparable drug regulatory agencies outside of the United States to which it is subject (collectively, the “Regulatory Authorities”), including, without limitation, 21 C.F.R. Parts 50, 54, 56, 58, and 312, and current Good Clinical Practice and Good Laboratory Practice; the descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus of the results of such studies and trials are accurate and complete in all material respects and fairly present the data derived from such trials; the Company has no knowledge of any other trials the results of which are inconsistent with or otherwise call into question the results described or referred to in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the Company has operated and is currently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, rules and regulations of the Regulatory Authorities; the Company has not received any written notices, correspondence or other communication from the Regulatory Authorities or any governmental authority requiring the termination or suspension of any pre-clinical studies or clinical trials that are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the results of which are referred to in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and to the Company’s knowledge, there are no reasonable grounds for same.

 

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(nn) The Company possesses all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations (collectively, “Permits”) issued by, and has made all declarations and filings with, the applicable federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of its properties or the conduct of its businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or to permit all pre-clinical studies and clinical trials conducted by or on behalf of the Company, including, without limitation, all necessary FDA and applicable foreign regulatory agency Permits, except as would not be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is not in violation of, or in default under, any such Permit; and the Company has not received written notice of any revocation or modification of any such Permit and does not have any reason to believe that any such Permit will not be renewed in the ordinary course. The Company (i) is, and at all times has been, in compliance in all material respects with all Applicable Laws and (ii) has not received any FDA Form 483, written notice of adverse finding, warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or written notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority alleging or asserting non-compliance with (A) any Applicable Laws or (B) any Permits required by any such Applicable Laws.

(oo) To the Company’s knowledge, the manufacturing facilities and operations of its suppliers are operated in compliance in all material respects with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies of the Regulatory Authorities.

(pp) None of the Company’s product candidates have received marketing approval from any Regulatory Authority.

(qq) The Company has no significant subsidiaries as defined by Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the Offering shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase and Sale.

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $[•] per share, the amount of the Underwritten Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule  I hereto.

(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [•] Option Securities at the same purchase price per share as the Underwriters shall pay for the Underwritten Securities, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Securities but not payable on the Option Securities. Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Underwritten Securities by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in

 

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whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of shares of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date. The number of Option Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of shares of the Option Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Underwritten Securities, subject to such adjustments as you in your absolute discretion shall make to eliminate any fractional shares.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities (if the option provided for in Section  2(b) hereof shall have been exercised on or before the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date) shall be made at 10:00 AM, New York City time, on [•], 2017, or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section  9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

If the option provided for in Section  2(b) hereof is exercised after the third Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date, the Company will deliver the Option Securities (at the expense of the Company) to the Representatives, at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, on the date specified by the Representatives (which shall be within three Business Days after exercise of said option) for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. If settlement for the Option Securities occurs after the Closing Date, the Company will deliver to the Representatives on the settlement date for the Option Securities, and the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase the Option Securities shall be conditioned upon receipt of, supplemental opinions, certificates and letters confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and letters delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Section  6 hereof.

4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus.

5. Agreements. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the termination of the Offering, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement unless the Company has furnished you a copy for your review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement

 

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to which you reasonably object. The Company will cause the Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or when any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission; (ii) when, prior to termination of the Offering, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective; (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose; and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.    

(c) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules thereunder, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event; (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section  5 , an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and (iii) supply any supplemented Prospectus to you in such quantities as you may reasonably request.

 

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(d) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company which will satisfy the provisions of Section  11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

(e) Upon request, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the Offering.

(f) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the Offering, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(g) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company or any affiliate of the Company or any person in privity with the Company or any affiliate of the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any other shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, shares of Common Stock; or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period of 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, provided , however , that the Company may (i) issue and sell shares of Common Stock (or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock) pursuant to any employee stock option plan, incentive plan, stock ownership plan or dividend reinvestment plan of the Company in effect at the Execution Time, (ii) issue share of Common Stock issuable upon the conversion or exercise of securities outstanding at the Execution Time, (iii) file one or more registration statements on Form S-8, and (iv) offer, issue and sell shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common Stock in connection with any merger, acquisition or strategic investment (including any joint venture, strategic alliance or partnership) as long as (x) the aggregate number of shares of

 

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Common Stock issued or issuable does not exceed [10%] of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after the issuance and sale and (y) each recipient of any such Common Stock issued or issuable agrees to the restrictions on the resale of securities that are consistent with the lock-up letters described in Section 6(j) hereof for the remainder of the 180-day restricted period.

(h) If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a lock-up letter described in Section 6(j) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto through a major news service at least two Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

(i) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(j) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the Offering; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the Offering; (v) the registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and the listing of the Securities on the NASDAQ Global Market; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with the FINRA (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings), with such fees and expenses of counsel contained in clauses (vi) and (vii) not to exceed $35,000 in the aggregate); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities, [ provided , however , that the Company shall only be responsible for one-half of the cost and expenses of any aircraft or other transportation chartered in connection with the “road show” for the Securities and the Underwriters shall be responsible for the remaining one-half]; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

 

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(k) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule II hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

(l) The Company will notify promptly the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (a) completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act and (b) completion of the 180-day restricted period referred to in Section 5(g) hereof.

(m) If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, any event occurs as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that use of the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Underwritten Securities and the Option Securities, as the case may be, shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time, the Closing Date and any settlement date pursuant to Section  3 hereof, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

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(a) The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); any material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Cooley LLP, counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their opinion and negative assurance letter, each dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(c) The Company shall have requested and caused Carter, DeLuca, Farrell & Schmidt, LLP, intellectual property counsel for the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives their intellectual property opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(d) The Representatives shall have received from Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters.

(e) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, or the President and the principal financial or accounting officer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signers of such certificate have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the Offering, and this Agreement and that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

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(f) The Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Company, at the Execution Time and at the Closing Date, letters, dated respectively as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to underwriters, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, and each free writing prospectus, if any.

(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letter or letters referred to in paragraph (f) of this Section  6; or (ii) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(i) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(i) The Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the NASDAQ Global Market, and satisfactory evidence of such actions shall have been provided to the Representatives.

(j) At the Execution Time, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a letter substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto from each officer and director of the Company and certain stockholders of the Company addressed to the Representatives.

 

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If any of the conditions specified in this Section  6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

The documents required to be delivered by this Section  6 shall be delivered at the office of Goodwin Procter LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at Goodwin Procter LLP, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, on the Closing Date.

7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section  6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section  10(i) , (ii) or (iii)  hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been reasonably incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

8. Indemnification and Contribution.     (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act, and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided , however , that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

 

20


(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that the statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities and, (ii) under the heading “Underwriting”: (a) the list of Underwriters and their respective participation in the sale of the Securities; (b) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances; and (c) the paragraph related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section  8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section  8 , notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses; and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided , however , that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel (which, if the Company is the indemnifying party, shall be limited to one such separate counsel and one local counsel for any Underwriter together with all persons who control such Underwriter within the meaning of the Exchange Act or the Act, and no more than two such separate counsel and two local counsel for all of the Underwriters) if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action; or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the

 

21


indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding; and (ii) does not include an admission of fault.

(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this Section  8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the Offering. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the Offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section  8 , each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee, affiliate within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act, and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

 

22


9. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule  I hereto bears to the aggregate amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided , however , that in the event that the aggregate amount of Securities that the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate amount of Securities set forth in Schedule  I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section  9 , the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment: (i) trading in the Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the NASDAQ Global Market or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities; (iii) there shall have occurred a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the Offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act. or controlling persons referred to in Section  8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections  7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

 

23


12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Citigroup Global Markets Inc. General Counsel (fax no.: 1(646) 291-1469) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10013, Attention: General Counsel; and to Cowen and Company, LLC (fax no. 1(646) 562-1124) and to be confirmed to the Head of Equity Capital Markets, Cowen and Company, LLC at 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Head of Equity Capital Markets (or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed to Ovid Therapeutics Inc., 1460 Broadway, Suite 15044, New York, New York, 10036, attention of Yaron Werber.

13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section  8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14. Jurisdiction . The Company agrees that any suit, action or proceeding against the Company brought by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon this Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, and waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding. The Company hereby appoints Yaron Werber, Ovid Therapeutics Inc. 1460 Broadway, Suite 15044, New York, New York, 10036, as its authorized agent (the “ Authorized Agent ”) upon whom process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Underwriting Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein that may be instituted in any State or U.S. federal court in The City of New York and County of New York, by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, and expressly accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding. The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Authorized Agent has accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as said agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action arising out of or based upon this Underwriting Agreement may be instituted by any Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents of any Underwriter, or by any person who controls any Underwriter, in any court of competent jurisdiction in Delaware.

15. No fiduciary duty . The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the Offering and the process leading up to the Offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely

 

24


responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the Offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

16. Integration . This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

17. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

18. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Company and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

19. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

20. Headings. The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

21. Definitions. The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus that is generally distributed to investors and used to offer the Securities; (ii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto; and (iii) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or becomes effective.

 

25


“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

“Material Adverse Effect” shall mean (i) a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby; or (ii) a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business.

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above and any preliminary prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the Effective Date that omits Rule 430A Information.

“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time.

“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A, as amended at the Execution Time and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended or such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, as the case may be.

“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.

“Rule 430A Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the Offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A.

“Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the Offering covered by the registration statement referred to in Section  1(a) hereof

 

26


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,

 

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .

By:                                                                                  
Name: Jeremy Levin
Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

27


The foregoing Agreement is hereby

confirmed and accepted as of the

date first above written.

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

 

Cowen and Company, LLC
By:    
  Name:
  Title:

For themselves and the other

several Underwriters named in

Schedule I to the foregoing

Agreement.

 

28


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Number of Underwritten
Securities to be Purchased
 
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.   
Cowen and Company, LLC   
William Blair & Co. LLC   
JMP Securities LLC   
  

 

 

 

Total

  
  

 

 

 


SCHEDULE II

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package


SCHEDULE III

Schedule of Written Testing-the-Waters Communication


EXHIBIT A

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

Public Offering of Common Stock

[•], 2017

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Cowen and Company, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters,

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

c/o Cowen and Company, LLC

599 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the proposed Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each of you as representatives of a group of underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten public offering of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company (the “Offering”).

In order to induce you and the other Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement, the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC (together, the “Representatives”), offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for such capital stock, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for a period from the date hereof until 180 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), other than:


  (i) sales of Common Stock by the undersigned to the underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement;

 

  (ii) transactions relating to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired in the Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Offering;

 

  (iii) transfers of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into Common Stock as a bona fide gift or charitable contribution;

 

  (iv) exercise of stock options or warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock or the vesting of stock awards of Common Stock and any related transfer of shares of Common Stock to the Company in connection therewith (x) deemed to occur upon the “cashless” or “net” exercise of such options or warrants or (y) for the purpose of paying the exercise price of such options or warrants or for paying taxes due as a result of the exercise of such options or warrants, the vesting of such options, warrants or stock awards, or as a result of the vesting of such shares of Common Stock, it being understood that all shares of Common Stock received upon such exercise, vesting or transfer will remain subject to the restrictions of this agreement during the Lock-Up Period;

 

  (v) transfers to the spouse, domestic partner, parent, child or grandchild or first cousin of the undersigned (each, an “Immediate Family Member”) or to a trust formed for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or an Immediate Family Member;

 

  (vi) transfers by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary, trustee or Immediate Family Member of the undersigned;

 

  (vii) transfers pursuant to a divorce settlement agreement or decree or a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended;

 

  (viii) transfers of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock to any affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), limited partners, general partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned, or if the undersigned is a corporation to any wholly owned subsidiary of such corporation; and

 

  (ix) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b-5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, provided that such plan does not provide for the transfer of shares of Common Stock during the Lock- Up Period and no filing or other public announcement shall be made during the Lock-Up Period;


provided , that, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii) (a) no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock shall be required, other than Forms 5 and Schedule 13F and (b) no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be voluntarily made by the undersigned, in the case of both clauses (a) and (b), during the Lock-Up Period, other than Forms 5 and Schedule 13F; provided further that in the case of any transfer or distribution pursuant to clauses (iii), (v), (vi), (vii) and (viii) (a) the recipient agrees to be bound in writing by the same restrictions set forth herein for the duration of the Lock-Up Period, (b) no filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock shall be required during the Lock-Up Period, other than Forms 5 and Schedule 13F and (c) no filing under Section 13 of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be voluntarily made by the undersigned or the transferee during the Lock-Up Period, other than Forms 5 and Schedule 13F and (d) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed shares of Common Stock the undersigned may purchase in the Offering.

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the Representatives agree that, at least three business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of shares of Common Stock, the Representatives will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver, and (ii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representatives hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two business days after the date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this letter to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.

This agreement shall automatically terminate upon the earliest to occur, if any, of (i) the date that the Company advises the Representatives, or the Representatives advise the Company, in each case in writing, prior to the execution of the Underwriting Agreement, that it has determined not to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the date of termination of the Underwriting Agreement if prior to the closing of the Offering, or (iii) June 30, 2017, if the Offering has not been completed by such date.


Yours very truly,
If an individual, please sign here:
Signature :    
Print Name :    
Print Address :    
   

 

If a corporation, a limited partnership or other legal entity, please sign here:
        [NAME]  
        B Y :  
        I TS :  
        By:    
        Name:    
        Title:    


[Form of Press Release]

EXHIBIT B

 

 

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

[Date]

Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC, the book-running managers in the Company’s recent public sale of            shares of common stock, are [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on         ,            20        , and the shares may be sold on or after such date.

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


[Form of Waiver of Lock-up]

ADDENDUM

[Letterhead of CGMI]

Ovid Therapeutics Inc.

Public Offering of Common Stock

, 2017

[Name and Address of

Officer or Director

Requesting Waiver]

Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]:

This letter is being delivered to you in connection with the offering by Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “Company”) of            shares of common stock, $        par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Company and the lock-up letter dated             , 2017 (the “Lock-up Letter”), executed by you in connection with such offering, and your request for a [waiver] [release] dated         , 20    , with respect to                 shares of Common Stock (the “Shares”).

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC hereby agree to [waive] [release] the transfer restrictions set forth in the Lock-up Letter, but only with respect to the Shares, effective     , 2017. This letter will serve as notice to the Company of the impending [waiver] [release].

Except as expressly [waived] [released] hereby, the Lock-up Letter shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Yours very truly,

[Signature of CGMI Representative]

[Name and title of CGMI Representative]

[Signature of Cowen Representative]

[Name and title of Cowen Representative]

cc: Company

Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.

Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of the Delaware, hereby certifies that:

ONE: The original name of this corporation was Ovid Therapeutics Inc. and the date of filing the original Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “ Secretary ”) was April 1, 2014.

TWO: The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, attached hereto as Exhibit A , is incorporated herein by reference, and restates, integrates and further amends the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as previously amended or supplemented.

THREE: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

FOUR: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was approved by the holders of the requisite number of shares of said Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law by the stockholders of the Corporation.

I N W ITNESS W HEREOF , the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by its duly authorized officer this      day of         , 2017.

 

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .
By:  

 

  Jeremy Levin
  Chief Executive Officer

 

1


EXHIBIT A

AMENDED AND RESTATED

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.

I.

The name of the corporation is O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC . (the “ Corporation ”).

II.

The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, Delaware, 19808, and the name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is Corporation Service Company.

III.

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “ DGCL ”).

IV.

A. The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “ Common Stock ” and “ Preferred Stock .” The total number of shares which the Corporation is authorized to issue is one hundred thirty-five million (135,000,000) shares. One hundred twenty-five million (125,000,000) shares shall be Common Stock, each having a par value of one-tenth of one cent ($0.001) and ten million (10,000,000) shares shall be Preferred Stock, each having a par value of one-tenth of one cent ($0.001).

B. The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”) is hereby expressly authorized to provide for the issue of all or any of the shares of the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and to fix the number of shares and to determine or alter for each such series, such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designation, preferences, and relative, participating, optional, or other rights and such qualifications, limitations, or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated and expressed in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issuance of such shares and as may be permitted by the DGCL. The Board of Directors is also expressly authorized to increase or decrease the number of shares of any series subsequent to the issuance of shares of that series, but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding. In case the number of shares of any series shall be decreased in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the shares constituting such decrease shall resume the status that they had prior to the adoption of the resolution originally fixing the number of shares of such series. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote

 

2


of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, without a separate vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof irrespective of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock.

C. Each outstanding share of Common Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation for their vote; provided, however , that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together as a class with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon by law or pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation filed with respect to any series of Preferred Stock).

V.

For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and in further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation, of its directors and of its stockholders or any class thereof, as the case may be, it is further provided that:

 

  A. M ANAGEMENT OF B USINESS .

The management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation shall be vested in its Board of Directors. The number of directors which shall constitute the Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolutions adopted by a majority of the authorized number of directors constituting the Board of Directors.

 

  B. B OARD OF D IRECTORS

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, following the closing of the initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ 1933 Act ”), covering the offer and sale of Common Stock to the public (the “ Initial Public Offering ”), the directors shall be divided into three classes designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to such classes at the time the classification becomes effective. At the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class I directors shall expire and Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the second annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the third annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class III directors shall expire and Class III directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual meeting.

 

3


Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

 

  C. R EMOVAL OF D IRECTORS .

Subject to the rights of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, neither the Board of Directors nor any individual director may be removed without cause.

Subject to any limitation imposed by applicable law, any individual director or directors may be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally at an election of directors.

 

  D. V ACANCIES .

Subject to any limitations imposed by applicable law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors, shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by the stockholders and except as otherwise provided by applicable law, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified.

 

  E. B YLAW A MENDMENTS .

The Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the authorized number of directors. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

4


  F. S TOCKHOLDER A CTIONS .

1. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.

2. No action shall be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called in accordance with the Bylaws, and no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent or electronic transmission.

3. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

VI.

A. The liability of the directors for monetary damages shall be eliminated to the fullest extent under applicable law.

B. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation is authorized to provide indemnification of (and advancement of expenses to) directors, officers and agents of the Corporation (and any other persons to which applicable law permits the Corporation to provide indemnification) through Bylaw provisions, agreements with such agents or other persons, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise in excess of the indemnification and advancement otherwise permitted by such applicable law. If applicable law is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VI to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director to the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as so amended.

C. Any repeal or modification of this Article VI shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights or protections or increase the liability of any director under this Article VI in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any act or omission to act giving rise to liability or indemnification.

VII.

Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction, any state court located within the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for: (A) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation; (B) any action or proceeding (including any class action) asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders; (C) any action or proceeding (including any class action) asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation; (D) any action or proceeding (including any class action) to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation; or (E) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine.

 

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VIII.

A. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, except as provided in paragraph B. of this Article VIII, and all rights conferred upon the stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the Corporation required by law or by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any certificate of designation filed with respect to a series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal Articles V, VI and VII.

* * * *

 

6

Exhibit 3.4

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.

(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)

[            , 2017]


Table of Contents

 

          Page  

ARTICLE I

   OFFICES      1  

Section 1.

  

Registered Office

     1  

Section 2.

  

Other Offices

     1  

ARTICLE II

   CORPORATE SEAL      1  

Section 3.

  

Corporate Seal

     1  

ARTICLE III

   STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS      1  

Section 4.

  

Place of Meetings

     1  

Section 5.

  

Annual Meetings

     2  

Section 6.

  

Special Meetings

     6  

Section 7.

  

Notice of Meetings

     6  

Section 8.

  

Quorum

     7  

Section 9.

  

Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings

     8  

Section 10.

  

Voting Rights

     8  

Section 11.

  

Joint Owners of Stock

     8  

Section 12.

  

List of Stockholders

     8  

Section 13.

  

Action Without Meeting

     9  

Section 14.

  

Organization

     9  

ARTICLE IV

   DIRECTORS      9  

Section 15.

  

Number and Term of Office

     9  

Section 16.

  

Powers

     9  

Section 17.

  

Classes of Directors

     10  

Section 18.

  

Vacancies

     10  

Section 19.

  

Resignation

     11  

Section 20.

  

Removal

     11  

Section 21.

  

Meetings

     11  

Section 22.

  

Quorum and Voting

     12  

Section 23.

  

Action Without Meeting

     12  

Section 24.

  

Fees and Compensation

     12  

Section 25.

  

Committees

     13  

Section 26.

  

Duties of Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Lead Independent Director

     14  

Section 27.

  

Organization

     14  

 

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Table of Contents

(continued)

 

          Page  

ARTICLE V

   OFFICERS      14  

Section 28.

  

Officers Designated

     14  

Section 29.

  

Tenure and Duties of Officers

     15  

Section 30.

  

Delegation of Authority

     16  

Section 31.

  

Resignations

     16  

Section 32.

  

Removal

     16  

ARTICLE VI

   EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION      17  

Section 33.

  

Execution of Corporate Instruments

     17  

Section 34.

  

Voting of Securities Owned By the Corporation

     17  

ARTICLE VII

   SHARES OF STOCK      17  

Section 35.

  

Form and Execution of Certificates

     17  

Section 36.

  

Lost Certificates

     18  

Section 37.

  

Transfers

     18  

Section 38.

  

Fixing Record Dates

     18  

Section 39.

  

Registered Stockholders

     19  

ARTICLE VIII

   OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION      19  

Section 40.

  

Execution of Other Securities

     19  

ARTICLE IX

   DIVIDENDS      19  

Section 41.

  

Declaration of Dividends

     19  

Section 42.

  

Dividend Reserve

     19  

ARTICLE X

   FISCAL YEAR      20  

Section 43.

  

Fiscal Year

     20  

ARTICLE XI

   INDEMNIFICATION      20  

Section 44.

  

Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents

     20  

ARTICLE XII

   NOTICES      23  

Section 45.

  

Notices

     23  

ARTICLE XIII

   AMENDMENTS      24  

Section 46.

        24  

ARTICLE XIV

   LOANS TO OFFICERS      25  

Section 47.

  

Loans to Officers

     25  

 

 

-ii-


AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.

(A DELAWARE CORPORATION)

[            , 2017]

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1. Registered Office. The registered office of Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Corporation ”) in the State of Delaware shall be 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle 19808.

Section  2. Other Offices . The Corporation shall also have and maintain an office or principal place of business at such place as may be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “ Board of Directors ”), and may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the Corporation may require.

ARTICLE II

CORPORATE SEAL

Section  3. Corporate Seal . The Board of Directors may adopt a corporate seal. If adopted, the corporate seal shall consist of a die bearing the name of the Corporation and the inscription, “Corporate Seal-Delaware.” Said seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or reproduced or otherwise.

ARTICLE III

STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS

Section  4. Place of Meetings . Meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be held at such place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that the meeting shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as provided under the Delaware General Corporation Law (“ DGCL ”).

 

-1-


Section 5. Annual Meetings.

(a) The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, for the purpose of election of directors and for such other business as may properly come before it, shall be held on such date and at such time as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the Corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders: (i) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders (with respect to business other than nominations); (ii) brought specifically by or at the direction of the Board of Directors; or (iii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of giving the stockholder’s notice provided for in Section 5(b) below, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in Section 5. For the avoidance of doubt, clause (iii) above shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations and submit other business (other than matters properly included in the Corporation’s notice of meeting of stockholders and proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “ 1934 Act ”)) before an annual meeting of stockholders.

(b) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law and as shall have been properly brought before the meeting.

(i) For nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of these Amended and Restated Bylaws (these “ Bylaws ”), the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(b)(iii) and must update and supplement such written notice on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(c). Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each nominee such stockholder proposes to nominate at the meeting: (1) the name, age, business address and residence address of such nominee; (2) the principal occupation or employment of such nominee; (3) the class and number of shares of each class of capital stock of the Corporation which are owned of record and beneficially by such nominee; (4) the date or dates on which such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition; (5) a statement whether such nominee, if elected, intends to tender, promptly following such person’s failure to receive the required vote for election or re-election at the next meeting at which such person would face election or re-election, an irrevocable resignation effective upon acceptance of such resignation by the Board of Directors; and (6) such other information concerning such nominee as would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of such nominee as a director in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or that is otherwise required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 14 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); and (B) the information required by Section 5(b)(iv). The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation or that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence, or lack thereof, of such proposed nominee.

 

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(ii) Other than proposals sought to be included in the Corporation’s proxy materials pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act, for business other than nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of Section 5(a) of these Bylaws, the stockholder must deliver written notice to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(b)(iii), and must update and supplement such written notice on a timely basis as set forth in Section 5(c). Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth: (A) as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting, and any material interest (including any anticipated benefit of such business to any Proponent (as defined below) other than solely as a result of its ownership of the Corporation’s capital stock, that is material to any Proponent individually, or to the Proponents in the aggregate) in such business of any Proponent; and (B) the information required by Section 5(b)(iv).

(iii) To be timely, the written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or 5(b)(ii) must be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90 th ) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120 th ) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that, subject to the last sentence of this Section 5(b)(iii), in the event that no annual meeting was held during the preceding year or the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so received not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120 th ) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to such annual meeting or the closing of business on the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. In no event shall an adjournment or a postponement of an annual meeting for which notice has been given, or the public announcement thereof has been made, commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(iv) The written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or 5(b)(ii) shall also set forth, as of the date of the notice and as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (each, a “ Proponent ” and collectively, the “ Proponents ”): (A) the name and address of each Proponent, as they appear on the Corporation’s books; (B) the class, series and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by each Proponent; (C) a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether oral or in writing) with respect to such nomination or proposal between or among any Proponent and any of its affiliates or associates, and any others (including their names) acting in concert, or otherwise under the agreement, arrangement or understanding, with any of the foregoing; (D) a representation that the Proponents are holders of record or beneficial owners, as the case may be, of shares of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting and intend to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person or persons specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(i)) or to propose the business that is specified in the notice (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(ii)); (E) a representation as to whether the Proponents intend to deliver a proxy statement and form of

 

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proxy to holders of a sufficient number of holders of the Corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(i)) or to carry such proposal (with respect to a notice under Section 5(b)(ii)); (F) to the extent known by any Proponent, the name and address of any other stockholder supporting the proposal on the date of such stockholder’s notice; and (G) a description of all Derivative Transactions (as defined below) by each Proponent during the previous twelve (12) month period, including the date of the transactions and the class, series and number of securities involved in, and the material economic terms of, such Derivative Transactions.

(c) A stockholder providing written notice required by Section 5(b)(i) or (ii) shall update and supplement such notice in writing, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice is true and correct in all material respects as of (i) the record date for the meeting and (ii) the date that is five (5) business days prior to the meeting and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, five (5) business days prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 5(c), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for the meeting. In the case of an update and supplement pursuant to clause (ii) of this Section 5(c), such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than two (2) business days prior to the date for the meeting, and, in the event of any adjournment or postponement thereof, two (2) business days prior to such adjourned or postponed meeting.

(d) Notwithstanding anything in Section 5(b)(iii) to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors in an Expiring Class (as defined below) is increased and there is no public announcement of the appointment of a director to such class, or, if no appointment was made, of the vacancy in such class, made by the Corporation at least ten (10) days before the last day a stockholder may deliver a notice of nomination in accordance with Section 5(b)(iii), a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 5 and which complies with the requirements in Section 5(b)(i), other than the timing requirements in Section 5(b)(iii), shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions in such Expiring Class created by such increase, if it shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation. For purposes of this section, an “ Expiring Class ” shall mean a class of directors whose term shall expire at the next annual meeting of stockholders.

(e) A person shall not be eligible for election or re-election as a director unless the person is nominated either in accordance with clause (ii) of Section 5(a), or in accordance with clause (iii) of Section 5(a). Except as otherwise required by law, the chairperson of the meeting shall have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made, or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, or the Proponent does not act in accordance with the representations in Sections 5(b)(iv)(D) and 5(b)(iv)(E), to declare that such proposal or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such nominations or such business may have been solicited or received.

 

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(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5, in order to include information with respect to a stockholder proposal in the proxy statement and form of proxy for a stockholders’ meeting, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to proposals and/or nominations to be considered pursuant to Section 5(a)(iii) of these Bylaws.

(g) For purposes of Sections 5 and 6,

(i) affiliates ” and “ associates ” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ 1933 Act ”).

(ii) Derivative Transaction ” means any agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding entered into by, or on behalf or for the benefit of, any Proponent or any of its affiliates or associates, whether record or beneficial:

(w) the value of which is derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares or other securities of the Corporation,

(x) which otherwise provides any direct or indirect opportunity to gain or share in any gain derived from a change in the value of securities of the Corporation,

(y) the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss, manage risk or benefit of security value or price changes, or

(z) which provides the right to vote or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proponent, or any of its affiliates or associates, with respect to any securities of the Corporation,

which agreement, arrangement, interest or understanding may include, without limitation, any option, warrant, debt position, note, bond, convertible security, swap, stock appreciation right, short position, profit interest, hedge, right to dividends, voting agreement, performance-related fee or arrangement to borrow or lend shares (whether or not subject to payment, settlement, exercise or conversion in any such class or series), and any proportionate interest of such Proponent in the securities of the Corporation held by any general or limited partnership, or any limited liability company, of which such Proponent is, directly or indirectly, a general partner or managing member.

(iii) public announcement ” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, GlobeNewswire or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act; and

 

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Section 6. Special Meetings.

(a) Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware law, by (i) the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, (ii) the Chief Executive Officer if the Chairperson of the Board of Directors is unavailable, or (iii) the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board of Directors for adoption).

(b) The Board of Directors shall determine the time and place, if any, of such special meeting. Upon determination of the time and place, if any, of the meeting, the Secretary of the Corporation shall cause a notice of meeting to be given to the stockholders entitled to vote, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of these Bylaws. No business may be transacted at such special meeting other than specified in the notice of meeting.

(c) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected (i) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (ii) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who delivers written notice to the Secretary of the Corporation setting forth the information required by Section 5(b)(i). In the event the Corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board of Directors, any such stockholder of record may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be), for election to such position(s) as specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting, if written notice setting forth the information required by Section 5(b)(i) of these Bylaws shall be received by the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90 th ) day prior to such meeting or the tenth (10 th ) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected at such meeting. The stockholder shall also update and supplement such information as required under Section 5(c). In no event shall an adjournment or a postponement of a special meeting for which notice has been given, or the public announcement thereof has been made, commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 6, a stockholder must also comply with all applicable requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 6. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the 1934 Act; provided, however, that any references in these Bylaws to the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit the requirements applicable to nominations for the election to the Board of Directors to be considered pursuant to Section 6(c) of these Bylaws.

Section  7. Notice of Meetings . Except as otherwise provided by law, notice, given in writing or by electronic transmission, of each meeting of stockholders shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder

 

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entitled to vote at such meeting, such notice to specify the place, if any, date and hour, in the case of special meetings, the purpose or purposes of the meeting, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at any such meeting. If mailed, notice is given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of any meeting of stockholders may be waived in writing, signed by the person entitled to notice thereof, or by electronic transmission by such person, either before or after such meeting, and will be waived by any stockholder by his or her attendance thereat in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy, except when the stockholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Any stockholder so waiving notice of such meeting shall be bound by the proceedings of any such meeting in all respects as if due notice thereof had been given.

Section  8. Quorum . At all meetings of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by statute or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, the presence, in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by proxy duly authorized, of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of stockholders may be adjourned, from time to time, either by the chairperson of the meeting or by vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares represented thereat, but no other business shall be transacted at such meeting. The stockholders present at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough stockholders to leave less than a quorum. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by applicable stock exchange rules, or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, in all matters other than the election of directors, the affirmative vote of the majority of voting power of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by applicable stock exchange rules, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote generally on the election of directors. Where a separate vote by a class or classes or series is required, except where otherwise provided by the statute, or by applicable stock exchange rules, or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or classes or series, present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy duly authorized, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter. Except where otherwise provided by statute or by applicable stock exchange rules or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the affirmative vote of the majority (plurality, in the case of the election of directors) of shares of such class or classes or series present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class or classes or series.

 

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Section  9. Adjournment and Notice of Adjourned Meetings. Any meeting of stockholders, whether annual or special, may be adjourned from time to time either by the chairperson of the meeting or by the vote of a majority of the voting power of the shares present in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy at the meeting. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, if any, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.

Section  10. Voting Rights . For the purpose of determining those stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of the stockholders, except as otherwise provided by law, only persons in whose names shares stand on the stock records of the Corporation on the record date, as provided in Section 12 of these Bylaws, shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders. Every person entitled to vote shall have the right to do so either in person, by remote communication, if applicable, or by an agent or agents authorized by a proxy granted in accordance with Delaware law. An agent so appointed need not be a stockholder. No proxy shall be voted after three (3) years from its date of creation unless the proxy provides for a longer period.

Section  11. Joint Owners of Stock . If shares or other securities having voting power stand of record in the names of two (2) or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two (2) or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the Secretary of the Corporation is given written notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, their acts with respect to voting shall have the following effect: (a) if only one (1) votes, his or her act binds all; (b) if more than one (1) votes, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) if more than one (1) votes, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction may vote the securities in question proportionally, or may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for relief as provided in the DGCL, Section 217(b). If the instrument filed with the Secretary of the Corporation shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interests, a majority or even-split for the purpose of subsection (c) of Section 11 shall be a majority or even-split in interest.

Section  12. List of Stockholders . The Secretary of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at said meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the address of each stockholder and the number and class of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (b) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. The list shall be open to examination of any stockholder during the time of the meeting as provided by law.

 

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Section  13. Action Without Meeting. No action shall be taken by the stockholders except at an annual or special meeting of stockholders called in accordance with these Bylaws, and no action shall be taken by the stockholders by written consent or by electronic transmission.

Section 14. Organization.

(a) At every meeting of stockholders, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairperson has not been appointed or is absent, the Chief Executive Officer, or if no Chief Executive Officer is then serving or is absent, a chairperson of the meeting chosen by a majority in interest of the stockholders entitled to vote, present in person or by proxy, shall act as chairperson. The Chairperson of the Board may appoint the Chief Executive Officer as chairperson of the meeting. The Secretary of the Corporation, or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or other officer or other person directed to do so by the chairperson of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

(b) The Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be entitled to make such rules or regulations for the conduct of meetings of stockholders as it shall deem necessary, appropriate or convenient. Subject to such rules and regulations of the Board of Directors, if any, the chairperson of the meeting shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairperson, are necessary, appropriate or convenient for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, establishing an agenda or order of business for the meeting, rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, limitations on participation in such meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation and their duly authorized and constituted proxies and such other persons as the chairperson shall permit, restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof, limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants and regulation of the opening and closing of the polls for balloting on matters which are to be voted on by ballot. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with rules of parliamentary procedure.

ARTICLE IV

DIRECTORS

Section  15. Number and Term of Office . The authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be fixed in accordance with the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. If for any cause, the directors shall not have been elected at an annual meeting, they may be elected as soon thereafter as convenient at a special meeting of the stockholders called for that purpose in the manner provided in these Bylaws.

Section  16. Powers . The powers of the Corporation shall be exercised, its business conducted and its property controlled by the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by statute or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

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Section 17. Classes of Directors.

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors under specified circumstances, following the closing of the initial public offering pursuant to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act, covering the offer and sale of Common Stock of the Corporation to the public (the “ Initial Public Offering ”), the directors shall be divided into three classes designated as Class I, Class II and Class III, respectively. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to such classes at the time the classification becomes effective. At the first annual meeting of stockholders following the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class I directors shall expire and Class I directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the second annual meeting of stockholders following the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class II directors shall expire and Class II directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At the third annual meeting of stockholders following the Initial Public Offering, the term of office of the Class III directors shall expire and Class III directors shall be elected for a full term of three years. At each succeeding annual meeting of stockholders, directors shall be elected for a full term of three years to succeed the directors of the class whose terms expire at such annual meeting.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 17, each director shall serve until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal. No decrease in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director.

Section 18. Vacancies.

Unless otherwise provided in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock or as otherwise provided by applicable law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or by a sole remaining director, and not by the stockholders, provided, however , that whenever the holders of any class or classes of stock or series thereof are entitled to elect one or more directors by the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies and newly created directorships of such class or classes or series shall, unless the Board of Directors determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled by a majority of the directors elected by such class or classes or series thereof then in office, or by a sole remaining director so elected, and not by the stockholders. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to exist under this Bylaw in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.

 

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Section  19. Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by delivering his or her notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Secretary of the Corporation, such resignation to specify whether it will be effective at a particular time. If no such specification is made, the resignation shall be deemed effective at the time of delivery of the resignation to the Secretary of the Corporation. When one or more directors shall resign from the Board of Directors, effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the term of the director whose place shall be vacated and until his or her successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

Section  20. Removal . Subject to any limitation imposed by law, any individual director or directors may be removed with cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.

Section 21. Meetings.

(a) Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or date and at any place within or without the State of Delaware which has been designated by the Board of Directors and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board of Directors.

(b) Special Meetings. Unless otherwise restricted by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time and place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or a majority of the total number of authorized directors.

(c) Meetings by Electronic Communications Equipment. Any member of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

(d) Notice of Special Meetings. Notice of the time and place of all special meetings of the Board of Directors shall be orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice messaging system or other system or technology designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other electronic means, during normal business hours, at least twenty-four (24) hours before the date and time of the meeting. If notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be sent by first class mail, charges prepaid, at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting. Notice of any meeting may be waived in writing, or by electronic

 

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transmission, at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

(e) Waiver of Notice. The transaction of all business at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee thereof, however called or noticed, or wherever held, shall be as valid as though it had been transacted at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum be present and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the directors not present who did not receive notice shall sign a written waiver of notice or shall waive notice by electronic transmission. All such waivers shall be filed with the corporate records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting.

Section 22. Quorum and Voting.

(a) Unless the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation requires a greater number, and except with respect to questions related to indemnification arising under Section 44 for which a quorum shall be one-third of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time, a quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the exact number of directors fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, at any meeting whether a quorum be present or otherwise, a majority of the directors present may adjourn from time to time until the time fixed for the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors, without notice other than by announcement at the meeting.

(b) At each meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present, all questions and business shall be determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors present, unless a different vote be required by law, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws.

Section  23. Action Without Meeting . Unless otherwise restricted by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and such writing or writings or transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

Section  24. Fees and Compensation . Directors shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as may be approved by the Board of Directors, including, if so approved, by resolution of the Board of Directors, a fixed sum and expenses of attendance, if any, for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors and at any meeting of a committee of the Board of Directors. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity as an officer, agent, employee, or otherwise and receiving compensation therefor.

 

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Section 25. Committees.

(a) Executive Committee. The Board of Directors may designate an Executive Committee to consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors. The Executive Committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the Corporation.

(b) Other Committees. The Board of Directors may, from time to time, designate such other committees as may be permitted by law. Such other committees designated by the Board of Directors shall consist of one (1) or more members of the Board of Directors and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the resolution or resolutions creating such committees, but in no event shall any such committee have the power or authority in reference to (i) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the Corporation.

(c) Term. The Board of Directors, subject to any requirements of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock and the provisions of subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 25, may at any time increase or decrease the number of members of a committee or terminate the existence of a committee. The membership of a committee member shall terminate on the date of his or her death or voluntary resignation from the committee or from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may at any time for any reason remove any individual committee member and the Board of Directors may fill any committee vacancy created by death, resignation, removal or increase in the number of members of the committee. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee, and, in addition, in the absence or disqualification of any member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member.

(d) Meetings. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, regular meetings of the Executive Committee or any other committee designated pursuant to this Section 25 shall be held at such times and places as are determined by the Board of Directors, or by any such committee, and when notice thereof has been given to each member of such committee, no further notice of such regular meetings need be given thereafter. Special meetings of any such committee may be held at any place which has been determined from time to time by such committee, and may be called by any director who is a member of such committee, upon notice to the members of such committee of the time and place of such special meeting given in the manner provided for the giving of notice to members of the Board of Directors of the time

 

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and place of special meetings of the Board of Directors. Notice of any special meeting of any committee may be waived in writing or by electronic transmission at any time before or after the meeting and will be waived by any director by attendance thereat, except when the director attends such special meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolutions authorizing the creation of the committee, a majority of the authorized number of members of any such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of such committee. Unless the Board of Directors shall otherwise provide, each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board of Directors conducts its business pursuant to Article IV of these Bylaws.

Section 26. Duties of Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Lead Independent Director.

(a) The Chairperson of the Board of Directors, if appointed and when present, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors. The Chairperson of the Board of Directors shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

(b) The Chairperson of the Board of Directors, or if the Chairperson is not an independent director, one of the independent directors, may be designated by the Board of Directors as lead independent director to serve until replaced by the Board of Directors (“ Lead Independent Director ”). The Lead Independent Director will perform such other duties as may be established or delegated by the Board of Directors.

Section  27. Organization . At every meeting of the directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, or, if a Chairperson has not been appointed or is absent, the Lead Independent Director, or if the Lead Independent Director has not been appointed or is absent, the Chief Executive Officer (if a director), or, if a Chief Executive Officer is absent, the most senior Vice President (if a director), or, in the absence of any such person, a chairperson of the meeting chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall preside over the meeting. The Secretary of the Corporation, or in his or her absence, any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or other officer, director or other person directed to do so by the person presiding over the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section  28. Officers Designated . The officers of the Corporation shall include, if and when designated by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, one or more Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer and the Treasurer. The Board of Directors may also appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers and agents with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary. The Board of

 

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Directors may assign such additional titles to one or more of the officers as it shall deem appropriate. Any one person may hold any number of offices of the Corporation at any one time unless specifically prohibited therefrom by law. The salaries and other compensation of the officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by or in the manner designated by the Board of Directors.

Section 29. Tenure and Duties of Officers.

(a) General. All officers shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. If the office of any officer becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy may be filled by the Board of Directors.

(b) Duties of Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and at all meetings of the Board of Directors (if a director), unless the Chairperson of the Board of Directors or the Lead Independent Director has been appointed and is present. The Chief Executive Officer shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers of the Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time.

(c) Duties of Vice Presidents. A Vice President shall perform duties commonly incident to their office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time.

(d) Duties of Secretary. The Secretary of the Corporation shall attend all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors and shall record all acts and proceedings thereof in the minute book of the Corporation. The Secretary of the Corporation shall give notice in conformity with these Bylaws of all meetings of the stockholders and of all meetings of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof requiring notice. The Secretary of the Corporation shall perform all other duties provided for in these Bylaws and other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers, as the Board of Directors shall designate from time to time. The Chief Executive Officer may direct any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or other officer to assume and perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary, and each Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time.

(e) Duties of Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Financial Officer, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of

 

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the Corporation. The Chief Financial Officer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time. To the extent that a Chief Financial Officer has been appointed and no Treasurer has been appointed, all references in these Bylaws to the Treasurer shall be deemed references to the Chief Business Officer. The Chief Executive Officer may direct the Treasurer, if any, or any Assistant Treasurer, or the controller or any assistant controller to assume and perform the duties of the Chief Financial Officer in the absence or disability of the Chief Financial Officer, and each Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and each controller and assistant controller shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer shall designate from time to time.

(f) Duties of Treasurer. Unless another officer has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation, the Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Corporation and shall keep or cause to be kept the books of account of the Corporation in a thorough and proper manner and shall render statements of the financial affairs of the Corporation in such form and as often as required by the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, and, subject to the order of the Board of Directors, shall have the custody of all funds and securities of the Corporation. The Treasurer shall perform other duties commonly incident to the office and shall also perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, or if no Chief Executive Officer is then serving, the Chief Financial Officer (if not Treasurer) shall designate from time to time.

Section  30. Delegation of Authority . The Board of Directors may from time to time delegate the powers or duties of any officer to any other officer or agent, notwithstanding any provision hereof.

Section  31. Resignations . Any officer may resign at any time by giving notice in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or to the Chief Executive Officer, or if no Chief Executive Officer is then serving, to the Secretary of the Corporation. Any such resignation shall be effective when received by the person or persons to whom such notice is given, unless a later time is specified therein, in which event the resignation shall become effective at such later time. Unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of any such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract with the resigning officer.

Section  32. Removal . Any officer may be removed from office at any time, either with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time, or by the unanimous written consent of the directors in office at the time, or by any committee or by the Chief Executive Officer or by other superior officers upon whom such power of removal may have been conferred by the Board of Directors.

 

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ARTICLE VI

EXECUTION OF CORPORATE INSTRUMENTS AND VOTING OF SECURITIES OWNED BY THE CORPORATION

Section  33. Execution of Corporate Instruments . The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, determine the method and designate the signatory officer or officers, or other person or persons, to execute on behalf of the Corporation any corporate instrument or document, or to sign on behalf of the Corporation the corporate name without limitation, or to enter into contracts on behalf of the Corporation, except where otherwise provided by law or these Bylaws, and such execution or signature shall be binding upon the Corporation.

All checks and drafts drawn on banks or other depositaries on funds to the credit of the Corporation or in special accounts of the Corporation shall be signed by such person or persons as the Board of Directors shall authorize so to do.

Unless authorized or ratified by the Board of Directors or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.

Section  34. Voting of Securities Owned By the Corporation . All stock and other securities of other Corporations owned or held by the Corporation for itself, or for other parties in any capacity, shall be voted, and all proxies with respect thereto shall be executed, by the person authorized so to do by resolution of the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such authorization, by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, or any Vice President.

ARTICLE VII

SHARES OF STOCK

Section  35. Form and Execution of Certificates . The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, or shall be uncertificated if so provided by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by any two authorized officers of the Corporation, including but not limited to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of shares owned by him in the Corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be facsimiles. In case any officer, transfer agent, or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent, or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent, or registrar at the date of issue.

 

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Section  36. Lost Certificates. A new certificate or certificates shall be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen, or destroyed. The Corporation may require, as a condition precedent to the issuance of a new certificate or certificates, the owner of such lost, stolen, or destroyed certificate or certificates, or the owner’s legal representative, to agree to indemnify the Corporation in such manner as it shall require or to give the Corporation a surety bond in such form and amount as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed.

Section 37. Transfers.

(a) Transfers of record of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made only upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by attorney duly authorized, and, in the case of stock represented by certificate, upon the surrender of a properly endorsed certificate or certificates for a like number of shares.

(b) The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.

Section 38. Fixing Record Dates.

(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, subject to applicable law, not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

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Section  39. Registered Stockholders. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.

ARTICLE VIII

OTHER SECURITIES OF THE CORPORATION

Section  40. Execution of Other Securities . All bonds, debentures and other corporate securities of the Corporation, other than stock certificates (covered in Section 35), may be signed by the Chief Executive Officer or any Vice President, or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, and the corporate seal impressed thereon or a facsimile of such seal imprinted thereon and attested by the signature of the Secretary of the Corporation or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation, or the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer; provided, however, that where any such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be authenticated by the manual signature, or where permissible facsimile signature, of a trustee under an indenture pursuant to which such bond, debenture or other corporate security shall be issued, the signatures of the persons signing and attesting the corporate seal on such bond, debenture or other corporate security may be the imprinted facsimile of the signatures of such persons. Interest coupons appertaining to any such bond, debenture or other corporate security, authenticated by a trustee as aforesaid, shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation or such other person as may be authorized by the Board of Directors, or bear imprinted thereon the facsimile signature of such person. In case any officer who shall have signed or attested any bond, debenture or other corporate security, or whose facsimile signature shall appear thereon or on any such interest coupon, shall have ceased to be such officer before the bond, debenture or other corporate security so signed or attested shall have been delivered, such bond, debenture or other corporate security nevertheless may be adopted by the Corporation and issued and delivered as though the person who signed the same or whose facsimile signature shall have been used thereon had not ceased to be such officer of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IX

DIVIDENDS

Section  41. Declaration of Dividends . Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors pursuant to law at any regular or special meeting. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law.

Section  42. Dividend Reserve . Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves

 

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to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for such other purpose as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the Corporation, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.

ARTICLE X

FISCAL YEAR

Section  43. Fiscal Year . The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XI

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 44. Indemnification of Directors, Executive Officers, Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents.

(a) Directors and Executive Officers . The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and executive officers (for the purposes of this Article XI, “ executive officers ” shall have the meaning defined in Rule 3b-7 promulgated under the 1934 Act) to the extent not prohibited by the DGCL or any other applicable law; provided, however, that the Corporation may modify the extent of such indemnification by individual contracts with its directors and executive officers; and, provided, further, that the Corporation shall not be required to indemnify any director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless (i) such indemnification is expressly required to be made by law, (ii) the proceeding was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation, (iii) such indemnification is provided by the Corporation, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Corporation under the DGCL or any other applicable law or (iv) such indemnification is required to be made under subsection (d).

(b) Other Officers, Employees and Other Agents. The Corporation shall have power to indemnify its other officers, employees and other agents as set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law. The Board of Directors shall have the power to delegate the determination of whether indemnification shall be given to any such person except executive officers to such officers or other persons as the Board of Directors shall determine.

(c) Expenses. The Corporation shall advance to any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director or executive officer, of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or executive officer of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, prior to the final disposition of the proceeding, promptly following request therefor, all expenses incurred by any director or executive officer in connection with such proceeding provided, however, that if the DGCL requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by a director or executive officer in his or her capacity as a director or

 

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executive officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “ undertaking ”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “ final adjudication ”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this section or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section, no advance shall be made by the Corporation to an executive officer of the Corporation (except by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the Corporation in which event this paragraph shall not apply) in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i) by a majority vote of directors who were not parties to the proceeding, even if not a quorum, or (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, or (iii) if there are no such directors, or such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, that the facts known to the decision-making party at the time such determination is made demonstrate clearly and convincingly that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation.

(d) Enforcement. Without the necessity of entering into an express contract, all rights to indemnification and advances to directors and executive officers under this Bylaw shall be deemed to be contractual rights and be effective to the same extent and as if provided for in a contract between the Corporation and the director or executive officer. Any right to indemnification or advances granted by this section to a director or executive officer shall be enforceable by or on behalf of the person holding such right in any court of competent jurisdiction if (i) the claim for indemnification or advances is denied, in whole or in part, or (ii) no disposition of such claim is made within ninety (90) days of request therefor. To the extent permitted by law, the claimant in such enforcement action, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting the claim. In connection with any claim for indemnification, the Corporation shall be entitled to raise as a defense to any such action that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the DGCL or any other applicable law for the Corporation to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed. In connection with any claim by an executive officer of the Corporation (except in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such executive officer is or was a director of the Corporation) for advances, the Corporation shall be entitled to raise a defense as to any such action clear and convincing evidence that such person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or with respect to any criminal action or proceeding that such person acted without reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was lawful. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL or any other applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its stockholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct,

 

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shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In any suit brought by a director or executive officer to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, the burden of proving that the director or executive officer is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this section or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

(e) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall not be exclusive of any other right which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any applicable statute, provision of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding office. The Corporation is specifically authorized to enter into individual contracts with any or all of its directors, officers, employees or agents respecting indemnification and advances, to the fullest extent not prohibited by the DGCL, or by any other applicable law.

(f) Survival of Rights. The rights conferred on any person by this Bylaw shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or other agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

(g) Insurance. To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL or any other applicable law, the Corporation, upon approval by the Board of Directors, may purchase insurance on behalf of any person required or permitted to be indemnified pursuant to this section.

(h) Amendments. Any repeal or modification of this section shall only be prospective and shall not affect the rights under this Bylaw in effect at the time of the alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that is the cause of any proceeding against any agent of the Corporation.

(i) Saving Clause. If this Bylaw or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent not prohibited by any applicable portion of this section that shall not have been invalidated, or by any other applicable law. If this section shall be invalid due to the application of the indemnification provisions of another jurisdiction, then the Corporation shall indemnify each director and executive officer to the full extent under any other applicable law.

(j) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this Bylaw, the following definitions shall apply:

(i) The term “ proceeding ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, the investigation, preparation, prosecution, defense, settlement, arbitration and appeal of, and the giving of testimony in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative.

(ii) The term “ expenses ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, court costs, attorneys’ fees, witness fees, fines, amounts paid in settlement or judgment and any other costs and expenses of any nature or kind incurred in connection with any proceeding.

 

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(iii) The term the “ Corporation ” shall include, in addition to the resulting Corporation, any constituent Corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this section with respect to the resulting or surviving Corporation as he would have with respect to such constituent Corporation if its separate existence had continued.

(iv) References to a “ director ,” “ executive officer ,” “ officer ,” “ employee ,” or “ agent ” of the Corporation shall include, without limitation, situations where such person is serving at the request of the Corporation as, respectively, a director, executive officer, officer, employee, trustee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

(v) References to “ other enterprises ” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “ fines ” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “ serving at the request of the Corporation ” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “ not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation ” as referred to in this section.

ARTICLE XII

NOTICES

Section 45. Notices.

(a) Notice to Stockholders. Written notice to stockholders of stockholder meetings shall be given as provided in Section 7 herein. Without limiting the manner by which notice may otherwise be given effectively to stockholders under any agreement or contract with such stockholder, and except as otherwise required by law, written notice to stockholders for purposes other than stockholder meetings may be sent by U.S. mail or nationally recognized overnight courier, or by facsimile, telegraph or telex or by electronic mail or other electronic means.

(b) Notice to Directors. Any notice required to be given to any director may be given by the method stated in subsection (a), or as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, with notice other than one which is delivered personally to be sent to such address as such director shall have filed in writing with the Secretary of the Corporation, or, in the absence of such filing, to the last known address of such director.

 

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(c) Affidavit of Mailing. An affidavit of mailing, executed by a duly authorized and competent employee of the Corporation or its transfer agent appointed with respect to the class of stock affected, or other agent, specifying the name and address or the names and addresses of the stockholder or stockholders, or director or directors, to whom any such notice or notices was or were given, and the time and method of giving the same, shall in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained.

(d) Methods of Notice. It shall not be necessary that the same method of giving notice be employed in respect of all recipients of notice, but one permissible method may be employed in respect of any one or more, and any other permissible method or methods may be employed in respect of any other or others.

(e) Notice to Person With Whom Communication is Unlawful. Whenever notice is required to be given, under any provision of law or of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Corporation, to any person with whom communication is unlawful, the giving of such notice to such person shall not be required and there shall be no duty to apply to any governmental authority or agency for a license or permit to give such notice to such person. Any action or meeting which shall be taken or held without notice to any such person with whom communication is unlawful shall have the same force and effect as if such notice had been duly given. In the event that the action taken by the Corporation is such as to require the filing of a certificate under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate shall state, if such is the fact and if notice is required, that notice was given to all persons entitled to receive notice except such persons with whom communication is unlawful.

(f) Notice to Stockholders Sharing an Address. Except as otherwise prohibited under DGCL, any notice given under the provisions of DGCL, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws shall be effective if given by a single written notice to stockholders who share an address if consented to by the stockholders at that address to whom such notice is given. Such consent shall have been deemed to have been given if such stockholder fails to object in writing to the Corporation within sixty (60) days of having been given notice by the Corporation of its intention to send the single notice. Any consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation.

ARTICLE XIII

AMENDMENTS

Section  46. Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 44(h) of these Bylaws or the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal these Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of these Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of a majority of the authorized number of directors. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal these Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required

 

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by law or by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, such action by stockholders shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66-2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

ARTICLE XIV

LOANS TO OFFICERS

Section  47. Loans to Officers . Except as otherwise prohibited by applicable law, the Corporation may lend money to, or guarantee any obligation of, or otherwise assist any officer or other employee of the Corporation or of its subsidiaries, including any officer or employee who is a director of the Corporation or its subsidiaries, whenever, in the judgment of the Board of Directors, such loan, guarantee or assistance may reasonably be expected to benefit the Corporation. The loan, guarantee or other assistance may be with or without interest and may be unsecured, or secured in such manner as the Board of Directors shall approve, including, without limitation, a pledge of shares of stock of the Corporation. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to deny, limit or restrict the powers of guaranty or warranty of the Corporation at common law or under any statute.

 

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CERTIFICATION OF AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.

a Delaware Corporation

I, Yaron Werber, certify that I am Secretary of Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Corporation ”), that I am duly authorized to make and deliver this certification, that the attached Amended and Restated Bylaws are a true and complete copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation in effect as of the date of this certificate.

Dated: [            , 2017]

 

 

Yaron Werber, Secretary

 

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Exhibit 10.1

INDEMNITY AGREEMENT

T HIS I NDEMNITY A GREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) dated as of                  , 20    , is made by and between O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC . , a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and                      (“ Indemnitee ”). This Agreement terminates any and all previous indemnification agreements entered into by and between the Company and the Indemnitee.

R ECITALS

A. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals as directors, officers, employees and agents.

B. The Company’s amended and restated bylaws (as amended from time to time, the “ Bylaws ”) require that the Company indemnify its directors and executive officers, and empowers the Company to indemnify its other officers, employees and agents, as authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended (the “ DGCL ”), under which the Company is organized, and such Bylaws expressly provide that the indemnification provided therein is not exclusive and contemplates that the Company may enter into separate agreements with its directors, officers and other persons to set forth specific indemnification provisions.

C. Indemnitee does not regard the protection currently provided by applicable law, the Bylaws, the Company’s other governing documents, and available insurance as adequate under the present circumstances, and the Company has determined that Indemnitee and other directors, officers, employees and agents of the Company may not be willing to serve or continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection.

D. The Company desires and has requested Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, as the case may be, and has proffered this Agreement to Indemnitee as an additional inducement to serve in such capacity.

E. Indemnitee is willing to serve, or to continue to serve, as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, as the case may be, if Indemnitee is furnished the indemnity provided for herein by the Company.

A GREEMENT

N OW T HEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

1. Definitions .

(a) Agent . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Agent” of the Company means any person who: (i) is or was a director , officer, employee, agent, or other fiduciary of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company; or (ii) is or was serving at the request or for the convenience of, or representing the interests of, the Company or a subsidiary of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, agent, or other fiduciary of a foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.

 

1.


(b) Change in Control . For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Change in Control ” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, (ii) individuals who on the date of this Agreement are members of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Incumbent Board ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) ( provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member shall be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board), or (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of transactions) all or substantially all of the Company’s assets.

(c) Expenses . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Expenses ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever (including, without limitation, all attorneys’, witness, or other professional fees and related disbursements, and other out-of-pocket costs of whatever nature, actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense or appeal of a proceeding or establishing or enforcing a right to indemnification under this Agreement, the DGCL or otherwise, the term “ Expenses ” shall also include reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not compensated by the Company or any subsidiary or third party: (i) for any period during which Indemnitee is not an Agent, in the employment of, or providing services for compensation to, the Company or any subsidiary; and (ii) if the rate of compensation and estimated time involved is approved by the directors of the Company who are not parties to any action with respect to which Expenses are incurred, for Indemnitee while an Agent of, employed by, or providing services for compensation to, the Company or any subsidiary.

(d) Independent Counsel . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a partner (or, if applicable, member) of such a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five (5)  years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the proceeding giving rise to a claim for

 

2.


indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

(e) Liabilities . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “ Liabilities ” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, judgments, damages, deficiencies, liabilities, losses, penalties, excise taxes, fines, assessments and amounts paid in settlement, including any interest and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payment under this Agreement.

(f) Proceedings . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “proceeding” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing, or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, and whether formal or informal in any case, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness, or otherwise by reason of: (i) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company; (ii) the fact that any action taken by Indemnitee (or a failure to take action by Indemnitee) or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as an Agent; or (iii) the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other enterprise, and in any such case described above, whether or not serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses may be provided under this Agreement. If the Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a proceeding, this shall be considered a proceeding under this paragraph.

(g) Subsidiary . For purposes of this Agreement, the term “subsidiary” means any corporation, limited liability company, or other entity, of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities or equity interests are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company and one or more of its subsidiaries, and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as an Agent.

(h) Voting Securities . For purposes of this Agreement, “ Voting Securities ” shall mean any securities of the Company that vote generally in the election of the members of the Board.

2. Agreement to Serve . Indemnitee will serve, or continue to serve, as the case may be, as an Agent, faithfully and to the best of his or her ability, at the will of such entity designated by the Company and at the request of the Company (or under separate agreement, if such agreement exists), in the capacity Indemnitee currently serves such entity, so long as

 

3.


Indemnitee is duly appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions of the governance documents of such entity, or until such time as Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation in writing; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement is intended as an employment agreement between Indemnitee and the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to create any right to continued employment of Indemnitee with the Company or any of its subsidiaries in any capacity.

The Company acknowledges that it has entered into this Agreement and assumes the obligations imposed on it hereby, in addition to and separate from its obligations to Indemnitee under the Bylaws, to induce Indemnitee to serve, or continue to serve, as an Agent, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as an Agent.

3. Indemnification .

(a) Indemnification in Third-Party Proceedings . Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same may be amended from time to time (but, to the fullest extent of the law, only to the extent that such amendment permits Indemnitee to broader indemnification rights than the DGCL permitted prior to adoption of such amendment), if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to or otherwise involved in any proceeding, other than a proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor, for any and all Expenses and Liabilities (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses and Liabilities) incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such proceeding, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The parties hereto intend that this Agreement shall provide to the fullest extent permitted by law for indemnification in excess of that expressly permitted by statute, including, without limitation, any indemnification provided by the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (as amended from time to time, the “ Certificate of Incorporation ”), the Bylaws, vote of its stockholders or disinterested directors, or applicable law.

(b) Indemnification in Derivative Actions and Direct Actions by the Company . Subject to Section 10 below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as the same may be amended from time to time (but, fullest extent permitted by applicable law, only to the extent that such amendment permits Indemnitee to broader indemnification rights than the DGCL permitted prior to adoption of such amendment), if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to or otherwise involved in any proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor, against any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement, or appeal of such proceedings, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 3(b) in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware or any court in which the proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

 

4.


(c) [Indemnification of Related Parties. If (i) Indemnitee is or was affiliated with one or more venture capital funds that has invested in the Company (an “ Appointing Stockholder ”), (ii) the Appointing Stockholder is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any proceeding, and (iii) the Appointing Stockholder’s involvement in the proceeding is related to Indemnitee’s service to the Company as a director of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Company, then, to the extent resulting from any claim based on Indemnitee’s service to the Company as an Agent, the Appointing Stockholder will be entitled to indemnification hereunder for reasonable expenses to the same extent as Indemnitee.]

(d) [ Fund Indemnitors. The Company hereby acknowledges that the Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification, advancement of Expenses or insurance, provided by [Name of Fund/Sponsor], and certain of [its][their] affiliates (collectively, the “ Fund Indemnitors ”). In the event that the Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any proceeding to the extent resulting from any claim based on the Indemnitee’s service as an Agent, then the Company shall (i) be an indemnitor of first resort ( i.e. , its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Fund Indemnitors to advance Expenses or to provide indemnification for the same Expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) be required to advance reasonable Expenses incurred by Indemnitee, and (iii) be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines, and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of this Agreement and any provision of the Bylaws or the Certificate of Incorporation (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Fund Indemnitors. The Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Fund Indemnitors from any and all claims against the Fund Indemnitors for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. No advancement or payment by the Fund Indemnitors on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought advancement on or indemnification from the Company shall affect the foregoing and the Fund Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company. The Fund Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section.]

4. Indemnification of Expenses of Successful Party . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in circumstances where indemnification is not available under Section 3(a) or 3(b), as the case may be, to the fullest extent permitted by law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) any proceeding and has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or part, including the dismissal of any action without prejudice, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses and Liabilities in connection with the investigation, defense or appeal of such proceeding. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses and Liabilities incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

5.


5. Partial Indemnification; Witness Indemnification . If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any Expenses and Liabilities incurred by Indemnitee in the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of a proceeding, but is precluded by applicable law or the specific terms of this Agreement to indemnification for the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s acting as an Agent, a witness or otherwise asked to participate in any proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.

6. Advancement of Expenses . To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any proceeding, and such advancement shall be made within twenty (20) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditures made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice) and upon request of the Company, an undertaking to repay the advancement of Expenses if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. Advances shall be unsecured, interest free and without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses. Advances shall include any and all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee pursuing an action to enforce Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement or otherwise and this right of advancement, including expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. Indemnitee acknowledges that the execution and delivery of this Agreement shall constitute an undertaking providing that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent required by law, repay the advance (without interest) if and to the extent that it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment, not subject to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. The right to advances under this Section 6 shall continue until the final disposition of any proceeding, including any appeal therein. This Section 6 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 10(b).

7. Notice and Other Indemnification Procedures .

(a) Notification of Proceeding . Indemnitee will notify the Company in writing promptly upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The written notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the proceeding and the facts underlying the proceeding. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement.

 

6.


(b) Request for Indemnification Payments . To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under the terms of this Agreement, and shall request payment thereof by the Company.

(c) Determination of Right to Indemnification Payments . Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 7(b) hereof, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following four methods, which shall be at the election of the Board: (1) by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (2) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (3) if there are no disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee, or (4) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company; provided, however , that if there has been a Change in Control, then such determination shall be made by Independent Counsel selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). For purposes hereof, disinterested directors are those members of the Board who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee. Indemnification payments requested by Indemnitee under Section 3 hereof shall be made by the Company no later than sixty (60) days after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. Claims for advancement of Expenses shall be made under the provisions of Section 6 herein.

(d) Application for Enforcement . In the event the Company fails to make timely payments as set forth in Sections 6 or 7(b) above, Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses pursuant to this Agreement. In such an enforcement hearing or proceeding, the burden of proof shall be on the Company to prove that indemnification or advancement of Expenses to Indemnitee is not required under this Agreement or permitted by applicable law. Any determination by the Company (including the Board, a committee thereof, Independent Counsel) or stockholders of the Company , that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder, shall not be a defense by the Company to the action nor create any presumption that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder.

(e) Indemnification of Certain Expenses . The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred in connection with any hearing or proceeding under this Section 7 unless the Company prevails in such hearing or proceeding on the merits in all material respects.

8. Assumption of Defense . In the event the Company shall be requested by Indemnitee to pay the Expenses of any proceeding, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, or to participate to the extent permissible in such proceeding, with counsel reasonably acceptable to Indemnitee. Upon assumption of the defense by the Company and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company shall not be

 

7.


liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that Indemnitee shall have the right to employ separate counsel in such proceeding at Indemnitee’s sole cost and expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Indemnitee’s counsel delivers a written notice to the Company stating that such counsel has reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel or otherwise actively pursued the defense of such proceeding within a reasonable time, then in any such event the fees and Expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel to defend such proceeding shall be subject to the indemnification and advancement of Expenses provisions of this Agreement.

9. Insurance. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for Agents (“ D&O Insurance ”), Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such Agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has D&O Insurance in effect or otherwise potentially available, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.

10. Exceptions .

(a) Certain Matters . Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee on account of any proceeding with respect to: (i) remuneration paid to Indemnitee if it is determined by final judgment or other final adjudication that such remuneration was in violation of law (and, in this respect, both the Company and Indemnitee have been advised that the Securities and Exchange Commission believes that indemnification for liabilities arising under the federal securities laws is against public policy and is, therefore, unenforceable and that claims for indemnification should be submitted to appropriate courts for adjudication, as indicated in Section 10(d) below); (ii) a final judgment rendered against Indemnitee for an accounting, disgorgement or repayment of profits made from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company against Indemnitee or in connection with a settlement by or on behalf of Indemnitee to the extent it is acknowledged by Indemnitee and the Company that such amount paid in settlement resulted from Indemnitee’s conduct from which Indemnitee received monetary personal profit, pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other provisions of any federal, state or local statute or rules and regulations thereunder; or (iii) a final judgment or other final adjudication that Indemnitee’s conduct was in bad faith, knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest or constituted willful misconduct (but only to the extent of such specific determination); or (iv) on account of conduct that is established by a final judgment as constituting a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or resulting in any personal profit or advantage to which Indemnitee is not legally entitled. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, a final judgment or other adjudication may be reached in either the underlying proceeding or action in connection with which indemnification is sought or a separate proceeding or action to establish rights and liabilities under this Agreement.

 

8.


(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee . Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated to indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought by Indemnitee against the Company or its Agents and not by way of defense, except (i) with respect to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement under this Agreement or under any other agreement, provision in the Bylaws or the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, or (ii) with respect to any other proceeding initiated by Indemnitee that is either approved by the Board or Indemnitee’s participation is required by applicable law. However, indemnification or advancement of Expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the Board determines it to be appropriate.

(c) Unauthorized Settlements . Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of a proceeding effected without the Company’s written consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold consent to any proposed settlement; provided, however , that the Company may in any event decline to consent to (or to otherwise admit or agree to any liability for indemnification hereunder in respect of) any proposed settlement if the Company is also a party in such proceeding and determines in good faith that such settlement is not in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

(d) Securities Act Liabilities . Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee or otherwise act in violation of any undertaking appearing in and required by the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Act ”), or in any registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Act. Indemnitee acknowledges that paragraph (h) of Item 512 of Regulation S-K currently generally requires the Company to undertake in connection with any registration statement filed under the Act to submit the issue of the enforceability of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement in connection with any liability under the Act on public policy grounds to a court of appropriate jurisdiction and to be governed by any final adjudication of such issue. Indemnitee specifically agrees that any such undertaking shall supersede the provisions of this Agreement and to be bound by any such undertaking.

(e) Prior Payments Any provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee under this Agreement for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, expect with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or indemnity policy.

11. Nonexclusivity and Survival of Rights . The provisions for indemnification and advancement of Expenses set forth in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under any provision of applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other agreements, both as to action in Indemnitee’s

 

9.


official capacity and Indemnitee’s action as an Agent, in any court in which a proceeding is brought, and Indemnitee’s rights hereunder shall continue after Indemnitee has ceased acting as an Agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of Indemnitee. The obligations and duties of the Company to Indemnitee under this Agreement shall be binding on the Company and its successors and assigns until terminated in accordance with its terms. The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her corporate status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in the DGCL, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, by Indemnitee shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy by Indemnitee.

12. Term . This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) five (5) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as an Agent; or (b) one (1) year after the final termination of any proceeding, including any appeal then pending, in respect to which Indemnitee was granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder.

No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against an Indemnitee or an Indemnitee’s estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of five (5) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such five-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.

13. Subrogation . In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who, at the request and expense of the Company, shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

14. Interpretation of Agreement . It is understood that the parties hereto intend this Agreement to be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification and advancement of Expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law.

 

10.


15. Severability . If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of the Agreement (including without limitation, all portions of any paragraphs of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all portions of any paragraph of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that are not themselves invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable and to give effect to Section 14 hereof.

16. Amendment and Waiver . No supplement, modification, amendment, or cancellation of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

17. Notice . Except as otherwise provided herein, any notice or demand which, by the provisions hereof, is required or which may be given to or served upon the parties hereto shall be in writing and, if by electronic transmission, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered when sent, if by overnight delivery, courier or personal delivery, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered upon actual delivery and, if mailed, shall be deemed to have been validly served, given or delivered three (3) business days after deposit in the United States mail, as registered or certified mail, with proper postage prepaid and addressed to the party or parties to be notified at the addresses set forth on the signature page of this Agreement (or such other address(es) as a party may designate for itself by like notice). If to the Company, notices and demands shall be delivered to the attention of the Secretary of the Company.

18. Governing Law . This Agreement shall be governed exclusively by and construed according to the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely within Delaware.

19. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart need be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

20. Headings . The headings of the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction hereof.

21. Entire Agreement . Subject to Section 11 hereof, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings and negotiations, written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, the DGCL and any other applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, and does not diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

 

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22. Contribution . To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).

23. Consent to Jurisdiction . The Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the “ Delaware Court ”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) agree to appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, an agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.

 

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I N W ITNESS W HEREOF , the parties hereto have entered into this Agreement effective as of the date first above written.

 

COMPANY
By:  

 

  Name:  

 

  Title:  

 

INDEMNITEE

 

Signature of Indemnitee

 

Print or Type Name of Indemnitee

[S IGNATURE P AGE TO O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC . I NDEMNITY A GREEMENT ]

Exhibit 10.2

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .

2017 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN

A DOPTED BY THE B OARD OF D IRECTORS :             , 2017

A PPROVED BY THE S TOCKHOLDERS :             , 2017

IPO D ATE :             , 2017

1. G ENERAL .

(a) Successor to and Continuation of Prior Plan. The Plan is intended as the successor to and continuation of the Ovid Therapeutics Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Prior Plan ”). From and after 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on the IPO Date, no additional stock awards will be granted under the Prior Plan. All Awards granted on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the IPO Date will be granted under this Plan. All stock awards granted under the Prior Plan will remain subject to the terms of the Prior Plan.

(i) Any shares that would otherwise remain available for future grants under the Prior Plan as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the IPO Date (the “ Prior Plan’s Available Reserve ”) will cease to be available under the Prior Plan at such time. Instead, that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Prior Plan’s Available Reserve will be added to the Share Reserve (as further described in Section 3(a) below) and will be immediately available for grants and issuance pursuant to Stock Awards hereunder, up to the maximum number set forth in Section 3(a) below.

(ii) In addition, from and after 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on the IPO Date, any shares subject, at such time, to outstanding stock awards granted under the Prior Plan that (i) expire or terminate for any reason prior to exercise or settlement; (ii) are forfeited because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares or otherwise return to the Company; or (iii) are reacquired, withheld (or not issued) to satisfy a tax withholding obligation in connection with an award or to satisfy the purchase price or exercise price of a stock award (such shares the “ Returning Shares ”) will immediately be added to the Share Reserve (as further described in Section 3(a) below) as and when such shares become Returning Shares, up to the maximum number set forth in Section 3(a) below.

(b) Eligible Award Recipients. Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive Awards.

(c) Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following Awards: (i) Incentive Stock Options, (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options, (iii) Stock Appreciation Rights, (iv) Restricted Stock Awards, (v) Restricted Stock Unit Awards, (vi) Performance Stock Awards, (vii) Performance Cash Awards, and (viii) Other Stock Awards.

(d) Purpose. The Plan, through the grant of Awards, is intended to help the Company secure and retain the services of eligible award recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate, and provide a means by which the eligible recipients may benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock.

 

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2. A DMINISTRATION .

(a) Administration by Board. The Board will administer the Plan. The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in Section 2(c).

(b) Powers of Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To determine: (A) who will be granted Awards; (B) when and how each Award will be granted; (C) what type of Award will be granted; (D) the provisions of each Award (which need not be identical), including when a person will be permitted to exercise or otherwise receive cash or Common Stock under the Award; (E) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the cash value of, an Award; and (F) the Fair Market Value applicable to a Stock Award.

(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Awards. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement or in the written terms of a Performance Cash Award, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully effective.

(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted under it.

(iv) To accelerate, in whole or in part, the time at which an Award may be exercised or vest (or the time at which cash or shares of Common Stock may be issued in settlement thereof).

(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, suspension or termination of the Plan will not materially impair a Participant’s rights under the Participant’s then-outstanding Award without the Participant’s written consent, except as provided in subsection (viii) below.

(vi) To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, by adopting amendments relating to Incentive Stock Options and certain nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code and/or bringing the Plan or Awards granted under the Plan into compliance with the requirements for Incentive Stock Options or ensuring that they are exempt from, or compliant with, the requirements for nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, subject to the limitations, if any, of applicable law. If required by applicable law or listing requirements, and except as provided in Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the Company will seek stockholder approval of any amendment of the Plan that (A) materially increases the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan, (B) materially expands the class of individuals eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, (C) materially increases the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan, (D) materially reduces the price at which shares of

 

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Common Stock may be issued or purchased under the Plan, (E) materially extends the term of the Plan, or (F) materially expands the types of Awards available for issuance under the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will materially impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award without the Participant’s written consent.

(vii) To submit any amendment to the Plan for stockholder approval, including, but not limited to, amendments to the Plan intended to satisfy the requirements of (A) Section 162(m) of the Code regarding the exclusion of performance-based compensation from the limit on corporate deductibility of compensation paid to Covered Employees, (B) Section 422 of the Code regarding “incentive stock options” or (C) Rule 16b-3.

(viii) To approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan and to amend the terms of any one or more Awards, including, but not limited to, amendments to provide terms more favorable to the Participant than previously provided in the Award Agreement, subject to any specified limits in the Plan that are not subject to Board discretion; provided, however, that a Participant’s rights under any Award will not be impaired by any such amendment unless (A) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (B) such Participant consents in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) a Participant’s rights will not be deemed to have been impaired by any such amendment if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the amendment, taken as a whole, does not materially impair the Participant’s rights, and (2) subject to the limitations of applicable law, if any, the Board may amend the terms of any one or more Awards without the affected Participant’s consent (A) to maintain the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code; (B) to change the terms of an Incentive Stock Option, if such change results in impairment of the Award solely because it impairs the qualified status of the Award as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code; (C) to clarify the manner of exemption from, or to bring the Award into compliance with, Section 409A of the Code; or (D) to comply with other applicable laws or listing requirements.

(ix) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Awards.

(x) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Employees, Directors or Consultants who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States (provided that Board approval will not be necessary for immaterial modifications to the Plan or any Award Agreement that are required for compliance with the laws of the relevant foreign jurisdiction).

(xi) To effect, with the consent of any adversely affected Participant, (A) the reduction of the exercise, purchase or strike price of any outstanding Stock Award; (B) the cancellation of any outstanding Stock Award and the grant in substitution therefor of a new (1) Option or SAR, (2) Restricted Stock Award, (3) Restricted Stock Unit Award, (4) Other Stock Award, (5) cash and/or (6) other valuable consideration determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, with any such substituted award (x) covering the same or a different number of shares of Common Stock as the cancelled Stock Award and (y) granted under the Plan or another equity or compensatory plan of the Company; or (C) any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles.

 

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(c) Delegation to Committee.

( i ) General. The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration of the Plan is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of the Committee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee, as applicable). Any delegation of administrative powers will be reflected in resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, adopted from time to time by the Board or Committee (as applicable). The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.

(ii) Section 162(m) and Rule 16b-3 Compliance. The Committee may consist solely of two or more Outside Directors, in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code, who are also considered Non-Employee Directors in accordance with Rule 16b-3.

(d) Delegation to an Officer. The Board may delegate to one (1) or more Officers the authority to do one or both of the following (i) designate Employees who are not Officers to be recipients of Options and SARs (and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, other Stock Awards) and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the terms of such Awards, and (ii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be subject to such Stock Awards granted to such Employees; provided, however , that the Board resolutions regarding such delegation will specify the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be subject to the Stock Awards granted by such Officer and that such Officer may not grant a Stock Award to himself or herself. Any such Stock Awards will be granted on the form of Stock Award Agreement most recently approved for use by the Committee or the Board, unless otherwise provided in the resolutions approving the delegation authority. The Board may not delegate authority to an Officer who is acting solely in the capacity of an Officer (and not also as a Director) to determine the Fair Market Value pursuant to Section 13(x)(iii) below.

(e) Effect of Board’s Decision. All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

3. S HARES S UBJECT TO THE P LAN .

(a) Share Reserve. Subject to Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, and the following sentence regarding the annual increase, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Stock Awards will not exceed [            ] shares (the “ Share Reserve ”), which number is the sum of (i) [            ] new shares, plus (ii) the number of shares subject to the Prior Plan’s Available Reserve, plus (iii) the number of shares that are Returning Shares, as such shares become available from time to time.

 

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In addition, the Share Reserve will automatically increase on January 1 st of each year, for a period of not more than ten years, commencing on January 1 st of the year following the year in which the IPO Date occurs and ending on (and including) January 1, 202[7], in an amount equal to [    ]% of the total number of shares of Capital Stock outstanding on December 31 st of the preceding calendar year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to January 1 st of a given year to provide that there will be no January 1 st increase in the Share Reserve for such year or that the increase in the Share Reserve for such year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to the preceding sentence.

For clarity, the Share Reserve in this Section 3(a) is a limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the Plan. Accordingly, this Section 3(a) does not limit the granting of Stock Awards except as provided in Section 7(a). Shares may be issued in connection with a merger or acquisition as permitted by NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c) or, if applicable, NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08, AMEX Company Guide Section 711 or other applicable rule, and such issuance will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan.

(b) Reversion of Shares to the Share Reserve. If a Stock Award or any portion thereof (i) expires or otherwise terminates without all of the shares covered by such Stock Award having been issued or (ii) is settled in cash ( i.e. , the Participant receives cash rather than stock), such expiration, termination or settlement will not reduce (or otherwise offset) the number of shares of Common Stock that may be available for issuance under the Plan. If any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to a Stock Award are forfeited back to or repurchased by the Company because of the failure to meet a contingency or condition required to vest such shares in the Participant, then the shares that are forfeited or repurchased will revert to and again become available for issuance under the Plan. Any shares reacquired by the Company in satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on a Stock Award or as consideration for the exercise or purchase price of a Stock Award will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

(c) Incentive Stock Option Limit. Subject to the provisions of Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options will be [            ] shares of Common Stock.

(d) Section 162(m) Limitations . Subject to the provisions of Section 9(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, at such time as the Company may be subject to the applicable provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code, the following limitations shall apply.

( i ) A maximum of [            ] shares of Common Stock subject to Options, SARs and Other Stock Awards whose value is determined by reference to an increase over an exercise or strike price of at least 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Award is granted may be granted to any one Participant during any one calendar year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any additional Options, SARs or Other Stock Awards whose value is determined by reference to an increase over an exercise or strike price of at least 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date the Stock Award are granted to any Participant during any calendar year, compensation attributable to the exercise of such additional Stock Awards will not satisfy the requirements to be considered “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code unless such additional Stock Award is approved by the Company’s stockholders.

 

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(ii) A maximum of [            ] shares of Common Stock subject to Performance Stock Awards may be granted to any one Participant during any one calendar year (whether the grant, vesting or exercise is contingent upon the attainment during the Performance Period of the Performance Goals).

(iii) A maximum of $[            ] may be granted as a Performance Cash Award to any one Participant during any one calendar year.

(e) Limitation on Grants to Non-Employee Directors. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock subject to Stock Awards granted under the Plan or otherwise during any one calendar year to any Non-Employee Director, taken together with any cash fees paid by the Company to such Non-Employee Director during such calendar year for service on the Board, will not exceed $[            ] in total value (calculating the value of any such Stock Awards based on the grant date fair value of such Stock Awards for financial reporting purposes), or, with respect to the calendar year in which a Non-Employee Director is first appointed or elected to the Board, $[            ].

(f) Source of Shares. The stock issuable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market or otherwise.

4. E LIGIBILITY .

(a) Eligibility for Specific Stock Awards . Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” thereof (as such terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code). Stock Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants; provided, however , that Stock Awards may not be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants who are providing Continuous Service only to any “parent” of the Company, as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, unless (i) the stock underlying such Stock Awards is treated as “service recipient stock” under Section 409A of the Code (for example, because the Stock Awards are granted pursuant to a corporate transaction such as a spin off transaction), (ii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards are otherwise exempt from Section 409A of the Code, or (iii) the Company, in consultation with its legal counsel, has determined that such Stock Awards comply with the distribution requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

(b) Ten Percent Stockholders. A Ten Percent Stockholder will not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless the exercise price of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant.

 

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5. P ROVISIONS R ELATING TO O PTIONS AND S TOCK A PPRECIATION R IGHTS .

Each Option or SAR will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate. All Options will be separately designated Incentive Stock Options or Nonstatutory Stock Options at the time of grant, and, if certificates are issued, a separate certificate or certificates will be issued for shares of Common Stock purchased on exercise of each type of Option. If an Option is not specifically designated as an Incentive Stock Option, or if an Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option but some portion or all of the Option fails to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under the applicable rules, then the Option (or portion thereof) will be a Nonstatutory Stock Option. The provisions of separate Options or SARs need not be identical; provided, however , that each Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of provisions hereof by reference in the applicable Award Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(a) Term. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, no Option or SAR will be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.

(b) Exercise Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) regarding Ten Percent Stockholders, the exercise or strike price of each Option or SAR will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option or SAR on the date the Award is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option or SAR may be granted with an exercise or strike price lower than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Award if such Award is granted pursuant to an assumption of or substitution for another option or stock appreciation right pursuant to a Corporate Transaction and in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and, if applicable, Section 424(a) of the Code. Each SAR will be denominated in shares of Common Stock equivalents.

(c) Purchase Price for Options. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be paid, to the extent permitted by applicable law and as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, by any combination of the methods of payment set forth below. The Board will have the authority to grant Options that do not permit all of the following methods of payment (or otherwise restrict the ability to use certain methods) and to grant Options that require the consent of the Company to use a particular method of payment. The permitted methods of payment are as follows:

(i) by cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company;

(ii) pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of the stock subject to the Option, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds;

(iii) by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of shares of Common Stock;

(iv) if an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock

 

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issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price; provided, however , that the Company will accept a cash or other payment from the Participant to the extent of any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by such reduction in the number of whole shares to be issued. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be subject to an Option and will not be exercisable thereafter to the extent that (A) shares issuable upon exercise are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (B) shares are delivered to the Participant as a result of such exercise, and (C) shares are withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations; or

(v) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board and specified in the applicable Award Agreement.

(d) Exercise and Payment of a SAR. To exercise any outstanding SAR, the Participant must provide written notice of exercise to the Company in compliance with the provisions of the Stock Appreciation Right Agreement evidencing such SAR. The appreciation distribution payable on the exercise of a SAR will be not greater than an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the date of the exercise of the SAR) of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Common Stock equivalents in which the Participant is vested under such SAR, and with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date, over (B) the aggregate strike price of the number of Common Stock equivalents with respect to which the Participant is exercising the SAR on such date. The appreciation distribution may be paid in Common Stock, in cash, in any combination of the two or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Award Agreement evidencing such SAR.

(e) Transferability of Options and SARs. The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on the transferability of Options and SARs as the Board will determine. In the absence of such a determination by the Board to the contrary, the following restrictions on the transferability of Options and SARs will apply:

(i) Restrictions on Transfer. An Option or SAR will not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to subsections (ii) and (iii) below), and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board may permit transfer of the Option or SAR in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws. Except as explicitly provided in the Plan, neither an Option nor a SAR may be transferred for consideration.

(ii) Domestic Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, an Option or SAR may be transferred pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulations Section 1.421-1(b)(2). If an Option is an Incentive Stock Option, such Option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.

(iii) Beneficiary Designation. Subject to the approval of the Board or a duly authorized Officer, a Participant may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company (or the designated broker), designate a third party who, on the death

 

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of the Participant, will thereafter be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option or SAR and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. However, the Company may prohibit designation of a beneficiary at any time, including due to any conclusion by the Company that such designation would be inconsistent with the provisions of applicable laws.

(f) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option or SAR may vest and become exercisable in periodic installments that may or may not be equal. The Option or SAR may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may not be exercised (which may be based on the satisfaction of Performance Goals or other criteria) as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options or SARs may vary. The provisions of this Section 5(f) are subject to any Option or SAR provisions governing the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as to which an Option or SAR may be exercised.

(g) Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service) within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date that is 90 days following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the applicable Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR (as applicable) within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR will terminate.

(h) Extension of Termination Date. If the exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability) would be prohibited at any time solely because the issuance of shares of Common Stock would violate the registration requirements under the Securities Act, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a total period of time (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of such registration requirements, and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. In addition, unless otherwise provided in a Participant’s Award Agreement, if the sale of any Common Stock received on exercise of an Option or SAR following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (other than for Cause) would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then the Option or SAR will terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of a period of months (that need not be consecutive) equal to the applicable post-termination exercise period after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of the Option or SAR would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy, or (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

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( i ) Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option or SAR (to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of termination of Continuous Service), but only within such period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date 12 months following such termination of Continuous Service (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option or SAR within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.

(j) Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the Participant dies within the period (if any) specified in the Award Agreement for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service for a reason other than death, then the Option or SAR may be exercised (to the extent the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option or SAR as of the date of death) by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option or SAR by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option or SAR upon the Participant’s death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date 18 months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement), and (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option or SAR as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option or SAR is not exercised within the applicable time frame, the Option or SAR (as applicable) will terminate.

(k) Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in a Participant’s Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between the Company and the Participant, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option or SAR will terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising his or her Option or SAR from and after the time of such termination of Continuous Service.

(l) Non-Exempt Employees . If an Option or SAR is granted to an Employee who is a non-exempt employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, the Option or SAR will not be first exercisable for any shares of Common Stock until at least six months following the date of grant of the Option or SAR (although the Award may vest prior to such date). Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, (i) if such non-exempt Employee dies or suffers a Disability, (ii) upon a Corporate Transaction in which such Option or SAR is not assumed, continued, or substituted, (iii) upon a Change in Control, or (iv) upon the Participant’s retirement (as such term may be defined in the Participant’s Award Agreement in another agreement between the Participant and the Company, or, if no such definition, in accordance with the Company’s then current employment policies and guidelines), the vested portion of any Options and SARs may be exercised earlier than six months following the date of grant. The foregoing provision is intended to operate so that any income derived by a non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise or vesting of an Option or SAR will be exempt from his or her regular rate of pay. To the extent permitted and/or required for compliance with the Worker Economic Opportunity Act to ensure that any income derived by a

 

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non-exempt employee in connection with the exercise, vesting or issuance of any shares under any other Stock Award will be exempt from the employee’s regular rate of pay, the provisions of this Section 5(l) will apply to all Stock Awards and are hereby incorporated by reference into such Stock Award Agreements.

6. P ROVISIONS OF S TOCK A WARDS OTHER THAN O PTIONS AND SAR S .

(a) Restricted Stock Awards. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board will deem appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock may be (x) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse; or (y) evidenced by a certificate, which certificate will be held in such form and manner as determined by the Board. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

(i) Consideration. A Restricted Stock Award may be awarded in consideration for (A) cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company, (B) past or future services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.

(ii) Vesting. Shares of Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement may be subject to forfeiture to the Company in accordance with a vesting schedule to be determined by the Board.

(iii) Termination of Participant’s Continuous Service. If a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates, the Company may receive through a forfeiture condition or a repurchase right any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by the Participant that have not vested as of the date of termination of Continuous Service under the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

(iv) Transferability. Rights to acquire shares of Common Stock under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be transferable by the Participant only upon such terms and conditions as are set forth in the Restricted Stock Award Agreement, as the Board will determine in its sole discretion, so long as Common Stock awarded under the Restricted Stock Award Agreement remains subject to the terms of the Restricted Stock Award Agreement.

(v) Dividends. A Restricted Stock Award Agreement may provide that any dividends paid on Restricted Stock will be subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions as apply to the shares subject to the Restricted Stock Award to which they relate.

( b ) Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board will deem appropriate. The terms and conditions of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements may change from time to time, and the terms and conditions of separate Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreements need not be identical. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will conform to (through incorporation of the provisions hereof by reference in the Agreement or otherwise) the substance of each of the following provisions:

( i ) Consideration. At the time of grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board will determine the consideration, if any, to be paid by the Participant upon delivery of each share of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Unit Award. The consideration to be paid (if any) by the Participant for each share of Common Stock subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award may be paid in any form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board, in its sole discretion, and permissible under applicable law.

 

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(ii) Vesting. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board may impose such restrictions on or conditions to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Unit Award as it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.

(iii) Payment . A Restricted Stock Unit Award may be settled by the delivery of shares of Common Stock, their cash equivalent, any combination thereof or in any other form of consideration, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.

(iv) Additional Restrictions. At the time of the grant of a Restricted Stock Unit Award, the Board, as it deems appropriate, may impose such restrictions or conditions that delay the delivery of the shares of Common Stock (or their cash equivalent) subject to a Restricted Stock Unit Award to a time after the vesting of such Restricted Stock Unit Award.

(v) Dividend Equivalents. Dividend equivalents may be credited in respect of shares of Common Stock covered by a Restricted Stock Unit Award, as determined by the Board and contained in the Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement. At the sole discretion of the Board, such dividend equivalents may be converted into additional shares of Common Stock covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award in such manner as determined by the Board. Any additional shares covered by the Restricted Stock Unit Award credited by reason of such dividend equivalents will be subject to all of the same terms and conditions of the underlying Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement to which they relate.

(vi) Termination of Participant s Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.

(c) Performance Awards .

( i ) Performance Stock Awards . A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award (covering a number of shares not in excess of that set forth in Section 3(d) above) that is payable (including that may be granted, may vest or may be exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need not, require the Participant’s completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. The length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively determined by the Committee (or, if

 

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not required for compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code, the Board), in its sole discretion. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award Agreement, the Board may determine that cash may be used in payment of Performance Stock Awards.

(ii) Performance Cash Awards . A Performance Cash Award is a cash award (for a dollar value not in excess of that set forth in Section 3(d) above) that is payable contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Cash Award may also require the completion of a specified period of Continuous Service. At the time of grant of a Performance Cash Award, the length of any Performance Period, the Performance Goals to be achieved during the Performance Period, and the measure of whether and to what degree such Performance Goals have been attained will be conclusively determined by the Committee (or, if not required for compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code, the Board), in its sole discretion. The Board may specify the form of payment of Performance Cash Awards, which may be cash or other property, or may provide for a Participant to have the option for his or her Performance Cash Award, or such portion thereof as the Board may specify, to be paid in whole or in part in cash or other property.

(iii) Board Discretion . The Board retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for a Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement or the written terms of a Performance Cash Award.

(iv) Section 162(m) Compliance . Unless otherwise permitted in compliance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to an Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” thereunder, the Committee will establish the Performance Goals applicable to, and the formula for calculating the amount payable under, the Award no later than the earlier of (a) the date 90 days after the commencement of the applicable Performance Period, and (b) the date on which 25% of the Performance Period has elapsed, and in any event at a time when the achievement of the applicable Performance Goals remains substantially uncertain. Prior to the payment of any compensation under an Award intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee will certify the extent to which any Performance Goals and any other material terms under such Award have been satisfied (other than in cases where such Performance Goals relate solely to the increase in the value of the Common Stock). Notwithstanding satisfaction of, or completion of any Performance Goals, the number of shares of Common Stock, Options, cash or other benefits granted, issued, retainable and/or vested under an Award on account of satisfaction of such Performance Goals may be reduced by the Committee on the basis of such further considerations as the Committee, in its sole discretion, will determine.

(d) Other Stock Awards . Other forms of Stock Awards valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, including the appreciation in value thereof (e.g., options or stock rights with an exercise price or strike price less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of grant) may be granted either alone or in addition to Stock Awards provided for under Section 5 and the preceding provisions of this Section 6. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Board will have sole and complete authority

 

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to determine the persons to whom and the time or times at which such Other Stock Awards will be granted, the number of shares of Common Stock (or the cash equivalent thereof) to be granted pursuant to such Other Stock Awards and all other terms and conditions of such Other Stock Awards.

7. C OVENANTS OF THE C OMPANY .

(a) Availability of Shares. The Company will keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy then-outstanding Awards.

(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency, as necessary, such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Stock Awards; provided, however , that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act or other securities or applicable laws, the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of cash or Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any applicable law.

(c) No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the tax treatment or time or manner of exercising such Stock Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the holder of such Award.

8. M ISCELLANEOUS .

(a) Use of Proceeds from Sales of Common Stock. Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Awards will constitute general funds of the Company.

(b) Corporate Action Constituting Grant of Awards. Corporate action constituting a grant by the Company of an Award to any Participant will be deemed completed as of the date of such corporate action, unless otherwise determined by the Board, regardless of when the instrument, certificate, or letter evidencing the Award is communicated to, or actually received or accepted by, the Participant. In the event that the corporate records (e.g., Board consents, resolutions or minutes) documenting the corporate action constituting the grant contain terms (e.g., exercise price, vesting schedule or number of shares) that are inconsistent with those in the Award Agreement or related grant documents as a result of a clerical error in the papering of the Award Agreement or related grant documents, the corporate records will control and the Participant will have no legally binding right to the incorrect term in the Award Agreement or related grant documents.

 

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(c) Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock under, the Award pursuant to its terms, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to such Award has been entered into the books and records of the Company.

(d) No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award granted pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or will affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state or foreign jurisdiction in which the Company or the Affiliate is domiciled or incorporated, as the case may be.

(e) Change in Time Commitment. In the event a Participant’s regular level of time commitment in the performance of his or her services for the Company and any Affiliates is reduced (for example, and without limitation, if the Participant is an Employee of the Company and the Employee has a change in status from a full-time Employee to a part-time Employee or takes an extended leave of absence) after the date of grant of any Award to the Participant, the Board has the right in its sole discretion to (x) make a corresponding reduction in the number of shares or cash amount subject to any portion of such Award that is scheduled to vest or become payable after the date of such change in time commitment, and (y) in lieu of or in combination with such a reduction, extend the vesting or payment schedule applicable to such Award. In the event of any such reduction, the Participant will have no right with respect to any portion of the Award that is so reduced or extended.

(f) Incentive Stock Option Limitations. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Affiliates) exceeds $100,000 (or such other limit established in the Code) or otherwise does not comply with the rules governing Incentive Stock Options, the Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) or otherwise do not comply with such rules will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the applicable Option Agreement(s).

(g) Investment Assurances. The Company may require a Participant, as a condition of exercising or acquiring Common Stock under any Award, (i) to give written assurances satisfactory to the Company as to the Participant’s knowledge and experience in financial and business matters and/or to employ a purchaser representative reasonably satisfactory to the Company who is knowledgeable and experienced in financial and business matters and that such Participant is capable of evaluating, alone or together with the purchaser representative, the merits and risks of exercising the Award; and (ii) to give written assurances satisfactory to the

 

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Company stating that the Participant is acquiring Common Stock subject to the Award for the Participant’s own account and not with any present intention of selling or otherwise distributing the Common Stock. The foregoing requirements, and any assurances given pursuant to such requirements, will be inoperative if (A) the issuance of the shares upon the exercise or acquisition of Common Stock under the Award has been registered under a then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act, or (B) as to any particular requirement, a determination is made by counsel for the Company that such requirement need not be met in the circumstances under the then applicable securities laws. The Company may, upon advice of counsel to the Company, place legends on stock certificates issued under the Plan as such counsel deems necessary or appropriate in order to comply with applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to, legends restricting the transfer of the Common Stock.

(h) Withholding Obligations. Unless prohibited by the terms of an Award Agreement, the Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to an Award by any of the following means or by a combination of such means: (i) causing the Participant to tender a cash payment; (ii) withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Award; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the maximum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lesser amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of the Stock Award as a liability for financial accounting purposes); (iii) withholding cash from an Award settled in cash; (iv) withholding payment from any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant; or (v) by such other method as may be set forth in the Award Agreement.

(i) Electronic Delivery . Any reference herein to a “written” agreement or document will include any agreement or document delivered electronically, filed publicly at www.sec.gov (or any successor website thereto) or posted on the Company’s intranet (or other shared electronic medium controlled by the Company to which the Participant has access).

(j) Deferrals. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board, in its sole discretion, may determine that the delivery of Common Stock or the payment of cash, upon the exercise, vesting or settlement of all or a portion of any Award may be deferred and may establish programs and procedures for deferral elections to be made by Participants. Deferrals by Participants will be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Consistent with Section 409A of the Code, the Board may provide for distributions while a Participant is still an employee or otherwise providing services to the Company. The Board is authorized to make deferrals of Awards and determine when, and in what annual percentages, Participants may receive payments, including lump sum payments, following the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and implement such other terms and conditions consistent with the provisions of the Plan and in accordance with applicable law.

(k) Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise expressly provided for in an Award Agreement, the Plan and Award Agreements will be interpreted to the greatest extent possible in a manner that makes the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and, to the extent not so exempt, in compliance with Section 409A of the Code. If the Board determines that any Award granted hereunder is not exempt from and is therefore subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Award Agreement

 

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evidencing such Award will incorporate the terms and conditions necessary to avoid the consequences specified in Section 409A(a)(1) of the Code, and to the extent an Award Agreement is silent on terms necessary for compliance, such terms are hereby incorporated by reference into the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan (and unless the Award Agreement specifically provides otherwise), if the shares of Common Stock are publicly traded, and if a Participant holding an Award that constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, no distribution or payment of any amount that is due because of a “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) will be issued or paid before the date that is six months following the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” (as defined in Section 409A of the Code without regard to alternative definitions thereunder) or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death, unless such distribution or payment can be made in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code, and any amounts so deferred will be paid in a lump sum on the day after such six month period elapses, with the balance paid thereafter on the original schedule.

(l) Clawback/Recovery . All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock or other cash or property upon the occurrence of an event constituting Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any agreement with the Company.

9. A DJUSTMENTS UPON C HANGES IN C OMMON S TOCK ; O THER C ORPORATE E VENTS .

(a) Capitalization Adjustments . In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a), (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities by which the share reserve is to increase automatically each year pursuant to Section 3(a), (iii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options pursuant to Section 3(c), (iv) the class(es) and maximum number of securities that may be awarded to any person pursuant to Sections 3(d), and (v) the class(es) and number of securities and price per share of stock subject to outstanding Stock Awards. The Board will make such adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.

(b) Dissolution . Except as otherwise provided in the Stock Award Agreement, in the event of a Dissolution of the Company, all outstanding Stock Awards (other than Stock Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock not subject to a forfeiture condition or the Company’s right of repurchase) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such Dissolution, and the shares of Common Stock subject to the Company’s repurchase rights or subject to a forfeiture condition may be repurchased or reacquired by the

 

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Company notwithstanding the fact that the holder of such Stock Award is providing Continuous Service; provided, however , that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Stock Awards to become fully vested, exercisable and/or no longer subject to repurchase or forfeiture (to the extent such Stock Awards have not previously expired or terminated) before the Dissolution is completed but contingent on its completion.

(c) Transaction. The following provisions shall apply to Stock Awards in the event of a Transaction unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Stock Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of a Stock Award. In the event of a Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board shall take one or more of the following actions with respect to Stock Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of the Transaction:

(i) arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Stock Award or to substitute a similar stock award for the Stock Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the Transaction);

(ii) arrange for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Stock Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);

(iii) accelerate the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Stock Award (and, if applicable, the time at which the Stock Award may be exercised) to a date prior to the effective time of such Transaction as the Board shall determine (or, if the Board shall not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective date of the Transaction), with such Stock Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Transaction;

(iv) arrange for the lapse, in whole or in part, of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to the Stock Award;

(v) cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Stock Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration, if any, as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; and

(vi) make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Stock Award immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction, over (B) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise. For clarity, this payment may be zero ($0) if the value of the property is equal to or less than the exercise price. Payments under this provision may be delayed to the same extent that payment of consideration to the holders of Common Stock in connection with the Transaction is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or other contingencies.

 

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The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Stock Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of a Stock Award.

(d) Change in Control. In the event that the surviving corporation or successor corporation (or its parent company) in a Change in Control does not assume or substitute for any outstanding Stock Award (or portion thereof) held by any Participant whose Continuous Service has not terminated prior to the effective time of the Change in Control, then contingent upon the effectiveness of the Change in Control, such Participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding Stock Awards, including shares of Common Stock as to which such Stock Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on Stock Awards will lapse, and, with respect to any Stock Award with performance-based vesting, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at one hundred percent (100%) of target levels and all other terms and conditions met and, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the Company will notify the Participant in writing or electronically that any such Stock Award held by the Participant that is an Option or SAR will be exercisable for a period of time determined by the Board in its sole discretion, and the Option or SAR will terminate upon the expiration of such period, unless otherwise determined by the Board. A Stock Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Stock Award Agreement for such Stock Award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant.

10. P LAN T ERM ; E ARLIER T ERMINATION OR S USPENSION OF THE P LAN .

The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Incentive Stock Options may be granted after the tenth anniversary of the earlier of (i) the date the Plan is adopted by the Board (the “ Adoption Date ”), or (ii) the date the Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Company. No Awards may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

11. E XISTENCE OF THE P LAN ; T IMING OF F IRST G RANT OR E XERCISE .

The Plan will come into existence on the Adoption Date; provided, however , that no Stock Award may be granted prior to the IPO Date. In addition, no Stock Award will be exercised (or, in the case of a Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Performance Stock Award, or Other Stock Award, no Stock Award will be granted) and no Performance Cash Award will be settled unless and until the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval will be within 12 months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

12. C HOICE OF L AW .

The law of the State of Delaware will govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to that state’s conflict of laws rules.

13. D EFINITIONS . As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:

(a) Affiliate ” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “subsidiary” of the Company as such terms are defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.

 

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(b) Award ” means a Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award.

(c) Award Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.

(d) Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) Capital Stock ” means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.

(f) Capitalization Adjustment ” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Stock Award after the Adoption Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.

(g) Cause shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between the Participant and the Company defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or of any statutory duty owed to the Company; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause shall be made by the Company, in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Awards held by such Participant shall have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other purpose.

(h) Change in Control ” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar

 

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transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities, (C) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by any individual who is, on the IPO Date, either an executive officer or a Director (either, an “ IPO Investor ”) and/or any entity in which an IPO Investor has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting rights or participation in profits or capital contributions) of more than 50% (collectively, the “ IPO Entities ”) or on account of the IPO Entities continuing to hold shares that come to represent more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities as a result of the conversion of any class of the Company’s securities into another class of the Company’s securities having a different number of votes per share pursuant to the conversion provisions set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation; or (D) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “ Subject Person ”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be deemed to occur;

(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; provided, however , that a merger, consolidation or similar transaction will not constitute a Change in Control under this prong of the definition if the outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the surviving Entity or its parent are owned by the IPO Entities;

(iii) there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; provided, however , that a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of

 

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the Company and its Subsidiaries will not constitute a Change in Control under this prong of the definition if the outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the acquiring Entity or its parent are owned by the IPO Entities;

(iv) the stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company will otherwise occur, except for a liquidation into a parent corporation; or

(v) individuals who, on the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, are members of the Board (the “ Incumbent  Board ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board; provided, however, that if the appointment or election (or nomination for election) of any new Board member was approved or recommended by a majority vote of the members of the Incumbent Board then still in office, such new member will, for purposes of this Plan, be considered as a member of the Incumbent Board.

Notwithstanding the foregoing definition or any other provision of the Plan, the term Change in Control will not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant will supersede the foregoing definition with respect to Awards subject to such agreement; provided, however , that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition will apply.

(i) Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.

(j) Committee ” means a committee of one or more Directors to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c).

(k) Common Stock ” means, as of the IPO Date, the common stock of the Company, having one vote per share.

(l) Company ” means Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(m) Consultant ” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.

(n) Continuous Service ” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Consultant or Director or a change in the entity for which the Participant renders

 

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such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however , that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law.

(o) Corporate Transaction ” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

(ii) a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;

(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or

(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.

(p) Covered Employee ” will have the meaning provided in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code.

(q) Director ” means a member of the Board.

(r) Disability ” means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.

(s) Dissolution ” means when the Company, after having executed a certificate of dissolution with the State of Delaware (or other applicable state), has completely wound up its affairs. Conversion of the Company into a Limited Liability Company (or any other pass-through entity) will not be considered a “Dissolution” for purposes of the Plan.

 

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(t) Employee ” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.

(u) Entity ” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.

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

(w) Exchange Act Person means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the IPO Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.

(x) Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on any established market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.

(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

(iii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A and 422 of the Code.

(y) Incentive Stock Option ” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that is intended to be, and qualifies as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

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(z) IPO Date ” means the date of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriter(s) managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common Stock is priced for the initial public offering.

(aa) Non-Employee Director means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee or officer of the Company or an Affiliate, does not receive compensation, either directly or indirectly, from the Company or an Affiliate for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act (“ Regulation S-K ”)), does not possess an interest in any other transaction for which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is not engaged in a business relationship for which disclosure would be required pursuant to Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a “non-employee director” for purposes of Rule 16b-3.

(bb) Nonstatutory Stock Option ” means any Option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

(cc) Officer ” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(dd) Option ” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.

(ee) Option Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ff) Optionholder ” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.

(gg) Other Stock Award ” means an award based in whole or in part by reference to the Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(d).

( hh ) Other Stock Award Agreement means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of an Other Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of an Other Stock Award grant. Each Other Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(ii) Outside Director ” means a Director who either (i) is not a current employee of the Company or an “affiliated corporation” (within the meaning of Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Code), is not a former employee of the Company or an “affiliated corporation” who receives compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax-qualified retirement plan) during the taxable year, has not been an officer of the Company or an “affiliated corporation,” and does not receive remuneration from the Company or an “affiliated corporation,” either directly or indirectly, in any capacity other than as a Director, or (ii) is otherwise considered an “outside director” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.

 

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(jj) Own, Owned, Owner, Ownership means a person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.

(kk) Participant ” means a person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Stock Award.

(ll) Performance Cash Award ” means an award of cash granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(c)(ii).

( mm ) Performance Criteria ” means the one or more criteria that the Board will select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goals for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish such Performance Goals may be based on any one of, or combination of, the following as determined by the Board: (i) sales; (ii) revenues; (iii) assets; (iv) expenses; (v) market penetration or expansion; (vi) earnings from operations; (vi) earnings before or after deduction for all or any portion of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, incentives, service fees or extraordinary or special items, whether or not on a continuing operations or an aggregate or per share basis; (vii) net income or net income per common share (basic or diluted); (viii) return on equity, investment, capital or assets; (ix) one or more operating ratios; (x) borrowing levels, leverage ratios or credit rating; (xi) market share; (xii) capital expenditures; (xiii) cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on investment, or net cash provided by operations; (xiv) stock price, dividends or total stockholder return; (xv) development of new technologies or products; (xvi) sales of particular products or services; (xvii) economic value created or added; (xviii) operating margin or profit margin; (xix) customer acquisition or retention; (xx) raising or refinancing of capital; (xxi) successful hiring of key individuals; (xxii) resolution of significant litigation; (xxiii) acquisitions and divestitures (in whole or in part); (xxiv) joint ventures and strategic alliances; (xxv) spin-offs, split-ups and the like; (xxvi) reorganizations; (xxvii) recapitalizations, restructurings, financings (issuance of debt or equity) or refinancings; (xxviii) or strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on the following goals: achievement of timely development, design management or enrollment, meeting specified market penetration or value added, payor acceptance, patient adherence, peer reviewed publications, issuance of new patents, establishment of or securing of licenses to intellectual property, product development or introduction (including, without limitation, any clinical trial accomplishments, regulatory or other filings, approvals or milestones, discovery of novel products, maintenance of multiple products in pipeline, product launch or other product development milestones), geographic business expansion, cost targets, cost reductions or savings, customer satisfaction, operating efficiency, acquisition or retention, employee satisfaction, information technology, corporate development (including, without limitation, licenses, innovation, research or establishment of third party collaborations), manufacturing or process development, legal compliance or risk reduction, patent application or issuance goals, or goals relating to acquisitions, divestitures or other business combinations (in whole or in part), joint ventures or strategic alliances; and (xxix) to the extent that an Award is not intended to comply with Section 162(m) of the Code, other measures of performance selected by the Board.

 

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(nn) Performance Goals ” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Board for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Performance Goals may be based on a Company-wide basis, with respect to one or more business units, divisions, Affiliates, or business segments, and in either absolute terms or relative to the performance of one or more comparable companies or the performance of one or more relevant indices. Unless specified otherwise by the Board (i) in the Award Agreement at the time the Award is granted or (ii) in such other document setting forth the Performance Goals at the time the Performance Goals are established, the Board will appropriately make adjustments in the method of calculating the attainment of Performance Goals for a Performance Period as follows: (1) to exclude restructuring and/or other nonrecurring charges; (2) to exclude exchange rate effects; (3) to exclude the effects of changes to generally accepted accounting principles; (4) to exclude the effects of any statutory adjustments to corporate tax rates; (5) to exclude the effects of any items that are unusual in nature or occur infrequently as determined under generally accepted accounting principles; (6) to exclude the dilutive effects of acquisitions or joint ventures; (7) to assume that any business divested by the Company achieved performance objectives at targeted levels during the balance of a Performance Period following such divestiture; (8) to exclude the effect of any change in the outstanding shares of common stock of the Company by reason of any stock dividend or split, stock repurchase, reorganization, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination or exchange of shares or other similar corporate change, or any distributions to common stockholders other than regular cash dividends; (9) to exclude the effects of stock based compensation and the award of bonuses under the Company’s bonus plans; (10) to exclude costs incurred in connection with potential acquisitions or divestitures that are required to be expensed under generally accepted accounting principles; (11) to exclude the goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges that are required to be recorded under generally accepted accounting principles; (12) to exclude the effect of any other unusual, non-recurring gain or loss or other extraordinary item; and (13) to exclude the effects of the timing of acceptance for review and/or approval of submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory body. In addition, the Board retains the discretion to reduce or eliminate the compensation or economic benefit due upon attainment of Performance Goals and to define the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in the payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Stock Award Agreement or the written terms of a Performance Cash Award.

(oo) Performance Period ” means the period of time selected by the Board over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Stock Award or a Performance Cash Award. Performance Periods may be of varying and overlapping duration, at the sole discretion of the Board.

(pp) Performance Stock Award ” means a Stock Award granted under the terms and conditions of Section 6(c)(i).

(qq) Plan ” means this Ovid Therapeutics Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.

(rr) Restricted Stock Award ” means an award of shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(a).

 

27.


(ss) Restricted Stock Award Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(tt) Restricted Stock Unit Award means a right to receive shares of Common Stock which is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 6(b).

( uu ) Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Restricted Stock Unit Award evidencing the terms and conditions of a Restricted Stock Unit Award grant. Each Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(vv) Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor to Rule 16b-3, as in effect from time to time.

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

(xx) Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR means a right to receive the appreciation on Common Stock that is granted pursuant to the terms and conditions of Section 5.

(yy) Stock Appreciation Right Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and a holder of a Stock Appreciation Right evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Appreciation Right grant. Each Stock Appreciation Right Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(zz) Stock Award ” means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan, including an Incentive Stock Option, a Nonstatutory Stock Option, a Restricted Stock Award, a Restricted Stock Unit Award, a Stock Appreciation Right, a Performance Stock Award or any Other Stock Award.

( aaa ) Stock Award Agreement ” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

(bbb) Subsidiary ” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.

(ccc) Ten Percent Stockholder ” means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.

(ddd) Transaction ” means a Corporate Transaction or a Change in Control.

 

28.

Exhibit 10.3

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .

S TOCK O PTION G RANT N OTICE

(2017 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN )

Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”), pursuant to its 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”), hereby grants to Optionholder an option to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock set forth below. This option is subject to all of the terms and conditions as set forth in this Stock Option Grant Notice, in the Option Agreement, the Plan and the Notice of Exercise, all of which are attached hereto and incorporated herein in their entirety. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined herein but defined in the Plan or the Option Agreement will have the same definitions as in the Plan or the Option Agreement. If there is any conflict between the terms in this Stock Option Grant Notice and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control.

 

Optionholder:   

 

Date of Grant:   

 

Vesting Commencement Date:   

 

Number of Shares Subject to Option:   

 

Exercise Price (Per Share):   

 

Total Exercise Price:   

 

Expiration Date:   

 

 

Type of Grant:    ☐ Incentive Stock Option 1                     ☐ Nonstatutory Stock Option
Exercise Schedule:    Same as Vesting Schedule
Vesting Schedule:    [                    , subject to Optionholder’s Continuous Service as of each such date ]
Payment:    By one or a combination of the following items (described in the Option Agreement):
   ☒ By cash, check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company
   ☐ Pursuant to a Regulation T Program if the shares are publicly traded
   ☐ By delivery of already-owned shares if the shares are publicly traded
   ☐ If and only to the extent this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, and subject to the Company’s consent at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement

 

1   If this is an Incentive Stock Option, it (plus other outstanding Incentive Stock Options) cannot be first exercisable for more than $100,000 in value (measured by exercise price) in any calendar year. Any excess over $100,000 is a Nonstatutory Stock Option.

 

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Additional Terms/Acknowledgements: Optionholder acknowledges receipt of, and understands and agrees to, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Option Agreement and the Plan. Optionholder acknowledges and agrees that this Stock Option Grant Notice and the Option Agreement may not be modified, amended or revised except as provided in the Plan. Optionholder further acknowledges that as of the Date of Grant, this Stock Option Grant Notice, the Option Agreement, and the Plan set forth the entire understanding between Optionholder and the Company regarding this option award and supersede all prior oral and written agreements, promises and/or representations on that subject with the exception of, if applicable, (i) equity awards previously granted and delivered to Optionholder, (ii) any compensation recovery policy that is adopted by the Company or is otherwise required by applicable law and (iii) any written employment agreement, severance agreement, offer letter or other written agreement entered into between the Company and Participant specifying the terms that should govern this specific option. By accepting this option, Optionholder consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

 

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .     O PTIONHOLDER :
By:  

 

   

 

  Signature       Signature
Title:  

 

    Date:  

 

Date:  

 

     

A TTACHMENTS : Option Agreement, 2017 Equity Incentive Plan and Notice of Exercise

 

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A TTACHMENT I

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .

O PTION A GREEMENT

(2017 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN )

(I NCENTIVE S TOCK O PTION OR N ONSTATUTORY S TOCK O PTION )

Pursuant to your Stock Option Grant Notice (“ Grant Notice ”) and this Option Agreement, Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) has granted you an option under its 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “ Plan ”) to purchase the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock indicated in your Grant Notice at the exercise price indicated in your Grant Notice. The option is granted to you effective as of the date of grant set forth in the Grant Notice (the “ Date of Grant ”). If there is any conflict between the terms in this Option Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan will control. Capitalized terms not explicitly defined in this Option Agreement or in the Grant Notice but defined in the Plan will have the same definitions as in the Plan.

The details of your option, in addition to those set forth in the Grant Notice and the Plan, are as follows:

1. V ESTING . Subject to the provisions contained herein, your option will vest as provided in your Grant Notice. Vesting will cease upon the termination of your Continuous Service.

2. N UMBER OF S HARES AND E XERCISE P RICE . The number of shares of Common Stock subject to your option and your exercise price per share in your Grant Notice will be adjusted for Capitalization Adjustments.

3. E XERCISE R ESTRICTION FOR N ON -E XEMPT E MPLOYEES . If you are an Employee eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (that is, a “ Non-Exempt Employee ”), and except as otherwise provided in the Plan, you may not exercise your option until you have completed at least six (6) months of Continuous Service measured from the Date of Grant, even if you have already been an employee for more than six (6) months. Consistent with the provisions of the Worker Economic Opportunity Act, you may exercise your option as to any vested portion prior to such six (6) month anniversary in the case of (i) your death or disability, (ii) a Corporate Transaction in which your option is not assumed, continued or substituted, (iii) a Change in Control or (iv) your termination of Continuous Service on your “retirement” (as defined in the Company’s benefit plans).

4. M ETHOD OF P AYMENT . You must pay the full amount of the exercise price for the shares you wish to exercise. You may pay the exercise price in cash or by check, bank draft or money order payable to the Company or in any other manner permitted by your Grant Notice, which may include one or more of the following:

(a) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board that, prior to the issuance of Common Stock, results in either the receipt of cash (or check) by the Company or the receipt of irrevocable instructions to pay the aggregate exercise price to the Company from the sales proceeds. This manner of payment is also known as a “broker-assisted exercise”, “same day sale”, or “sell to cover”.

 

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(b) Provided that at the time of exercise the Common Stock is publicly traded, by delivery to the Company (either by actual delivery or attestation) of already-owned shares of Common Stock that are owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, and that are valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. “Delivery” for these purposes, in the sole discretion of the Company at the time you exercise your option, will include delivery to the Company of your attestation of ownership of such shares of Common Stock in a form approved by the Company. You may not exercise your option by delivery to the Company of Common Stock if doing so would violate the provisions of any law, regulation or agreement restricting the redemption of the Company’s stock.

(c) If this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, subject to the consent of the Company at the time of exercise, by a “net exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price. You must pay any remaining balance of the aggregate exercise price not satisfied by the “net exercise” in cash or other permitted form of payment. Shares of Common Stock will no longer be outstanding under your option and will not be exercisable thereafter if those shares (i) are used to pay the exercise price pursuant to the “net exercise,” (ii) are delivered to you as a result of such exercise, and (iii) are withheld to satisfy your tax withholding obligations.

5. W HOLE S HARES . You may exercise your option only for whole shares of Common Stock.

6. S ECURITIES L AW C OMPLIANCE . In no event may you exercise your option unless the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise are then registered under the Securities Act or, if not registered, the Company has determined that your exercise and the issuance of the shares would be exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The exercise of your option also must comply with all other applicable laws and regulations governing your option, and you may not exercise your option if the Company determines that such exercise would not be in material compliance with such laws and regulations (including any restrictions on exercise required for compliance with Treas. Reg. 1.401(k)-1(d)(3), if applicable).

7. T ERM . You may not exercise your option before the Date of Grant or after the expiration of the option’s term. The term of your option expires, subject to the provisions of Section 5(h) of the Plan, upon the earliest of the following:

(a) immediately upon the termination of your Continuous Service for Cause;

(b) ninety (90) days after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, your Disability or your death (except as otherwise provided in Section 8(d) below); provided, however, that if during any part of such ninety (90) day period your option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth in the section above regarding “Securities Law Compliance,” your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of ninety (90) days after the termination of your Continuous Service; provided further, if during any part of such ninety (90) day period, the sale of any Common Stock received upon exercise of your option would violate the Company’s insider trading policy, then your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of ninety (90) days after the termination of your Continuous Service during which the sale of the Common Stock received upon exercise of your option would not be in violation of the Company’s insider trading policy. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) you are a Non-Exempt Employee, (ii) your Continuous Service terminates within six (6) months after the Date of Grant, and (iii) you have vested in a portion of your option at the time of your termination of Continuous Service, your option will not expire until the earlier of (x) the later of (A) the date that is seven (7) months after the Date of Grant, and (B) the date that is ninety (90) days after the termination of your Continuous Service, and (y) the Expiration Date;

 

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(c) twelve (12) months after the termination of your Continuous Service due to your Disability (except as otherwise provided in Section 7(d)) below;

(d) eighteen (18) months after your death if you die either during your Continuous Service or within ninety (90) days after your Continuous Service terminates for any reason other than Cause;

(e) the Expiration Date indicated in your Grant Notice; or

(f) the day before the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Date of Grant.

If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, note that to obtain the federal income tax advantages associated with an Incentive Stock Option, the Code requires that at all times beginning on the Date of Grant and ending on the day three (3) months before the date of your option’s exercise, you must be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate, except in the event of your death or Disability. The Company has provided for extended exercisability of your option under certain circumstances for your benefit but cannot guarantee that your option will necessarily be treated as an Incentive Stock Option if you continue to provide services to the Company or an Affiliate as a Consultant or Director after your employment terminates or if you otherwise exercise your option more than three (3) months after the date your employment with the Company or an Affiliate terminates.

8. E XERCISE .

(a) You may exercise the vested portion of your option (and the unvested portion of your option if your Grant Notice so permits) during its term by (i) delivering a Notice of Exercise (in a form designated by the Company) or completing such other documents and/or procedures designated by the Company for exercise and (ii) paying the exercise price and any applicable withholding taxes to the Company’s Secretary, stock plan administrator, or such other person as the Company may designate, together with such additional documents as the Company may then require.

(b) By exercising your option you agree that, as a condition to any exercise of your option, the Company may require you to enter into an arrangement providing for the payment by you to the Company of any tax withholding obligation of the Company arising by reason of (i) the exercise of your option, (ii) the lapse of any substantial risk of forfeiture to which the shares of Common Stock are subject at the time of exercise, or (iii) the disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired upon such exercise.

(c) If your option is an Incentive Stock Option, by exercising your option you agree that you will notify the Company in writing within fifteen (15) days after the date of any disposition of any of the shares of the Common Stock issued upon exercise of your option that occurs within two (2) years after the Date of Grant or within one (1) year after such shares of Common Stock are transferred upon exercise of your option.

 

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9. T RANSFERABILITY . Except as otherwise provided in this Section 9, your option is not transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your life only by you.

(a) Certain Trusts. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may transfer your option to a trust if you are considered to be the sole beneficial owner (determined under Section 671 of the Code and applicable state law) while the option is held in the trust. You and the trustee must enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company.

(b) Domestic Relations Orders. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, and provided that you and the designated transferee enter into transfer and other agreements required by the Company, you may transfer your option pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2) that contains the information required by the Company to effectuate the transfer. You are encouraged to discuss the proposed terms of any division of this option with the Company prior to finalizing the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement to help ensure the required information is contained within the domestic relations order or marital settlement agreement. If this option is an Incentive Stock Option, this option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.

(c) Beneficiary Designation. Upon receiving written permission from the Board or its duly authorized designee, you may, by delivering written notice to the Company, in a form approved by the Company and any broker designated by the Company to handle option exercises, designate a third party who, on your death, will thereafter be entitled to exercise this option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise. In the absence of such a designation, your executor or administrator of your estate will be entitled to exercise this option and receive, on behalf of your estate, the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.

10. O PTION NOT A S ERVICE C ONTRACT . Your option is not an employment or service contract, and nothing in your option will be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on your part to continue in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate, or of the Company or an Affiliate to continue your employment. In addition, nothing in your option will obligate the Company or an Affiliate, their respective stockholders, boards of directors, officers or employees to continue any relationship that you might have as a Director or Consultant for the Company or an Affiliate.

11. W ITHHOLDING O BLIGATIONS .

(a) At the time you exercise your option, in whole or in part, and at any time thereafter as requested by the Company, you hereby authorize withholding from payroll and any other amounts payable to you, and otherwise agree to make adequate provision for (including by means of a “same day sale” pursuant to a program developed under Regulation T as promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board to the extent permitted by the Company), any sums required to satisfy the federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding obligations of the Company or an Affiliate, if any, which arise in connection with the exercise of your option.

(b) If this option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, then upon your request and subject to approval by the Company, and compliance with any applicable legal conditions or restrictions, the Company may withhold from fully vested shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to you upon the exercise of your option a number of whole shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value, determined by the Company as of the date of exercise, not in excess of the maximum amount of tax required to be withheld by law (or such lower amount as may be necessary to avoid classification of your option as a liability for financial accounting purposes). Notwithstanding the filing of such election, shares of Common Stock shall be withheld solely from fully vested shares of Common Stock determined as of the date of exercise of your option that are otherwise issuable to you upon such exercise. Any adverse consequences to you arising in connection with such share withholding procedure shall be your sole responsibility.

(c) You may not exercise your option unless the tax withholding obligations of the Company and/or any Affiliate are satisfied. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your option when desired even though your option is vested, and the Company will have no obligation to issue a certificate for such shares of Common Stock or release such shares of Common Stock from any escrow provided for herein, if applicable, unless such obligations are satisfied.

 

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12. T AX C ONSEQUENCES . You hereby agree that the Company does not have a duty to design or administer the Plan or its other compensation programs in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities. You will not make any claim against the Company, or any of its Officers, Directors, Employees or Affiliates related to tax liabilities arising from your option or your other compensation. In particular, you acknowledge that this option is exempt from Section 409A of the Code only if the exercise price per share specified in the Grant Notice is at least equal to the “fair market value” per share of the Common Stock on the Date of Grant and there is no other impermissible deferral of compensation associated with the option.

13. N OTICES . Any notices provided for in your option or the Plan will be given in writing (including electronically) and will be deemed effectively given upon receipt or, in the case of notices delivered by mail by the Company to you, five (5) days after deposit in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to you at the last address you provided to the Company. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to participation in the Plan and this option by electronic means or to request your consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. By accepting this option, you consent to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.

14. G OVERNING P LAN D OCUMENT . Your option is subject to all the provisions of the Plan, the provisions of which are hereby made a part of your option, and is further subject to all interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations, which may from time to time be promulgated and adopted pursuant to the Plan. If there is any conflict between the provisions of your option and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will control. In addition, your option (and any compensation paid or shares issued under your option) is subject to recoupment in accordance with The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and any implementing regulations thereunder, any clawback policy adopted by the Company and any compensation recovery policy otherwise required by applicable law.

15. O THER D OCUMENTS . You hereby acknowledge receipt of and the right to receive a document providing the information required by Rule 428(b)(1) promulgated under the Securities Act, which includes the Plan prospectus. In addition, you acknowledge receipt of the Company’s policy permitting certain individuals to sell shares only during certain “window” periods and the Company’s insider trading policy, in effect from time to time.

16. E FFECT ON O THER E MPLOYEE B ENEFIT P LANS . The value of this option will not be included as compensation, earnings, salaries, or other similar terms used when calculating your benefits under any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any Affiliate, except as such plan otherwise expressly provides. The Company expressly reserves its rights to amend, modify, or terminate any of the Company’s or any Affiliate’s employee benefit plans.

17. V OTING R IGHTS . You will not have voting or any other rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the shares to be issued pursuant to this option until such shares are issued to

 

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you. Upon such issuance, you will obtain full voting and other rights as a stockholder of the Company. Nothing contained in this option, and no action taken pursuant to its provisions, will create or be construed to create a trust of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between you and the Company or any other person.

18. S EVERABILITY . If all or any part of this Option Agreement or the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity will not invalidate any portion of this Option Agreement or the Plan not declared to be unlawful or invalid. Any Section of this Option Agreement (or part of such a Section) so declared to be unlawful or invalid shall, if possible, be construed in a manner which will give effect to the terms of such Section or part of a Section to the fullest extent possible while remaining lawful and valid.

19. M ISCELLANEOUS .

(a) The rights and obligations of the Company under your option will be transferable to any one or more persons or entities, and all covenants and agreements hereunder will inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by the Company’s successors and assigns.

(b) You agree upon request to execute any further documents or instruments necessary or desirable in the sole determination of the Company to carry out the purposes or intent of your option.

(c) You acknowledge and agree that you have reviewed your option in its entirety, have had an opportunity to obtain the advice of counsel prior to executing and accepting your option, and fully understand all provisions of your option.

(d) This Option Agreement will be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required.

(e) All obligations of the Company under the Plan and this Option Agreement will be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company.

*            *             *

This Option Agreement will be deemed to be signed by you upon the signing by you of the Stock Option Grant Notice to which it is attached.

 

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A TTACHMENT II

2017 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN

 

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A TTACHMENT III

N OTICE OF E XERCISE

 

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .   
1460 Broadway    Date of Exercise:                     
New York, NY 10036   

This constitutes notice to Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) under my stock option that I elect to purchase the below number of shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “ Shares ”) for the price set forth below.

 

Type of option (check one):    Incentive ☐      Nonstatutory ☐  

Stock option dated:

     

Number of Shares as to which option is exercised:

     

Certificates to be issued in name of:

     

Total exercise price:

   $                   $               

Cash payment delivered herewith:

   $                   $               

[Value of              Shares delivered herewith 1 :

   $                   $             

[Value of              Shares pursuant to net exercise 2 :

   $                   $             

[Regulation T Program (cashless exercise 3 ):

   $                   $             

 

1   Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option. Shares must be valued in accordance with the terms of the option being exercised, and must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests. Certificates must be endorsed or accompanied by an executed assignment separate from certificate.
2   The option must be a Nonstatutory Stock Option, and the Company must have established net exercise procedures at the time of exercise, in order to utilize this payment method.
3   Shares must meet the public trading requirements set forth in the option.

 

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By this exercise, I agree (i) to provide such additional documents as you may require pursuant to the terms of the Ovid Therapeutics Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, (ii) to provide for the payment by me to you (in the manner designated by you) of your withholding obligation, if any, relating to the exercise of this option, and (iii) if this exercise relates to an incentive stock option, to notify you in writing within fifteen (15) days after the date of any disposition of any of the Shares issued upon exercise of this option that occurs within two (2) years after the date of grant of this option or within one (1) year after such Shares are issued upon exercise of this option.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

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Exhibit 10.12

O VID T HERAPEUTICS I NC .

2017 E MPLOYEE S TOCK P URCHASE P LAN

A DOPTED BY THE B OARD OF D IRECTORS : [                    ]

A PPROVED BY THE S TOCKHOLDERS : [                    ]

 

1. G ENERAL ; P URPOSE .

(a) The Plan provides a means by which Eligible Employees of the Company and certain designated Related Corporations may be given an opportunity to purchase shares of Common Stock. The Plan permits the Company to grant a series of Purchase Rights to Eligible Employees under an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(b) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of such Employees, to secure and retain the services of new Employees and to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and its Related Corporations.

 

2. A DMINISTRATION .

(a) The Board will administer the Plan unless and until the Board delegates administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees, as provided in Section 2(c).

(b) The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:

(i) To determine how and when Purchase Rights will be granted and the provisions of each Offering (which need not be identical).

(ii) To designate from time to time which Related Corporations of the Company will be eligible to participate in the Plan.

(iii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Purchase Rights, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration. The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it deems necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.

(iv) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Purchase Rights granted under the Plan.

(v) To suspend or terminate the Plan at any time as provided in Section 12.

(vi) To amend the Plan at any time as provided in Section 12.

(vii) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as it deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and its Related Corporations and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(viii) To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States.

 

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(c) The Board may delegate some or all of the administration of the Plan to a Committee or Committees. If administration is delegated to a Committee, the Committee will have, in connection with the administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board that have been delegated to the Committee, including the power to delegate to a subcommittee any of the administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in this Plan to the Board will thereafter be to the Committee or subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revest in the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated. Whether or not the Board has delegated administration of the Plan to a Committee, the Board will have the final power to determine all questions of policy and expediency that may arise in the administration of the Plan.

(d) All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board in good faith will not be subject to review by any person and will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

 

3. S HARES OF C OMMON S TOCK S UBJECT TO THE P LAN .

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan will not exceed [            ] shares of Common Stock, plus the number of shares of Common Stock that are automatically added on January 1st of each year for a period of up to ten years, commencing on the first January 1 following the IPO Date and ending on (and including) January 1, 2027, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) [    ]% of the total number of shares of Capital Stock outstanding on December 31st of the preceding calendar year, and (ii) [            ] shares of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may act prior to the first day of any calendar year to provide that there will be no January 1 st increase in the share reserve for such calendar year or that the increase in the share reserve for such calendar year will be a lesser number of shares of Common Stock than would otherwise occur pursuant to the preceding sentence.

(b) If any Purchase Right granted under the Plan terminates without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not purchased under such Purchase Right will again become available for issuance under the Plan.

(c) The stock purchasable under the Plan will be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares repurchased by the Company on the open market.

 

4. G RANT OF P URCHASE R IGHTS ; O FFERING .

(a) The Board may from time to time grant or provide for the grant of Purchase Rights to Eligible Employees under an Offering (consisting of one or more Purchase Periods) on an Offering Date or Offering Dates selected by the Board. Each Offering will be in such form and will contain such terms and conditions as the Board will deem appropriate, and will comply

 

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with the requirement of Section 423(b)(5) of the Code that all Employees granted Purchase Rights will have the same rights and privileges. The terms and conditions of an Offering shall be incorporated by reference into the Plan and treated as part of the Plan. The provisions of separate Offerings need not be identical, but each Offering will include (through incorporation of the provisions of this Plan by reference in the document comprising the Offering or otherwise) the period during which the Offering will be effective, which period will not exceed 27 months beginning with the Offering Date, and the substance of the provisions contained in Sections 5 through 8, inclusive.

(b) If a Participant has more than one Purchase Right outstanding under the Plan, unless he or she otherwise indicates in forms delivered to the Company: (i) each form will apply to all of his or her Purchase Rights under the Plan, and (ii) a Purchase Right with a lower exercise price (or an earlier-granted Purchase Right, if different Purchase Rights have identical exercise prices) will be exercised to the fullest possible extent before a Purchase Right with a higher exercise price (or a later-granted Purchase Right if different Purchase Rights have identical exercise prices) will be exercised.

(c) The Board will have the discretion to structure an Offering so that if the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the first Trading Day of a new Purchase Period within that Offering is less than or equal to the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date for that Offering, then (i) that Offering will terminate immediately as of that first Trading Day, and (ii) the Participants in such terminated Offering will be automatically enrolled in a new Offering beginning on the first Trading Day of such new Purchase Period.

 

5. E LIGIBILITY .

(a) Purchase Rights may be granted only to Employees of the Company or, as the Board may designate in accordance with Section 2(b), to Employees of a Related Corporation. Except as provided in Section 5(b), an Employee will not be eligible to be granted Purchase Rights unless, on the Offering Date, the Employee has been in the employ of the Company or the Related Corporation, as the case may be, for such continuous period preceding such Offering Date as the Board may require, but in no event will the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than two years. In addition, the Board may provide that no Employee will be eligible to be granted Purchase Rights under the Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such Employee’s customary employment with the Company or the Related Corporation is more than 20 hours per week and more than five months per calendar year or such other criteria as the Board may determine consistent with Section 423 of the Code.

(b) The Board may provide that each person who, during the course of an Offering, first becomes an Eligible Employee will, on a date or dates specified in the Offering which coincides with the day on which such person becomes an Eligible Employee or which occurs thereafter, receive a Purchase Right under that Offering, which Purchase Right will thereafter be deemed to be a part of that Offering. Such Purchase Right will have the same characteristics as any Purchase Rights originally granted under that Offering, as described herein, except that:

(i) the date on which such Purchase Right is granted will be the “Offering Date” of such Purchase Right for all purposes, including determination of the exercise price of such Purchase Right;

 

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(ii) the period of the Offering with respect to such Purchase Right will begin on its Offering Date and end coincident with the end of such Offering; and

(iii) the Board may provide that if such person first becomes an Eligible Employee within a specified period of time before the end of the Offering, he or she will not receive any Purchase Right under that Offering.

(c) No Employee will be eligible for the grant of any Purchase Rights if, immediately after any such Purchase Rights are granted, such Employee owns stock possessing five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Related Corporation. For purposes of this Section 5(c), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code will apply in determining the stock ownership of any Employee, and stock which such Employee may purchase under all outstanding Purchase Rights and options will be treated as stock owned by such Employee.

(d) As specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, an Eligible Employee may be granted Purchase Rights only if such Purchase Rights, together with any other rights granted under all Employee Stock Purchase Plans of the Company and any Related Corporations, do not permit such Eligible Employee’s rights to purchase stock of the Company or any Related Corporation to accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of Fair Market Value of such stock (determined at the time such rights are granted, and which, with respect to the Plan, will be determined as of their respective Offering Dates) for each calendar year in which such rights are outstanding at any time.

(e) Officers of the Company and any designated Related Corporation, if they are otherwise Eligible Employees, will be eligible to participate in Offerings under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may provide in an Offering that Employees who are highly compensated Employees within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code will not be eligible to participate.

 

6. P URCHASE R IGHTS ; P URCHASE P RICE .

(a) On each Offering Date, each Eligible Employee, pursuant to an Offering made under the Plan, will be granted a Purchase Right to purchase up to that number of shares of Common Stock purchasable either with a percentage or with a maximum dollar amount, as designated by the Board, but in either case not exceeding 15% of such Employee’s earnings (as defined by the Board in each Offering) during the period that begins on the Offering Date (or such later date as the Board determines for a particular Offering) and ends on the date stated in the Offering, which date will be no later than the end of the Offering.

(b) The Board will establish one or more Purchase Dates during an Offering on which Purchase Rights granted for that Offering will be exercised and shares of Common Stock will be purchased in accordance with such Offering.

 

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(c) In connection with each Offering made under the Plan, the Board may specify (i) a maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by any Participant on any Purchase Date during such Offering, (ii) a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by all Participants pursuant to such Offering and/or (iii) a maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by all Participants on any Purchase Date under the Offering. If the aggregate purchase of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of Purchase Rights granted under the Offering would exceed any such maximum aggregate number, then, in the absence of any Board action otherwise, a pro rata (based on each Participant’s accumulated Contributions) allocation of the shares of Common Stock available will be made in as nearly a uniform manner as will be practicable and equitable.

(d) The purchase price of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to Purchase Rights will be not less than the lesser of:

(i) an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the Offering Date; or

(ii) an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date.

 

7. P ARTICIPATION ; W ITHDRAWAL ; T ERMINATION .

(a) An Eligible Employee may elect to authorize payroll deductions as the means of making Contributions by completing and delivering to the Company, within the time specified in the Offering, an enrollment form provided by the Company. The enrollment form will specify the amount of Contributions not to exceed the maximum amount specified by the Board. Each Participant’s Contributions will be credited to a bookkeeping account for such Participant under the Plan and will be deposited with the general funds of the Company except where applicable law requires that Contributions be deposited with a third party. If permitted in the Offering, a Participant may begin such Contributions with the first payroll occurring on or after the Offering Date (or, in the case of a payroll date that occurs after the end of the prior Offering but before the Offering Date of the next new Offering, Contributions from such payroll will be included in the new Offering). If permitted in the Offering, a Participant may thereafter reduce (including to zero) or increase his or her Contributions. If specifically provided in the Offering, in addition to making Contributions by payroll deductions, a Participant may make Contributions through the payment by cash or check prior to a Purchase Date.

(b) During an Offering, a Participant may cease making Contributions and withdraw from the Offering by delivering to the Company a withdrawal form provided by the Company. The Company may impose a deadline before a Purchase Date for withdrawing. Upon such withdrawal, such Participant’s Purchase Right in that Offering will immediately terminate and the Company will distribute to such Participant all of his or her accumulated but unused Contributions and such Participant’s Purchase Right in that Offering shall thereupon terminate. A Participant’s withdrawal from that Offering will have no effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any other Offerings under the Plan, but such Participant will be required to deliver a new enrollment form to participate in subsequent Offerings.

 

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(c) Purchase Rights granted pursuant to any Offering under the Plan will terminate immediately if the Participant either (i) is no longer an Employee for any reason or for no reason (subject to any post-employment participation period required by law) or (ii) is otherwise no longer eligible to participate. The Company will distribute to such individual all of his or her accumulated but unused Contributions.

(d) During a Participant’s lifetime, Purchase Rights will be exercisable only by such Participant. Purchase Rights are not transferable by a Participant, except by will, by the laws of descent and distribution, or, if permitted by the Company, by a beneficiary designation as described in Section 10.

(e) Unless otherwise specified in the Offering, the Company will have no obligation to pay interest on Contributions.

 

8. E XERCISE OF P URCHASE R IGHTS .

(a) On each Purchase Date, each Participant’s accumulated Contributions will be applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock, up to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock permitted by the Plan and the applicable Offering, at the purchase price specified in the Offering. No fractional shares will be issued unless specifically provided for in the Offering.

(b) If any amount of accumulated Contributions remains in a Participant’s account after the purchase of shares of Common Stock and such remaining amount is less than the amount required to purchase one share of Common Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering, then such remaining amount will be held in such Participant’s account for the purchase of shares of Common Stock under the next Offering under the Plan, unless such Participant withdraws from or is not eligible to participate in such Offering, in which case such amount will be distributed to such Participant after the final Purchase Date, without interest. If the amount of Contributions remaining in a Participant’s account after the purchase of shares of Common Stock is at least equal to the amount required to purchase one whole share of Common Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering, then such remaining amount will not roll over to the next Offering and will instead be distributed in full to such Participant after the final Purchase Date of such Offering without interest.

(c) No Purchase Rights may be exercised to any extent unless the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon such exercise under the Plan are covered by an effective registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act and the Plan is in material compliance with all applicable federal, state, foreign and other securities and other laws applicable to the Plan. If on a Purchase Date the shares of Common Stock are not so registered or the Plan is not in such compliance, no Purchase Rights will be exercised on such Purchase Date, and the Purchase Date will be delayed until the shares of Common Stock are subject to such an effective registration statement and the Plan is in material compliance, except that the Purchase Date will in no event be more than 6 months from the Offering Date. If, on the Purchase Date, as delayed to the maximum extent permissible, the shares of Common Stock are not registered and the Plan is not in material compliance with all applicable laws, no Purchase Rights will be exercised and all accumulated but unused Contributions will be distributed to the Participants without interest.

 

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9. C OVENANTS OF THE C OMPANY .

The Company will seek to obtain from each federal, state, foreign or other regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to grant Purchase Rights and issue and sell shares of Common Stock thereunder. If, after commercially reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary for the grant of Purchase Rights or the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, and at a commercially reasonable cost, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to grant Purchase Rights and/or to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise of such Purchase Rights.

 

10. D ESIGNATION OF B ENEFICIARY .

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

(b) If a Participant dies, and in the absence of a valid beneficiary designation, the Company will deliver any shares of Common Stock and/or Contributions to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant. If no executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its sole discretion, may deliver such shares of Common Stock and/or Contributions to the Participant’s spouse, dependents or relatives, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

 

11. A DJUSTMENTS UPON C HANGES IN C OMMON S TOCK ; C ORPORATE T RANSACTIONS .

(a) In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) the class(es) and maximum number of securities subject to the Plan pursuant to Section 3(a), (ii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities by which the share reserve is to increase automatically each year pursuant to Section 3(a), (iii) the class(es) and number of securities subject to, and the purchase price applicable to outstanding Offerings and Purchase Rights, and (iv) the class(es) and number of securities that are the subject of the purchase limits under each ongoing Offering. The Board will make these adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.

(b) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, then: (i) any surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) may assume or continue outstanding Purchase Rights or may substitute similar rights (including a right to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders in the Corporate Transaction) for outstanding Purchase Rights, or (ii) if any surviving or acquiring corporation (or its parent company) does not assume or continue such Purchase Rights or does not substitute similar rights for such Purchase Rights, then the Participants’ accumulated Contributions will be used to purchase shares of Common Stock within ten business days prior to the Corporate Transaction under the outstanding Purchase Rights, and the Purchase Rights will terminate immediately after such purchase.

 

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12. A MENDMENT , T ERMINATION OR S USPENSION OF THE P LAN .

(a) The Board may amend the Plan at any time in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable. However, except as provided in Section 11(a) relating to Capitalization Adjustments, stockholder approval will be required for any amendment of the Plan for which stockholder approval is required by applicable law or listing requirements, including any amendment that either (i) materially increases the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan, (ii) materially expands the class of individuals eligible to become Participants and receive Purchase Rights, (iii) materially increases the benefits accruing to Participants under the Plan or materially reduces the price at which shares of Common Stock may be purchased under the Plan, (iv) materially extends the term of the Plan, or (v) expands the types of awards available for issuance under the Plan, but in each of (i) through (v) above only to the extent stockholder approval is required by applicable law or listing requirements.

(b) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Purchase Rights may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is terminated.

(c) Any benefits, privileges, entitlements and obligations under any outstanding Purchase Rights granted before an amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan will not be materially impaired by any such amendment, suspension or termination except (i) with the consent of the person to whom such Purchase Rights were granted, (ii) as necessary to comply with any laws, listing requirements, or governmental regulations (including, without limitation, the provisions of Section 423 of the Code and the regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder relating to Employee Stock Purchase Plans) including without limitation any such regulations or other guidance that may be issued or amended after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, or (iii) as necessary to obtain or maintain favorable tax, listing, or regulatory treatment. To be clear, the Board may amend outstanding Purchase Rights without a Participant’s consent if such amendment is necessary to ensure that the Purchase Right and/or the Plan complies with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.

 

13. E FFECTIVE D ATE OF P LAN .

The Plan will become effective immediately prior to and contingent upon the IPO Date. No Purchase Rights will be exercised unless and until the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval must be within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted (or if required under Section 12(a) above, materially amended) by the Board.

 

14. M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS .

(a) Proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock pursuant to Purchase Rights will constitute general funds of the Company.

(b) A Participant will not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, shares of Common Stock subject to Purchase Rights unless and until the Participant’s shares of Common Stock acquired upon exercise of Purchase Rights are recorded in the books of the Company (or its transfer agent).

 

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(c) The Plan and Offering do not constitute an employment contract. Nothing in the Plan or in the Offering will in any way alter the at will nature of a Participant’s employment or be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on the part of any Participant to continue in the employ of the Company or a Related Corporation, or on the part of the Company or a Related Corporation to continue the employment of a Participant.

(d) The provisions of the Plan will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without resort to that state’s conflicts of laws rules.

 

15. D EFINITIONS .

As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:

(a) Board means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(b) Capital Stock means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.

(c) Capitalization Adjustment ” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Purchase Right after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure or other similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.

(d) Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder .

(e) Committee means a committee of one or more members of the Board to whom authority has been delegated by the Board in accordance with Section 2(c).

(f) Common Stock ” means, as of the IPO Date, the common stock of the Company, having 1 vote per share.

(g) Company ” means Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(h) “Contributions ” means the payroll deductions and other additional payments specifically provided for in the Offering that a Participant contributes to fund the exercise of a Purchase Right. A Participant may make additional payments into his or her account if specifically provided for in the Offering, and then only if the Participant has not already had the maximum permitted amount withheld during the Offering through payroll deductions.

 

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(i) Corporate Transaction ” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;

(ii) a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;

(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or

(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.

(j) Director means a member of the Board.

(k) Eligible Employee means an Employee who meets the requirements set forth in the document(s) governing the Offering for eligibility to participate in the Offering, provided that such Employee also meets the requirements for eligibility to participate set forth in the Plan.

(l) Employee means any person, including an Officer or Director, who is “employed” for purposes of Section 423(b)(4) of the Code by the Company or a Related Corporation. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.

(m) Employee Stock Purchase Plan means a plan that grants Purchase Rights intended to be options issued under an “employee stock purchase plan,” as that term is defined in Section 423(b) of the Code.

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

(o) Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:

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

 

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(ii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith in compliance with applicable laws and in a manner that complies with Sections 409A of the Code.

(iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, for any Offering that commences on the IPO Date, the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the Offering Date will be the price per share at which shares are first sold to the public in the Company’s initial public offering as specified in the final prospectus for that initial public offering.

(p) IPO Date means the date of the underwriting agreement between the Company and the underwriter(s) managing the initial public offering of the Common Stock, pursuant to which the Common Stock is priced for the initial public offering.

(q) Offering means the grant to Eligible Employees of Purchase Rights, with the exercise of those Purchase Rights automatically occurring at the end of one or more Purchase Periods. The terms and conditions of an Offering will generally be set forth in the “ Offering Document ” approved by the Board for that Offering.

(r) Offering Date ” means a date selected by the Board for an Offering to commence.

(s) Officer means a person who is an officer of the Company or a Related Corporation within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(t) Participant means an Eligible Employee who holds an outstanding Purchase Right.

(u) Plan means this Ovid Therapeutics Inc. 2017 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(v) Purchase Date means one or more dates during an Offering selected by the Board on which Purchase Rights will be exercised and on which purchases of shares of Common Stock will be carried out in accordance with such Offering.

(w) Purchase Period ” means a period of time specified within an Offering, generally beginning on the Offering Date or on the first Trading Day following a Purchase Date, and ending on a Purchase Date. An Offering may consist of one or more Purchase Periods.

(x) Purchase Right means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.

(y) Related Corporation means any “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” of the Company whether now or subsequently established, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively, of the Code.

(z) Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(aa) Trading Day means any day on which the exchange(s) or market(s) on which shares of Common Stock are listed, including but not limited to the NYSE, Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Capital Market or any successors thereto, is open for trading.

 

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Exhibit 10.13

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Jeremy Levin (“ Executive ”) is currently employed by OVID THERAPEUTICS INC. (the “ Company ”) as its Chief Executive Officer (“ CEO ”) pursuant to the terms of an Executive Employment Agreement with the Company dated June 5, 2015 (the “ Prior Agreement ”). Executive and the Company hereby agree to amend and restate the Prior Agreement. The terms and conditions set forth in this AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) shall become effective as of the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the Company to register shares of its common stock for sale to the public through one or more underwriters (the “ Effective Date ”), and shall supersede and replace the terms and conditions set forth in the Prior Agreement. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 6.

WHEREAS , the Company is a biopharmaceutical company;

WHEREAS , the Company desires for Executive to continue to provide services to the Company, and wishes to provide Executive with certain compensation and benefits in return for such services, as set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS , Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and to provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation and benefits, as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and Executive agree as follows:

1. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

1.1.      Position, Duties and Location . Executive shall continue to serve as CEO and Chairman of the Board, reporting to the Board. Executive shall perform those duties and responsibilities as are customary for such positions and as may be directed by the Board from time to time. As CEO, Executive’s duties shall include responsibility for: (a) all day-to-day management decisions and for leading the development and execution of the Company’s short and long-term strategy, and (b) communicating on behalf of the Company to stockholders, employees, government authorities and the public. Executive’s specific responsibilities as CEO include, but are not limited to: (i) setting the strategy for the Company and ensuring the organization is appropriately staffed and has appropriate financial, physical and human resources to execute the strategy; (ii) assessing and monitoring significant business risks and trends; (iii) ensuring that effective internal controls and systems are in place in order for the Company to conduct its activities lawfully and ethically; and (iv) ensuring that the Board is properly informed and ensuring the integrity of all public disclosures. As Chairman of the Board, Executive’s duties include presiding at all meetings of the Board and stockholders and developing the agenda for each Board meeting and circulating it in advance of the meeting. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. Executive’s primary office location will be the Company’s offices in New York, New York. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall not engage in any activity that conflicts with or is detrimental to the Company’s best interests, as determined by the Board.


1.2.      Employment Term . Executive will be employed by the Company on an “at-will” basis. This means that either the Company or Executive may terminate Executive’s employment at any time, for any reason, with or without Cause, and with or without advance notice (provided that Resignation for Good Reason (as defined below) requires certain advanced notice by Executive of Executive’s termination of employment). Subject to the terms herein, it also means that Executive’s job title, duties, responsibilities, reporting level, compensation and benefits, as well as the Company’s personnel policies and procedures, may be changed with or without notice at any time in the Company’s sole discretion. This at-will employment relationship shall not be modified by any conflicting actions or representations of any Company employee or other party before or during the term of Executive’s employment.

1.3.      Compensation .

a)      Annual Base Salary . Executive’s annual base salary shall be paid at the rate of $515,000 per year (“ Annual Base Salary ”), payable in equal installments, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings, on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle. Executive’s Annual Base Salary shall be subject to annual review by the Board and may be adjusted from time to time; provided , however , that if the Board determines, as set forth in Section 1.3(c), that one hundred percent (100%) of the written Company and individual objectives have been achieved for a given calendar year, then the Annual Base Salary shall be adjusted for the following calendar year such that it is approximately equal to the seventy-fifth (75 th ) percentile of base salaries of peer group public company chief executive officers, as determined by Radford or another reputable compensation consultant selected by the Board in its sole discretion. As an exempt salaried employee, Executive will be required to work the Company’s normal business hours, and such additional time as appropriate for Executive’s work assignments and position, and Executive will not be entitled to overtime compensation.

b)      Benefits . Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in all of the employee benefits and benefit plans that the Company generally makes available to its full-time employees and executives in accordance with the terms and conditions of the benefit plans and applicable policies as in effect from time to time. In accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures, as in effect from time to time, Executive will be eligible to accrue up to four (4) weeks of paid vacation and paid sick leave per year.

c)      Bonus . Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual performance bonus of at least fifty percent (50%) of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (the “ Target Performance Bonus ”). The Target Performance Bonus shall be based upon the Board’s assessment of Executive’s attainment of written Company and individual objectives as set by the Board in its sole discretion. The Board may increase the Target Performance Bonus in its sole discretion. Bonus payments, if any, shall be subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings. Following the close of each calendar year, the Board shall determine whether Executive has earned a Target Performance Bonus, and the amount of any such bonus, based on the achievement of such objectives. Except as provided in Sections 2.2 and 3.2, Executive must be an employee of the Company in good standing on the Target Performance Bonus payment date to be eligible to receive a Target Performance Bonus, and no partial or prorated bonuses shall be provided. The Target Performance Bonus, if earned, shall be paid on or before March 15 th of the calendar year after the applicable bonus year. Executive’s bonus eligibility is subject to change in the discretion of the Board.

d)      Equity Compensation . Executive has already been granted options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, which shall continue to be governed by the terms of the

 

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applicable stock option agreements, grant notices and the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “ Equity Plan ”). At the discretion of the Board, Executive shall be eligible to receive additional options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock.

1.4.      Reimbursement of Expenses . Subject to Section 4.8(c), the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s necessary and reasonable business expenses incurred in connection with Executive’s duties in accordance with the Company’s generally applicable expense reimbursement policies as in effect from time to time.

1.5.      Board Seat . So long as Executive is the CEO, the Board shall continue to re-nominate Executive for election when his term expires at the relevant annual meeting of stockholders. Executive’s membership on the Board will depend on the Company’s governance practices, stockholder vote, and applicable rules of the Company, as is the case with all other members of the Board; provided , however , that once the Company’s securities become publicly traded on a national securities exchange or in the over the counter market, no director, including Executive, will be permitted to serve as a member of the Board longer than ten (10) consecutive years.

1.6.      Indemnification Agreement . Executive and Company shall enter into an Indemnity Agreement (the “Indemnification Agreement”), which shall be effective as of the Effective Date and is incorporated herein by reference.

1.7.      Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies. Executive and the Company have executed the Confidentiality Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, Executive is required to continue to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Company’s Employee Handbook, as adopted or modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion; provided , however , that in the event the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. COVERED TERMINATION SEVERANCE BENEFITS

2.1.      Severance Benefits . Upon a Covered Termination, then subject to Section 4 below and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall provide Executive with the severance benefits set forth in this Section 2 (the “ Severance Benefits ”).

2.2.      Salary and Pro-Rata Bonus Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, (i) the sum of Executive’s Monthly Base Salary and Pro-Rata Bonus, multiplied by (ii) the number of months in the Covered Termination Severance Period, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings (the “ Severance ”). The Severance shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date (as set forth in Section 4.1).

2.3.      Health Continuation Payments .

a)     The Company will pay Executive on the first day of each month a fully taxable cash payment equal to the applicable premium for Executive, his spouse and any dependents for the group health plan maintained by the Company for the month in which the Covered Termination occurs, subject to applicable tax withholdings but grossed up for all taxes owed by the Executive on such payment, for the duration of the Covered Termination Benefits Period. Such coverage shall be counted as coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Company shall have no obligation in respect of any premium payments

 

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following the effective date of the Executive’s coverage by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Executive shall be required to notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes covered by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

b)     For purposes of this Section 2.3, (i) references to COBRA shall be deemed to include analogous provisions of state law, and (ii) any applicable insurance premiums that are paid by the Company shall not include any amounts payable by Executive under a Code Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of Executive.

2.4.      Covered Termination Vesting Acceleration Benefits . Upon a Covered Termination, (i) the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding options to purchase the Company’s common stock (or stock appreciation rights or other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company) that are held by Executive on the Termination Date shall be accelerated in full, (ii) each such option shall be exercisable and to the extent not exercised, expire on the latest date permitted under the Equity Plan and (iii) any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to common stock issued or issuable (or with respect to other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued or issuable) pursuant to any other stock award granted to Executive pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company shall lapse.

2.5.      Reimbursement of Legal Fees . The Company will reimburse Executive for actual legal fees incurred, up to a maximum of $50,000, in connection with the review of the Release, subject to and in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policies as in effect from time to time.

2.6.      Administrative and Secretarial Support . The Company shall provide Executive with full-time administrative and secretarial support during the Covered Termination Severance Period (the “ Admin Support ”); provided , however , that the Company’s obligation to provide the Admin Support will cease if Executive obtains new full-time employment with administrative support during the Covered Termination Severance Period, and Executive must notify the Company within two (2) weeks if he obtains such new full-time employment.

3. CHANGE IN CONTROL BENEFITS

3.1.      Change in Control Benefits . If Executive is an employee of the Company on the date of the closing of a Change in Control, then subject to Section 4 below, Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement and Executive signing and not revoking a general release of claims in a form to be provided by the Company (the “ Change in Control Release ”), which Change in Control Release must become effective and irrevocable no later than the sixtieth (60th) day following the date of the closing of a Change in Control (the “ Change in Control Release Deadline Date ”), the Company shall provide Executive with the change in control benefits set forth in this Section 3 (the “ Change in Control Benefits ”).

3.2.      Change in Control Bonus Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as a change in control bonus payment , (i) the sum of Executive’s Monthly Base Salary and Pro-Rata Bonus, multiplied by (ii) thirty-six (36) months, less applicable payroll deductions and withholding (the “ Change in Control Bonus ”). The Change in Control Bonus shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Change in Control Release Deadline Date. On the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Change in Control Release Deadline Date, the Company shall pay Executive the Change in Control Bonus amount that Executive would otherwise have received on or prior to such date but for the delay in payment related to the effectiveness of the Release, with the balance of the Change in Control Bonus amount being paid as originally scheduled.

 

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3.3.      Change in Control Vesting Acceleration Benefits . Upon a Change in Control, (i) the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding options to purchase the Company’s common stock (or stock appreciation rights or other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company) that are held by Executive on the date of the Change in Control shall be accelerated in full and (ii) any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to common stock issued or issuable (or with respect to other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued or issuable) pursuant to any other stock award granted to Executive pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company shall lapse.

4. LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS ON BENEFITS

4.1.      Release Prior to Payment of Severance Benefits . The receipt of any Severance Benefits pursuant to this Agreement is subject to Executive (or his estate or representative in the event of his death) signing and not revoking a separation agreement and general release of claims (the “ Release ”), in substantially the form attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A or Exhibit B , as appropriate, which Release must become effective and irrevocable no later than the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s Termination Date (the “ Release Deadline Date ”). If the Release does not become effective and irrevocable by the Release Deadline Date, Executive will forfeit any right to any Severance Benefits under this Agreement. In no event will Severance Benefits be paid or provided until after the Release Deadline Date. On the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date, the Company will pay Executive the Severance amount that Executive would otherwise have received on or prior to such date but for the delay in payment related to the effectiveness of the Release, with the balance of the Severance amount being paid as originally scheduled. The Company may modify the Release in its discretion to comply with changes in applicable law at any time prior to Executive’s execution of such Release.

4.2.      Return of Company Property . Not later than the Termination Date, Executive shall return to the Company all documents (and all copies thereof) and other property belonging to the Company that Executive has in his or her possession or control. The documents and property to be returned include, but are not limited to, all files, correspondence, email, memoranda, notes, notebooks, records, plans, forecasts, reports, studies, analyses, compilations of data, proposals, agreements, financial information, research and development information, marketing information, operational and personnel information, databases, computer-recorded information, tangible property and equipment (including, but not limited to, computers, facsimile machines, mobile telephones and servers), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys, and any materials of any kind which contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all reproductions thereof in whole or in part). Executive agrees to make a diligent search to locate any such documents, property and information. If Executive has used any personally owned computer, server or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company confidential or proprietary data, materials or information, then within ten (10) business days after the Termination Date, Executive shall provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of all such information and then permanently delete and expunge such confidential or proprietary information from those systems. Executive agrees to provide the Company with a certification that the necessary copying and/or deletion is done.

 

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4.3.      Cooperation and Continued Compliance with Restrictive Covenants .

a)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall cooperate fully with the Company, at reasonable times as agreed between Executive and the Company, in connection with its actual or contemplated defense, prosecution or investigation of any existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations, claims, demands, audits, government or regulatory inquiries, or other matters arising from events, acts or failures to act that occurred during the time period in which Executive was employed by the Company (including any period of employment with an entity acquired by the Company). Such cooperation includes, without limitation, being available upon reasonable notice, without subpoena, to provide accurate and complete advice, assistance and information to the Company, including offering and explaining evidence, providing truthful and accurate sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing. Nothing in this Agreement prohibits Executive from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this Agreement is intended to prohibit or restrain Executive in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with any such cooperation (excluding foregone wages, salary or other compensation) within thirty (30) days of Executive’s timely presentation of appropriate documentation thereof, in accordance with the Company’s standard reimbursement policies and procedures. The Company will reasonably accommodate Executive’s scheduling needs with respect to any such cooperation after the Termination Date.

b)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall continue to abide by Executive’s continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

c)     From the Effective Date until two (2) years after the effective date of a Covered Termination or termination for Cause, as applicable, Executive shall not, without the Company’s prior written consent: (i) directly or indirectly, in the area of neurology, be employed, under contract with or involved with any business or not-for-profit organization that is (A) supporting patients or (B) researching, developing, manufacturing, selling or otherwise exploiting any products or technologies, that are directed towards treating rare or orphan neurological conditions or diseases and compete or might compete with products and/or services then under research or development by the Company or that are being sold by the Company; or (ii) directly or indirectly, hire or retain, or attempt to hire or retain, any of the Company’s then-existing board members, employees, advisors, consultants or agents and shall not induce any such to give up employment with or to cease providing services to the Company, and shall not otherwise interfere with, or attempt to interfere with, the relationship of any such person with the Company.

d)     Nothing in Section 4.3(c) shall prohibit Executive from investing as a less than five percent (5%) shareholder in securities of any company listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system.

e)     Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s obligations under this Section 4.3 are an essential part of the consideration Executive is providing hereunder in exchange for which and in reliance upon which the Company has agreed to provide the payments and benefits under this Agreement. Executive further acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s violation of this Section 4.3 inevitably would involve use or disclosure of the Company’s proprietary and confidential information. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 4.3 is

 

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excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.

4.4.      Parachute Payments .

a)      Parachute Payment Limitation . If any payment or benefit (including payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement) Executive would receive in connection with a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“ Payment ”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this paragraph, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), then the Company shall cause to be determined, before any amounts of the Payment are paid to Executive, which of the following two alternative forms of payment shall be paid to Executive: (A) payment in full of the entire amount of the Payment (a “ Full Payment ”), or (B) payment of only a part of the Payment so that Executive receives the largest payment possible without the imposition of the Excise Tax (a “ Reduced Payment ”). A Full Payment shall be made in the event that the amount received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis is greater than what would be received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis if the Reduced Payment were made, otherwise a Reduced Payment shall be made. If a Reduced Payment is made, (i) the Payment shall be paid only to the extent permitted under the Reduced Payment alternative, and Executive shall have no rights to any additional payments and/or benefits constituting the Payment, and (ii) reduction in payments and/or benefits shall occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (C) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. In the event that acceleration of compensation from Executive’s equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be canceled in the reverse order of the date of grant.

b)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control shall make all determinations required to be made under this Section 4.4. If the independent registered public accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such independent registered public accounting firm required to be made hereunder.

c)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder shall provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Company or Executive) or such other time as requested by the Company or Executive. If the independent registered public accounting firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable with respect to a Payment, either before or after the application of the Reduced Amount, it shall furnish the Company and Executive with an opinion reasonably acceptable to Executive that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to such Payment. Any good faith determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

4.5.      Certain Reductions and Offsets . To the extent that any federal, state or local laws, including, without limitation, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or any other so-called “plant closing” laws, require the Company to give advance notice or make a payment of any kind to Executive because of Executive’s involuntary termination due to a layoff, reduction in force, plant or

 

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facility closing, sale of business, change in control or any other similar event or reason, the benefits payable under this Agreement shall be correspondingly reduced. The benefits provided under this Agreement are intended to satisfy any and all statutory obligations that may arise out of Executive’s involuntary termination of employment for the foregoing reasons, and the parties shall construe and enforce the terms of this Agreement accordingly.

4.6.      Mitigation . Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, Executive shall not be required to mitigate damages or the amount of any payment provided under this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for under this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned by Executive as a result of employment by another employer or by any retirement benefits received by Executive after the date of a Covered Termination (except as expressly provided in Sections 2.3 and 2.6 above).

4.7.      Indebtedness of Executive . If Executive is indebted to the Company on the effective date of a Change in Control or Covered Termination, the Company reserves the right to offset any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Benefits under this Agreement by the amount of such indebtedness, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and applicable law.

4.8.      Application of Section  409A .

a)      Separation from Service . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, no amount deemed deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be payable pursuant to Section 2 unless Executive’s termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury Regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder and, except as provided under Section 4.8(b) hereof, any such amount shall not be paid, or in the case of installments, commence payment, until the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service. Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the sixty (60) day period immediately following Executive’s separation from service but for the preceding sentence shall be paid to Executive on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day after Executive’s separation from service and the remaining payments shall be made as provided in this Agreement.

b)      Specified Executive . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed at the time of his or her separation from service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of the benefits to which Executive is entitled under this Agreement is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such portion of Executive’s benefits shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of Executive’s “separation from service” with the Company (as such term is defined in the Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code) or (ii) the date of Executive’s death. Upon the first business day following the expiration of the applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Section 4.8(b) shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due under this Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.

c)      Expense Reimbursements . To the extent that any reimbursement payable pursuant to this Agreement is subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, any such reimbursement payable to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid to Executive no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred; the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year; and Executive’s right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

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d)      Installments . For purposes of Section 409A of the Code (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each such installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment.

4.9.      Tax Withholding . All payments under this Agreement shall be subject to applicable withholding for federal, state and local income and employment taxes.

4.10.      No Duplication of Severance Benefits. The Severance Benefits and Change in Control Benefits provided in Section 2 and Section 3 are mutually exclusive of each other, and in no event shall Executive receive any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Benefits pursuant to both Section 2 and Section 3.

5. TERMINATION WITH CAUSE OR BY VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION; OTHER RIGHTS AND BENEFITS

5.1.      Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; or Disability . If, at any time, the Company terminates Executive’s employment with the Company for Cause, or upon a voluntary resignation by Executive that is not a Resignation for Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates for any reason not entitling Executive to the Severance Benefits, or if Executive’s employment terminates as a result of Executive’s disability (other than a Permanent Disability), then the Company shall have no further obligation to Executive hereunder except for the payment or provision, as applicable, of (i) the portion of the Annual Base Salary accrued through Executive’s last day of employment, (ii) all unreimbursed expenses (if any), subject to Sections 1.4 and 4.8(c), and (iii) any unused vacation (if applicable) accrued through Executive’s last day of employment. Under these circumstances, Executive will not be entitled to any other form of compensation, including any Severance Benefits, other than Executive’s rights to the vested portion of Executive’s Option and any other rights to which Executive is entitled under the Company’s benefit programs.

5.2.      Other Rights and Benefits. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit Executive’s continuing or future participation in any benefit, bonus, incentive or other plans, programs, policies or practices provided by the Company and for which Executive may otherwise qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as Executive may have under other agreements with the Company except as provided in Section 4 and Section 5.1 above. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, amounts that are vested benefits or that Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of the Company at or subsequent to the date of a Change in Control shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program.

6. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:

6.1.     “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company, or the compensation committee thereof, as determinations or responsibilities may be delegated by the Board to the compensation committee.

 

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6.2.     “ Cause ” shall mean a determination by the Company based upon reasonably available information of Executive’s: (i) unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets, which use or disclosure causes harm to the Company; (ii) material breach of any agreement to which the Executive and the Company are a party resulting in harm to the Company; (iii) failure to comply with the Company’s written policies or rules resulting in material harm to the Company; (iv) conviction of, or plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any State; (v) negligence or willful misconduct relating to Executive’s performance of his duties on behalf of the Company resulting in material harm to the Company; (vi) continuing failure to perform material and lawful assigned duties after receiving written notification of the failure from the Board; (vii) failure to cooperate in good faith with a governmental or internal investigation of the Company or its directors, officers or employees, if the Company has requested Executive’s cooperation without prejudice or personal liability to Executive; (viii) violation of employee or ethical guidelines including, without limitation, violations of business practices and ethics commonly in place in similar companies in the United States; or (ix) violation of the code of conduct as stipulated and agreed to in the signed License Agreement, dated as of March 25, 2015, with H. Lundbeck A/S. With respect to clause (vi), Executive will be given written notice and a 30-day period in which to cure such breach. Executive agrees that the breach of any confidentiality obligation to the Company or any subsidiary shall not be curable to any extent.

6.3.     “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

a)    Any natural person, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“ Exchange Act Person ”), becomes the owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur (i) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by any institutional investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions that are primarily a private financing transaction for the Company or (ii) solely because the level of ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “ Subject Person ”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur;

b)    There is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving, directly or indirectly, the Company if, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not own, directly or indirectly, either (i) outstanding voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (ii) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction;

 

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c)    The stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company shall otherwise occur; or

d)    There is consummated a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries to an entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition.

The term Change in Control shall not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any affiliate and the participant shall supersede the foregoing definition with respect to stock awards subject to such agreement (it being understood, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition shall apply).

6.4.     “ COBRA ” means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.

6.5.     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

6.6.     “ Company ” means Ovid Therapeutics Inc. or, following a Change in Control, the surviving entity resulting from such transaction, or any subsequent surviving entity resulting from any subsequent Change in Control.

6.7.     “ Confidentiality Agreement ” means Executive’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement with the Company, dated August 8, 2014 (or any successor agreement thereto).

6.8.      “ Covered Termination ” means an “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” or “ Resignation for Good Reason , ” provided that any such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) or Executive’s death. Disability, other than a Permanent Disability, shall not be deemed Covered Terminations.

6.9.     “ Covered Termination Benefits Period ” means the period of thirty-six (36) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.10.     “ Covered Termination Severance Period ” means the period of thirty-six (36) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.11.     “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” means Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons other than Cause and other than as a result of death or disability; provided , however , that for purposes of a Covered Termination, Involuntary Termination Without Cause shall include Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons of Permanent Disability.

6.12.     “ IPO ” means the Company’s first firm commitment underwritten public offering of its common stock pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

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6.13.     “ Monthly Base Salary ” means 1/12 th of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (excluding incentive pay, premium pay, commissions, overtime, bonuses and other forms of variable compensation) as in effect on the date of a Covered Termination.

6.14.     “ Permanent Disability ” means total and permanent disability as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3).

6.15.     “ Pro-Rata Bonus ” means 1/12 th of the Target Performance Bonus paid to Executive for the calendar year preceding the calendar year in which a Covered Termination occurs.

6.16.     “ Resignation for Good Reason ” means Executive’s resignation from all employee positions Executive then holds with the Company within ninety (90) days following any of the following events taken without Executive’s consent, provided Executive has given the Company written notice of such event within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of such event and the Company has not cured such event within thirty (30) days thereafter:

a)    A material decrease in Executive’s Annual Base Salary, other than in connection with a decrease in compensation for all comparable executives of the Company;

b)    Executive’s duties or responsibilities are materially diminished (not simply a change in title or reporting relationships); provided that Executive shall not be deemed to have a “ Resignation for Good Reason ” if the Company survives as a separate legal entity or business unit following the Change in Control and Executive holds materially the same position in such legal entity or business unit as Executive held before the Change in Control;

c)    A relocation of Executive’s principal place of work outside of a fifty (50) mile radius of its current location; or

d)    The Company’s material breach of this Agreement.

6.17.     “ Termination Date ” means the effective date of a Covered Termination, a termination for Cause or any other circumstance under which the employment relationship between Executive and the Company terminates, as applicable.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

7.1.      Employment Status. This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or impose upon Executive any obligation to remain as an employee, or impose on the Company any obligation (i) to retain Executive as an employee, (ii) to change the status of Executive as an at-will employee or (iii) to change the Company’s policies regarding termination of employment.

7.2.      Notices . Any notices provided hereunder must be in writing, and such notices or any other written communication shall be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by facsimile or email transmission (to a facsimile number or email address designated in advance by the receiving party)) or the third day after mailing by first class mail, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed in the Company’s payroll records. Any payments made by the Company to Executive under the terms of this Agreement shall be delivered to Executive either in person or at the address as listed in the Company’s payroll records.

7.3.      Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any

 

12


jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.

7.4.      Waiver . If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, he, she or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

7.5.      Complete Agreement . This Agreement, together with Exhibits A and B , the Confidentiality Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of Executive’s employment agreement with the Company, and supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone, whether oral or written (including but not limited to the Prior Agreement).

7.6.      Amendment or Termination of Agreement; Continuation of Agreement . Except for those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s or the Board’s discretion in this Agreement, this Agreement may be changed or terminated only upon the mutual written consent of the Company and Executive. The written consent of the Company to a change or termination of this Agreement must be signed by an executive officer of the Company (other than Executive) after such change or termination has been approved by the Board. Unless so terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect for as long as Executive continues to be employed by the Company or by any surviving entity following any Change in Control.

7.7.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement. Facsimile and electronic image copies of signatures shall be equivalent to original signatures.

7.8.      Headings . The headings of the Sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.9.      Successors and Assigns . This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive, and the Company, and any surviving entity resulting from a Change in Control and upon any other person who is a successor by merger, acquisition, consolidation or otherwise to the business formerly carried on by the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, without regard to whether or not such person actively assumes any rights or duties hereunder; provided , however , that Executive may not assign any duties hereunder and may not assign any rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably.

7.10.      Choice of Law . This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of law principles.

7.11.      Arbitration . To ensure the rapid and economical resolution of any disputes that may arise under or relate to this Agreement or Executive’s employment relationship, Executive and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action, in law or equity, arising from or relating to the performance, enforcement, execution, or interpretation of this Agreement, Executive’s employment with the Company, or the termination of Executive’s employment (collectively, “ Claims ”), shall be resolved by final, binding, and (to the extent permitted by law) confidential arbitration before a single arbitrator in New York, New York. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration

 

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Act, 9 U.S.C. Section 1 et seq. , as amended, and shall be administered by the Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“ JAMS ”), in accordance with its then-current Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “ JAMS Rules ”). The JAMS Rules are available online at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/ . The parties or their representatives may also call JAMS at 800.352.5267 if they have questions about the arbitration process. If the JAMS Rules are inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall exclude Claims that by law are not subject to arbitration. The arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of all Claims and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (b) issue a written arbitration decision including the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award. The Company shall pay all JAMS fees in excess of the amount of filing and other court-related fees Executive would have been required to pay if the Claims were asserted in a court of law. EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY UNDERSTAND AND FULLY AGREE THAT BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, BOTH EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY ARE GIVING UP THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HAVE A TRIAL BY JURY, AND ARE GIVING UP THE NORMAL RIGHTS OF APPEAL FOLLOWING THE RENDERING OF A DECISION, EXCEPT AS THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW ALLOW FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent either Executive or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any awards or final orders in such arbitrations may be entered and enforced as judgments or orders in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction in compliance with Section 7.11 of this Agreement.

7.12.      Construction of Agreement . In the event of a conflict between the text of this Agreement and any summary, description or other information regarding this Agreement, the text of this Agreement shall control.

7.13.    Circular 230 Disclaimer . THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER IS PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE’S CIRCULAR 230 (21 C.F.R. PART 10). ANY TAX ADVICE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS INTENDED TO BE PRELIMINARY, FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FINAL. ANY SUCH ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED FOR MARKETING, PROMOTING OR RECOMMENDING ANY TRANSACTION OR FOR THE USE OF ANY PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH THE PREPARATION OF ANY TAX RETURN. ACCORDINGLY, THIS ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND IT CANNOT BE USED, BY ANY PERSON FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING TAX PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON SUCH PERSON.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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REVIEWED, UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED:

 

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.       EXECUTIVE
By:  

/s/ Yaron Werber

    By:  

/s/ Jeremy Levin

Name:   Yaron Werber     Name:   Jeremy Levin
Title:   Chief Business and Financial Officer

Exhibit A:        Release (Individual Termination – Age 40 or Older)

Exhibit B:        Release (Group Termination – Age 40 or Older)


EXHIBIT A

RELEASE

(INDIVIDUAL TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have twenty-one (21) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the Company’s Board of Directors); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. In giving the releases set forth in this

 

A-1


Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature

 

Printed Name

Date:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

RELEASE

(GROUP TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) dated (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have forty-five (45) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the Company’s Board of Directors); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it. I further acknowledge that the Company has provided me with ADEA disclosure information (under 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H)).

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD

 

B-1


AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT . In giving the releases set forth in this Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature

 

Printed Name

Date:

 

B-2

Exhibit 10.14

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Amit Rakhit (“ Executive ”) is currently employed by OVID THERAPEUTICS INC. (the “ Company ”) as its Chief Medical and Portfolio Management Officer pursuant to the terms of an Executive Employment Agreement with the Company dated December 6, 2015 (the “ Prior Agreement ”). Executive and the Company hereby agree to amend and restate the Prior Agreement. The terms and conditions set forth in this AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) shall become effective as of the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the Company to register shares of its common stock for sale to the public through one or more underwriters (the “ Effective Date ”), and shall supersede and replace the terms and conditions set forth in the Prior Agreement. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 6.

WHEREAS , the Company is a biopharmaceutical company;

WHEREAS , the Company desires for Executive to continue to provide services to the Company, and wishes to provide Executive with certain compensation and benefits in return for such services, as set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS , Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and to provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation and benefits, as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and Executive agree as follows:

1. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

1.1.      Position, Duties and Location . Executive shall continue to serve as Chief Medical and Portfolio Management Officer, reporting to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“ CEO ”). Executive shall perform those duties and responsibilities as are customary for such position and as may be directed by the Company and the Board from time to time. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. Executive’s primary office location will be the Company’s offices in New York, New York. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall not engage in any activity that conflicts with or is detrimental to the Company’s best interests, as determined by the CEO. Provided that Executive obtains the CEO’s prior written consent for each of the following activities, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and that none of the following activities involve activities in the area of neurology, detract from Ovid’s reputation, impact Executive’s full time duties to the Company, or could reasonably result in the disclosure or use of the Company’s proprietary or confidential information, Executive may serve as a board or committee member, advisor or consultant (the “ Activities ”). The CEO may rescind the CEO’s consent to Executive’s participation in the Activities, or participation in other business or public activities, if the CEO, in the CEO’s sole discretion, determines that such activities compromise or threaten to compromise the Company’s business interests or conflict with Executive’s duties to the Company.

1.2.      Employment Term . Executive will be employed by the Company on an “at-will” basis. This means that either the Company or Executive may terminate Executive’s employment at any time, for


any reason, with or without Cause, and with or without advance notice (provided that (a) Resignation for Good Reason (as defined below) requires certain advanced notice by Executive of Executive’s termination of employment as set forth below and (b) as a professional courtesy, Executive agrees to provide the Company with at least sixty (60) days advance written notice of a voluntary resignation by Executive that is not a Resignation for Good Reason). Subject to the terms herein, it also means that Executive’s job title, duties, responsibilities, reporting level, compensation and benefits, as well as the Company’s personnel policies and procedures, may be changed with or without notice at any time in the Company’s sole discretion. This at-will employment relationship shall not be modified by any conflicting actions or representations of any Company employee or other party before or during the term of Executive’s employment.

1.3.      Compensation .

a)      Annual Base Salary . Executive’s annual base salary shall be paid at the rate of $386,250 per year (“ Annual Base Salary ”), payable in equal installments, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings, on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle. Executive’s Annual Base Salary shall be subject to annual review by the Board and may be adjusted from time to time. As an exempt salaried employee, Executive will be required to work the Company’s normal business hours, and such additional time as appropriate for Executive’s work assignments and position, and Executive will not be entitled to overtime compensation.

b)      Benefits . Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefits and benefit plans that the Company generally makes available to its full-time employees and executives in accordance with the terms and conditions of the benefit plans and applicable policies as in effect from time to time. In accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures, as in effect from time to time, Executive will be eligible to accrue twenty (20) days of paid time off per year.

c)      Bonus . Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual performance bonus of up to thirty percent (30%) of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (the “ Target Performance Bonus ”). The Target Performance Bonus shall be based upon the Company’s assessment of Executive’s attainment of written Company and individual objectives as set by the Company in its sole discretion. The Company may increase the Target Performance Bonus in its sole discretion. Bonus payments, if any, shall be subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings. Following the close of each calendar year, the Company shall determine whether Executive has earned a Target Performance Bonus, and the amount of any such bonus, based on the achievement of such objectives. Executive must be an employee of the Company in good standing on the Target Performance Bonus payment date to be eligible to receive a Target Performance Bonus, and no partial or prorated bonuses shall be provided. The Target Performance Bonus, if earned, shall be paid on or before March 15 th of the calendar year after the applicable bonus year. Executive’s bonus eligibility is subject to change in the discretion of the Company.

d)      Equity Compensation . Executive has already been granted options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, which shall continue to be governed by the terms of the applicable stock option agreements, grant notices and the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “ Equity Plan ”). At the discretion of the Board, Executive shall be eligible to receive additional options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock.

1.4.      Reimbursement of Expenses . Subject to Section 4.8(c), the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s necessary and reasonable business expenses incurred in connection with Executive’s duties in accordance with the Company’s generally applicable expense reimbursement policies as in effect from time to time.


1.5.      Indemnification Agreement . Executive and Company shall enter into an Indemnity Agreement (the “Indemnification Agreement”), which shall be effective as of the Effective Date and is incorporated herein by reference.

1.6.      Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies. Executive and the Company have executed the Confidentiality Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, Executive is required to continue to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Company’s Employee Handbook, as adopted or modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion; provided , however , that in the event the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. COVERED TERMINATION SEVERANCE BENEFITS

2.1.      Severance Benefits . Upon a Covered Termination, then subject to Section 4 below and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall provide Executive with the severance benefits set forth in this Section 2 (the “ Severance Benefits ”).

2.2.      Salary Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, (i) Executive’s Monthly Base Salary, multiplied by (ii) the number of months in the Covered Termination Severance Period, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings (the “ Severance ”). The Severance shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date (as set forth in Section 4.1).

2.3.      Health Continuation Payments .

a)     The Company will pay Executive on the first day of each month a fully taxable cash payment equal to the applicable premium for Executive, his spouse and any dependents for the group health plan maintained by the Company for the month in which the Covered Termination occurs, subject to applicable tax withholdings but grossed up for all taxes owed by the Executive on such payment, for the duration of the Covered Termination Benefits Period. Such coverage shall be counted as coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Company shall have no obligation in respect of any premium payments following the effective date of the Executive’s coverage by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Executive shall be required to notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes covered by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

b)     For purposes of this Section 2.3, (i) references to COBRA shall be deemed to include analogous provisions of state law, and (ii) any applicable insurance premiums that are paid by the Company shall not include any amounts payable by Executive under a Code Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of Executive.

3. CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE BENEFITS

3.1.      Change in Control Severance Benefits . Upon a Change in Control Termination, then subject to Section 4 below and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall provide Executive with the severance benefits set forth in this Section 3 (the “ Change in Control Severance Benefits ”).

3.2.      Salary Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, (i) Executive’s Monthly Base Salary, multiplied by (ii) the number of months in the Change in Control Severance Period, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings (the “ Change in Control Severance ”). The Change in Control Severance shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date.


3.3.      Health Continuation Payments .

a)     The Company will pay Executive on the first day of each month a fully taxable cash payment equal to the applicable premium for Executive, his spouse and any dependents for the group health plan maintained by the Company for the month in which the Change in Control Termination occurs, subject to applicable tax withholdings but grossed up for all taxes owed by the Executive on such payment, for the duration of the Change in Control Benefits Period. Such coverage shall be counted as coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Company shall have no obligation in respect of any premium payments following the effective date of the Executive’s coverage by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Executive shall be required to notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes covered by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

b)     For purposes of this Section 3.3, (i) references to COBRA shall be deemed to include analogous provisions of state law, and (ii) any applicable insurance premiums that are paid by the Company shall not include any amounts payable by Executive under a Code Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of Executive.

3.4.      Change in Control Termination Vesting Acceleration Benefits . Upon a Change in Control Termination, (i) the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding options to purchase the Company’s common stock (or stock appreciation rights or other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company) that are held by Executive on the Termination Date shall be accelerated in full, (ii) each such option shall be exercisable and to the extent not exercised, expire on the latest date permitted under the Equity Plan and (iii) any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to common stock issued or issuable (or with respect to other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued or issuable) pursuant to any other stock award granted to Executive pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company shall lapse.

4. LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS ON BENEFITS

4.1.    Release Prior to Payment of Severance Benefits and Change in Control Severance Benefits . The receipt of any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits pursuant to this Agreement is subject to Executive signing and not revoking a separation agreement and general release of claims (the “ Release ”), in substantially the form attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A or Exhibit B , as appropriate, which Release must become effective and irrevocable no later than the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s Termination Date (the “ Release Deadline Date ”). If the Release does not become effective and irrevocable by the Release Deadline Date, Executive will forfeit any right to any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits under this Agreement. In no event will Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits be paid or provided until after the Release Deadline Date. On the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date, the Company will pay Executive the Severance or Change in Control Severance amount that Executive would otherwise have received on or prior to such date but for the delay in payment related to the effectiveness of the Release, with the balance of the Severance or Change in Control Severance amount being paid as originally scheduled. The Company may modify the Release in its discretion to comply with changes in applicable law at any time prior to Executive’s execution of such Release.

4.2.      Return of Company Property . Not later than the Termination Date, or earlier if requested by the Company, Executive shall return to the Company all documents (and all copies thereof) and other property belonging to the Company that Executive has in his or her possession or control. The documents and property to be returned include, but are not limited to, all files, correspondence, email, memoranda, notes, notebooks, records, plans, forecasts, reports, studies, analyses, compilations of data,


proposals, agreements, financial information, research and development information, marketing information, operational and personnel information, databases, computer-recorded information, tangible property and equipment (including, but not limited to, computers, facsimile machines, mobile telephones and servers), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys, and any materials of any kind which contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all reproductions thereof in whole or in part). Executive agrees to make a diligent search to locate any such documents, property and information. If Executive has used any personally owned computer, server or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company confidential or proprietary data, materials or information, then within ten (10) business days after the Termination Date, or earlier if requested by the Company, Executive shall provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of all such information and then permanently delete and expunge such confidential or proprietary information from those systems. Executive agrees to provide the Company with a certification that the necessary copying and/or deletion is done.

4.3.      Cooperation and Continued Compliance with Restrictive Covenants .

a)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall cooperate fully with the Company, at reasonable times as agreed between Executive and the Company, in connection with its actual or contemplated defense, prosecution or investigation of any existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations, claims, demands, audits, government or regulatory inquiries, or other matters arising from events, acts or failures to act that occurred during the time period in which Executive was employed by the Company (including any period of employment with an entity acquired by the Company). Such cooperation includes, without limitation, being available upon reasonable notice, without subpoena, to provide accurate and complete advice, assistance and information to the Company, including offering and explaining evidence, providing truthful and accurate sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing. Nothing in this Agreement prohibits Executive from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this Agreement is intended to prohibit or restrain Executive in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with any such cooperation (excluding foregone wages, salary or other compensation) within thirty (30) days of Executive’s timely presentation of appropriate documentation thereof, in accordance with the Company’s standard reimbursement policies and procedures. The Company will reasonably accommodate Executive’s scheduling needs with respect to any such cooperation after the Termination Date.

b)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall continue to abide by Executive’s continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

c)     From the Effective Date and through and including the Change in Control Severance Period or Covered Termination Severance Period as defined below, or, if Executive is Terminated with Cause, for one year after Executive’s Termination Date, whichever is applicable, Executive shall not, without the Company’s prior written consent, whether directly or indirectly be employed, under contract with, provide services to or on behalf of, or be involved with any business or organization (whether “for profit” or “not-for-profit”), or applicable Division thereof (as defined below), which researches, develops, creates, manufactures, designs and/or sells compounds and/or related pharmaceuticals, medicines and/or therapies to treat rare or orphan neurological conditions or diseases, and/or otherwise competes with products and/or services then under research or development by or offered or sold by the Company in the same therapeutic category. Nothing in Section 4.3(c) shall prohibit Executive from investing as a less than one percent (1%) shareholder in securities of any company listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system.


d)     From the Effective Date until twelve (12) months after Termination Date, Executive shall not hire or retain, or attempt to hire or retain, any of the Company’s then-existing board members, employees, advisors, consultants, collaborators, investigators or agents and shall not induce any such to give up employment with or to cease providing services to the Company, and shall not otherwise interfere with, or attempt to interfere with, the relationship of any such person with the Company; or attempt in any manner to solicit, persuade or induce any Client of the Company to terminate, reduce or refrain from renewing or extending its contractual or other relationship with the Company in regard to the purchase of products or services marketed or sold by the Company, or to become a Client of or enter into any contractual or other relationship with you or any other individual, person or entity in regard to the purchase of products or services similar or identical to those marketed or sold by the Company.

e)     Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s obligations under this Section 4.3 are an essential part of the consideration Executive is providing hereunder in exchange for which and in reliance upon which the Company has agreed to provide the payments and benefits under this Agreement. Executive further acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s violation of this Section 4.3 inevitably would involve use or disclosure of the Company’s proprietary and confidential information. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 4.3 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.

4.4.      Parachute Payments .

a)      Parachute Payment Limitation . If any payment or benefit (including payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement) Executive would receive in connection with a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“ Payment ”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this paragraph, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), then the Company shall cause to be determined, before any amounts of the Payment are paid to Executive, which of the following two alternative forms of payment shall be paid to Executive: (A) payment in full of the entire amount of the Payment (a “ Full Payment ”), or (B) payment of only a part of the Payment so that Executive receives the largest payment possible without the imposition of the Excise Tax (a “ Reduced Payment ”). A Full Payment shall be made in the event that the amount received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis is greater than what would be received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis if the Reduced Payment were made, otherwise a Reduced Payment shall be made. If a Reduced Payment is made, (i) the Payment shall be paid only to the extent permitted under the Reduced Payment alternative, and Executive shall have no rights to any additional payments and/or benefits constituting the Payment, and (ii) reduction in payments and/or benefits shall occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (C) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. In the event that acceleration of compensation from Executive’s equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be canceled in the reverse order of the date of grant.

b)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control shall make all determinations required to be made under this Section 4.4. If the independent registered public accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such independent registered public accounting firm required to be made hereunder.


c)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder shall provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Company or Executive) or such other time as requested by the Company or Executive. If the independent registered public accounting firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable with respect to a Payment, either before or after the application of the Reduced Amount, it shall furnish the Company and Executive with an opinion reasonably acceptable to Executive that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to such Payment. Any good faith determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

4.5.      Certain Reductions and Offsets . To the extent that any federal, state or local laws, including, without limitation, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or any other so-called “plant closing” laws, require the Company to give advance notice or make a payment of any kind to Executive because of Executive’s involuntary termination due to a layoff, reduction in force, plant or facility closing, sale of business, change in control or any other similar event or reason, the benefits payable under this Agreement shall be correspondingly reduced. The benefits provided under this Agreement are intended to satisfy any and all statutory obligations that may arise out of Executive’s involuntary termination of employment for the foregoing reasons, and the parties shall construe and enforce the terms of this Agreement accordingly.

4.6.      Mitigation . Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, Executive shall not be required to mitigate damages or the amount of any payment provided under this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for under this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned by Executive as a result of employment by another employer or by any retirement benefits received by Executive after the date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination (except as expressly provided in Sections 2.3 and 3.3 above).

4.7.      Indebtedness of Executive . If Executive is indebted to the Company on the effective date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination Date, the Company reserves the right to offset any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits under this Agreement by the amount of such indebtedness, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and applicable law.

4.8.      Application of Section  409A .

a)      Separation from Service . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, no amount deemed deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be payable pursuant to Section 2 or Section 3 unless Executive’s termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury Regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder and, except as provided under Section 4.8(b) hereof, any such amount shall not be paid, or in the case of installments, commence payment, until the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service. Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the sixty (60) day period immediately following Executive’s separation from service but for the preceding sentence shall be paid to Executive on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day after Executive’s separation from service and the remaining payments shall be made as provided in this Agreement.


b)      Specified Executive . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed at the time of his or her separation from service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of the benefits to which Executive is entitled under this Agreement is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such portion of Executive’s benefits shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of Executive’s “separation from service” with the Company (as such term is defined in the Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code) or (ii) the date of Executive’s death. Upon the first business day following the expiration of the applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Section 4.8(b) shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due under this Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.

c)      Expense Reimbursements . To the extent that any reimbursement payable pursuant to this Agreement is subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, any such reimbursement payable to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid to Executive no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred; the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year; and Executive’s right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

d)      Installments . For purposes of Section 409A of the Code (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each such installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment.

4.9.      Tax Withholding . All payments under this Agreement shall be subject to applicable withholding for federal, state and local income and employment taxes.

4.10.      No Duplication of Severance Benefits. The Severance Benefits and Change in Control Severance Benefits provided in Section 2 and Section 3 are mutually exclusive of each other, and in no event shall Executive receive any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits pursuant to both Section 2 and Section 3.

5. TERMINATION WITH CAUSE OR BY VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION; OTHER RIGHTS AND BENEFITS

5.1.      Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability . If, at any time, the Company terminates Executive’s employment with the Company for Cause, or upon a voluntary resignation by Executive that is not a Resignation for Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates for any reason not entitling Executive to the Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits, or if Executive’s employment terminates as a result of Executive’s death or disability (other than a Permanent Disability in the case of a Covered Termination), then the Company shall have no further obligation to Executive hereunder except for the payment or provision, as applicable, of (i) the portion of the Annual Base Salary accrued through Executive’s last day of employment, (ii) all unreimbursed expenses (if any), subject to Sections 1.4 and 4.8(c), and (iii) any unused vacation (if applicable) accrued through Executive’s last day of employment. Under these circumstances, Executive will not be entitled to any other form of compensation, including any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits, other than Executive’s rights to the vested portion of Executive’s Option and any other rights to which Executive is entitled under the Company’s benefit programs.


5.2.      Other Rights and Benefits. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit Executive’s continuing or future participation in any benefit, bonus, incentive or other plans, programs, policies or practices provided by the Company and for which Executive may otherwise qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as Executive may have under other agreements with the Company except as provided in Section 4 and Section 5.1 above. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, amounts that are vested benefits or that Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of the Company at or subsequent to the date of a Change in Control shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program.

6. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:

6.1.     “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company, or the compensation committee thereof, as determinations or responsibilities may be delegated by the Board to the compensation committee.

6.2.     “ Cause ” shall mean a determination by the Company based upon reasonably available information of Executive’s: (i) unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; (ii) material breach of any agreement to which the Executive and the Company are a party; (iii) material failure to comply with the Company’s written policies or rules; (iv) conviction of, or plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any State; (v) negligence or willful misconduct relating to Executive’s performance of his duties on behalf of the Company; (vi) continuing failure to perform material and lawful assigned duties after receiving thirty (30) days’ written notification of the failure from the Company if such breach is not cured (if curable) during that thirty (30) day period; (vii) failure to cooperate in good faith with a governmental or internal investigation of the Company or its directors, officers or employees, if the Company has requested Executive’s cooperation without prejudice or personal liability to Executive; (viii) violation of employee or ethical guidelines including, without limitation, violations of business practices and ethics commonly in place in similar companies in the United States; or (ix) violation of the Company code of conduct and/or any contractual code of conduct to which the Company is obligated.

6.3.     “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

a)    Any natural person, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“ Exchange Act Person ”), becomes the owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur (i) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by any institutional investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions that are primarily a private financing transaction for the Company or (ii) solely because the level of ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “ Subject Person ”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur;


b)    There is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving, directly or indirectly, the Company if, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not own, directly or indirectly, either (i) outstanding voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (ii) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction; or

c)    There is consummated a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries to an entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition.

The term Change in Control shall not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any affiliate and the participant shall supersede the foregoing definition with respect to stock awards subject to such agreement (it being understood, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition shall apply).

6.4.     “ Change in Control Benefits Period ” means the period of twelve (12) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.5.     “ Change in Control Severance Period ” means the period of twelve (12) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.6.      “ Change in Control Termination ” means an “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” or “ Resignation for Good Reason , ” either of which occurs within three (3) months prior to or upon or within twelve (12) months following the closing of a Change in Control or Dissolution Event, provided that any such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). Death and disability shall not be deemed Change in Control Terminations.

6.7.     “ COBRA ” means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.

6.8.     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

6.9.     “ Company ” means Ovid Therapeutics Inc. or, following a Change in Control, the surviving entity resulting from such transaction, or any subsequent surviving entity resulting from any subsequent Change in Control.

6.10.     “ Confidentiality Agreement ” means Executive’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement with the Company, dated February 9, 2016 (or any successor agreement thereto).

6.11.      “ Covered Termination ” means an “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” or “ Resignation for Good Reason , ” provided that any such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). Death and disability, other than a Permanent Disability, shall not be deemed Covered Terminations. If an Involuntary Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason qualifies as a Change in Control Termination, it shall not constitute a Covered Termination.


6.12.     “ Covered Termination Benefits Period ” means the period of twelve (12) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.13.     “ Covered Termination Severance Period ” means the period of twelve (12) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.14.     “ Dissolution Event ” means the stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company shall otherwise occur.

6.15.     “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” means Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons other than Cause and other than as a result of death or disability; provided , however , that for purposes of a Covered Termination, Involuntary Termination Without Cause shall include Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons of Permanent Disability.

6.16.     “ IPO ” means the Company’s first firm commitment underwritten public offering of its common stock pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

6.17.     “ Monthly Base Salary ” means 1/12 th of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (excluding incentive pay, premium pay, commissions, overtime, bonuses and other forms of variable compensation) as in effect on the date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination.

6.18.     “ Permanent Disability ” means total and permanent disability as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3).

6.19.     “ Resignation for Good Reason ” means Executive’s resignation from all employee positions Executive then holds with the Company within ninety (90) days following any of the following events taken without Executive’s consent, provided Executive has given the Company written notice of such event within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of such event and the Company has not cured such event within thirty (30) days thereafter:

a)    A material decrease in Executive’s Annual Base Salary, other than in connection with a decrease in compensation for all comparable executives of the Company;

b)    A relocation of Executive’s principal place of work outside of a fifty (50) mile radius of its current location;

c)    The Company’s material breach of this Agreement; or

d)    If applicable, a change in direct reporting line such that an Executive who previously reported directly to the CEO will no longer be doing so.

6.20.     “ Termination Date ” means the effective date of a Change in Control Termination, a Covered Termination, a termination for Cause or any other circumstance under which the employment relationship between Executive and the Company terminates, as applicable.

6.21.     “ Division ” shall mean only that part, unit or therapeutic category of a larger entity that is competitive with the Company, but not an entire company itself, if other divisions, units or therapeutic categories of such larger company are not competitive with the Company.

6.22.      Client ” shall mean (A) anyone who is a client of the Company as of, or at any time during the one-year period immediately preceding, the termination of your employment, but only if you had a direct relationship with, supervisory responsibility for or otherwise were involved with such client during your employment with the Company; and (B) any prospective client to whom the Company made


a new business presentation (or similar offering of services) at any time during the one-year period immediately preceding, or six-month period immediately following, your employment termination (but only if initial discussions between the Company and such prospective client relating to the rendering of services occurred prior to the termination date, and only if you participated in or supervised such presentation and/or its preparation or the discussions leading up to it).

6.23.     “ Solicit ” shall mean: (A) active solicitation of any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents; (B) the provision of information regarding any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents to any third party where such information could be useful to such third party in attempting to obtain business from such Client or attempting to hire any such Company employee; (C) participation in any meetings, discussions, or other communications with any third party regarding any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents where the purpose or effect of such meeting, discussion or communication is to obtain business from such Client or employ such Company employee; and (D) any other passive use of information about any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents which has the purpose or effect of assisting a third party or causing harm to the business of the Company.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

7.1.      Employment Status. This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or impose upon Executive any obligation to remain as an employee, or impose on the Company any obligation (i) to retain Executive as an employee, (ii) to change the status of Executive as an at-will employee or (iii) to change the Company’s policies regarding termination of employment.

7.2.      Notices . Any notices provided hereunder must be in writing, and such notices or any other written communication shall be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by facsimile or email transmission (to a facsimile number or email address designated in advance by the receiving party)) or the third day after mailing by first class mail, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed in the Company’s payroll records. Any payments made by the Company to Executive under the terms of this Agreement shall be delivered to Executive either in person or at the address as listed in the Company’s payroll records.

7.3.      Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.

7.4.      Waiver . If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, he, she or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

7.5.      Complete Agreement . This Agreement, together with Exhibits A and B , the Confidentiality Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of Executive’s employment agreement with the Company, and supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone, whether oral or written (including but not limited to the Prior Agreement).

7.6.      Amendment or Termination of Agreement; Continuation of Agreement . Except for those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s or the Board’s discretion in this Agreement, this Agreement may be changed or terminated only upon the mutual written consent of the Company and


Executive. The written consent of the Company to a change or termination of this Agreement must be signed by an executive officer of the Company (other than Executive) after such change or termination has been approved by the Board. Unless so terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect for as long as Executive continues to be employed by the Company or by any surviving entity following any Change in Control. For the avoidance of any doubt, if, following a Change in Control, Executive continues to be employed by the surviving entity without a Change in Control Termination and the surviving entity then undergoes a Change in Control, following which Executive is terminated by the subsequent surviving entity in a Change in Control Termination, Executive shall receive the benefits described in Section 3 hereof.

7.7.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement. Facsimile and electronic image copies of signatures shall be equivalent to original signatures.

7.8.      Headings . The headings of the Sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.9.      Successors and Assigns . This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive, and the Company, and any surviving entity resulting from a Change in Control and upon any other person who is a successor by merger, acquisition, consolidation or otherwise to the business formerly carried on by the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, without regard to whether or not such person actively assumes any rights or duties hereunder; provided , however , that Executive may not assign any duties hereunder and may not assign any rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably.

7.10.      Choice of Law . This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of law principles.

7.11.      Arbitration . To ensure the rapid and economical resolution of any disputes that may arise under or relate to this Agreement or Executive’s employment relationship, Executive and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action, in law or equity, arising from or relating to the performance, enforcement, execution, or interpretation of this Agreement, Executive’s employment with the Company, or the termination of Executive’s employment (collectively, “ Claims ”), shall be resolved by final, binding, and (to the extent permitted by law) confidential arbitration before a single arbitrator in New York, New York. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Section 1 et seq. , as amended, and shall be administered by the Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“ JAMS ”), in accordance with its then-current Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “ JAMS Rules ”). The JAMS Rules are available online at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/ . The parties or their representatives may also call JAMS at 800.352.5267 if they have questions about the arbitration process. If the JAMS Rules are inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall exclude Claims that by law are not subject to arbitration. The arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of all Claims and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (b) issue a written arbitration decision including the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award. The Company shall pay all JAMS fees in excess of the amount of filing and other court-related fees Executive would have been required to pay if the Claims were asserted in a court of law. EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY UNDERSTAND AND FULLY AGREE THAT BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, BOTH EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY ARE GIVING UP THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HAVE A TRIAL BY JURY, AND ARE GIVING UP THE NORMAL RIGHTS OF APPEAL FOLLOWING THE RENDERING OF


A DECISION, EXCEPT AS THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW ALLOW FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent either Executive or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any awards or final orders in such arbitrations may be entered and enforced as judgments or orders in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction in compliance with Section 7.11 of this Agreement.

7.12.      Construction of Agreement . In the event of a conflict between the text of this Agreement and any summary, description or other information regarding this Agreement, the text of this Agreement shall control.

7.13.    Circular 230 Disclaimer . THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER IS PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE’S CIRCULAR 230 (21 C.F.R. PART 10). ANY TAX ADVICE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS INTENDED TO BE PRELIMINARY, FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FINAL. ANY SUCH ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED FOR MARKETING, PROMOTING OR RECOMMENDING ANY TRANSACTION OR FOR THE USE OF ANY PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH THE PREPARATION OF ANY TAX RETURN. ACCORDINGLY, THIS ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND IT CANNOT BE USED, BY ANY PERSON FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING TAX PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON SUCH PERSON.

REVIEWED, UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED:

 

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.       EXECUTIVE
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Levin

    By:  

/s/ Amit Rakhit

Name:   Jeremy Levin     Name:   Amit Rakhit
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

Exhibit A:          Release (Individual Termination – Age 40 or Older)

Exhibit B:          Release (Group Termination – Age 40 or Older)


EXHIBIT A

RELEASE

(INDIVIDUAL TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have twenty-one (21) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the CEO); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. In giving the releases set forth in this Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

 

A-1


Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature

 

Printed Name

Date:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

RELEASE

(GROUP TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have forty-five (45) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the CEO); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it. I further acknowledge that the Company has provided me with ADEA disclosure information (under 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H)).

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD

 

B-1


AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. In giving the releases set forth in this Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature

 

Printed Name

Date:

 

B-2

Exhibit 10.15

AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Dirk Haasner (“ Executive ”) is currently employed by OVID THERAPEUTICS INC. (the “ Company ”) as its Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs pursuant to the terms of an Executive Employment Agreement with the Company dated May 16, 2016 (the “ Prior Agreement ”). Executive and the Company hereby agree to amend and restate the Prior Agreement. The terms and conditions set forth in this AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) shall become effective as of the effective date of the first registration statement filed by the Company to register shares of its common stock for sale to the public through one or more underwriters (the “ Effective Date ”), and shall supersede and replace the terms and conditions set forth in the Prior Agreement. Certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 6.

WHEREAS , the Company is a biopharmaceutical company;

WHEREAS , the Company desires for Executive to continue to provide services to the Company, and wishes to provide Executive with certain compensation and benefits in return for such services, as set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS , Executive wishes to continue to be employed by the Company and to provide personal services to the Company in return for certain compensation and benefits, as set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company and Executive agree as follows:

1. TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

1.1.      Position, Duties and Location . Executive shall continue to serve as Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs, reporting to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“ CEO ”). Executive shall perform those duties and responsibilities as are customary for such position and as may be directed by the Company and the Board from time to time. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except for approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. Executive’s primary office location will be the Company’s offices in New York, New York. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time, and to require reasonable business travel. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall not engage in any activity that conflicts with or is detrimental to the Company’s best interests, as determined by the CEO. Provided that Executive obtains the CEO’s prior written consent for each of the following activities, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and that none of the following activities involve activities in the area of neurology, detract from Ovid’s reputation, impact Executive’s full time duties to the Company, or could reasonably result in the disclosure or use of the Company’s proprietary or confidential information, Executive may serve as a board or committee member, advisor or consultant (the “ Activities ”). The CEO may rescind the CEO’s consent to Executive’s participation in the Activities, or participation in other business or public activities, if the CEO, in the CEO’s sole discretion, determines that such activities compromise or threaten to compromise the Company’s business interests or conflict with Executive’s duties to the Company.

1.2.      Employment Term . Executive will be employed by the Company on an “at-will” basis. This means that either the Company or Executive may terminate Executive’s employment at any time, for


any reason, with or without Cause, and with or without advance notice (provided that (a) Resignation for Good Reason (as defined below) requires certain advanced notice by Executive of Executive’s termination of employment as set forth below and (b) as a professional courtesy, Executive agrees to provide the Company with at least sixty (60) days advance written notice of a voluntary resignation by Executive that is not a Resignation for Good Reason). Subject to the terms herein, it also means that Executive’s job title, duties, responsibilities, reporting level, compensation and benefits, as well as the Company’s personnel policies and procedures, may be changed with or without notice at any time in the Company’s sole discretion. This at-will employment relationship shall not be modified by any conflicting actions or representations of any Company employee or other party before or during the term of Executive’s employment.

1.3.      Compensation .

a)      Annual Base Salary . Executive’s annual base salary shall be paid at the rate of $334,750 per year (“ Annual Base Salary ”), payable in equal installments, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings, on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle. Executive’s Annual Base Salary shall be subject to annual review by the Board and may be adjusted from time to time. As an exempt salaried employee, Executive will be required to work the Company’s normal business hours, and such additional time as appropriate for Executive’s work assignments and position, and Executive will not be entitled to overtime compensation.

b)      Benefits . Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefits and benefit plans that the Company generally makes available to its full-time employees and executives in accordance with the terms and conditions of the benefit plans and applicable policies as in effect from time to time. In accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures, as in effect from time to time, Executive will be eligible to accrue twenty (20) days of paid time off per year.

c)      Bonus . Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual performance bonus of up to thirty percent (30%) of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (the “ Target Performance Bonus ”). The Target Performance Bonus shall be based upon the Company’s assessment of Executive’s attainment of written Company and individual objectives as set by the Company in its sole discretion. The Company may increase the Target Performance Bonus in its sole discretion. Bonus payments, if any, shall be subject to applicable payroll deductions and withholdings. Following the close of each calendar year, the Company shall determine whether Executive has earned a Target Performance Bonus, and the amount of any such bonus, based on the achievement of such objectives. Executive must be an employee of the Company in good standing on the Target Performance Bonus payment date to be eligible to receive a Target Performance Bonus, and no partial or prorated bonuses shall be provided. The Target Performance Bonus, if earned, shall be paid on or before March 15 th of the calendar year after the applicable bonus year. Executive’s bonus eligibility is subject to change in the discretion of the Company.

d)      Equity Compensation . Executive has already been granted options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, which shall continue to be governed by the terms of the applicable stock option agreements, grant notices and the Company’s 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “ Equity Plan ”). At the discretion of the Board, Executive shall be eligible to receive additional options to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock.

1.4.      Reimbursement of Expenses . Subject to Section 4.8(c), the Company shall reimburse Executive for Executive’s necessary and reasonable business expenses incurred in connection with Executive’s duties in accordance with the Company’s generally applicable expense reimbursement policies as in effect from time to time.


1.5.      Indemnification Agreement . Executive and Company shall enter into an Indemnity Agreement (the “Indemnification Agreement”), which shall be effective as of the Effective Date and is incorporated herein by reference.

1.6.      Compliance with Confidentiality Agreement and Company Policies. Executive and the Company have executed the Confidentiality Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, Executive is required to continue to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Company’s Employee Handbook, as adopted or modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion; provided , however , that in the event the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. COVERED TERMINATION SEVERANCE BENEFITS

2.1.      Severance Benefits . Upon a Covered Termination, then subject to Section 4 below and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall provide Executive with the severance benefits set forth in this Section 2 (the “ Severance Benefits ”).

2.2.      Salary Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, (i) Executive’s Monthly Base Salary, multiplied by (ii) the number of months in the Covered Termination Severance Period, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings (the “ Severance ”). The Severance shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date (as set forth in Section 4.1).

2.3.      Health Continuation Payments .

a)     The Company will pay Executive on the first day of each month a fully taxable cash payment equal to the applicable premium for Executive, his spouse and any dependents for the group health plan maintained by the Company for the month in which the Covered Termination occurs, subject to applicable tax withholdings but grossed up for all taxes owed by the Executive on such payment, for the duration of the Covered Termination Benefits Period. Such coverage shall be counted as coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Company shall have no obligation in respect of any premium payments following the effective date of the Executive’s coverage by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Executive shall be required to notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes covered by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

b)     For purposes of this Section 2.3, (i) references to COBRA shall be deemed to include analogous provisions of state law, and (ii) any applicable insurance premiums that are paid by the Company shall not include any amounts payable by Executive under a Code Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of Executive.

3. CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE BENEFITS

3.1.      Change in Control Severance Benefits . Upon a Change in Control Termination, then subject to Section 4 below and Executive’s continued compliance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall provide Executive with the severance benefits set forth in this Section 3 (the “ Change in Control Severance Benefits ”).

3.2.      Salary Payment . The Company shall pay Executive, as cash severance, (i) Executive’s Monthly Base Salary, multiplied by (ii) the number of months in the Change in Control Severance Period, less applicable payroll deductions and withholdings (the “ Change in Control Severance ”). The Change in Control Severance shall be paid (except as set forth in Section 4) in equal installments on the Company’s ordinary payroll cycle commencing on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date.


3.3.      Health Continuation Payments .

a)     The Company will pay Executive on the first day of each month a fully taxable cash payment equal to the applicable premium for Executive, his spouse and any dependents for the group health plan maintained by the Company for the month in which the Change in Control Termination occurs, subject to applicable tax withholdings but grossed up for all taxes owed by the Executive on such payment, for the duration of the Change in Control Benefits Period. Such coverage shall be counted as coverage pursuant to COBRA. The Company shall have no obligation in respect of any premium payments following the effective date of the Executive’s coverage by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Executive shall be required to notify the Company immediately if Executive becomes covered by a health insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

b)     For purposes of this Section 3.3, (i) references to COBRA shall be deemed to include analogous provisions of state law, and (ii) any applicable insurance premiums that are paid by the Company shall not include any amounts payable by Executive under a Code Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of Executive.

3.4.      Change in Control Termination Vesting Acceleration Benefits . Upon a Change in Control Termination, (i) the vesting and exercisability of all outstanding options to purchase the Company’s common stock (or stock appreciation rights or other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company) that are held by Executive on the Termination Date shall be accelerated in full, (ii) each such option shall be exercisable and to the extent not exercised, expire on the latest date permitted under the Equity Plan and (iii) any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company with respect to common stock issued or issuable (or with respect to other rights with respect to the stock of the Company issued or issuable) pursuant to any other stock award granted to Executive pursuant to any equity incentive plan of the Company shall lapse.

4. LIMITATIONS AND CONDITIONS ON BENEFITS

4.1.    Release Prior to Payment of Severance Benefits and Change in Control Severance Benefits . The receipt of any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits pursuant to this Agreement is subject to Executive signing and not revoking a separation agreement and general release of claims (the “ Release ”), in substantially the form attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A or Exhibit B , as appropriate, which Release must become effective and irrevocable no later than the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s Termination Date (the “ Release Deadline Date ”). If the Release does not become effective and irrevocable by the Release Deadline Date, Executive will forfeit any right to any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits under this Agreement. In no event will Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits be paid or provided until after the Release Deadline Date. On the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the Release Deadline Date, the Company will pay Executive the Severance or Change in Control Severance amount that Executive would otherwise have received on or prior to such date but for the delay in payment related to the effectiveness of the Release, with the balance of the Severance or Change in Control Severance amount being paid as originally scheduled. The Company may modify the Release in its discretion to comply with changes in applicable law at any time prior to Executive’s execution of such Release.

4.2.      Return of Company Property . Not later than the Termination Date, or earlier if requested by the Company, Executive shall return to the Company all documents (and all copies thereof) and other property belonging to the Company that Executive has in his or her possession or control. The documents and property to be returned include, but are not limited to, all files, correspondence, email, memoranda, notes, notebooks, records, plans, forecasts, reports, studies, analyses, compilations of data,


proposals, agreements, financial information, research and development information, marketing information, operational and personnel information, databases, computer-recorded information, tangible property and equipment (including, but not limited to, computers, facsimile machines, mobile telephones and servers), credit cards, entry cards, identification badges and keys, and any materials of any kind which contain or embody any proprietary or confidential information of the Company (and all reproductions thereof in whole or in part). Executive agrees to make a diligent search to locate any such documents, property and information. If Executive has used any personally owned computer, server or e-mail system to receive, store, review, prepare or transmit any Company confidential or proprietary data, materials or information, then within ten (10) business days after the Termination Date, or earlier if requested by the Company, Executive shall provide the Company with a computer-useable copy of all such information and then permanently delete and expunge such confidential or proprietary information from those systems. Executive agrees to provide the Company with a certification that the necessary copying and/or deletion is done.

4.3.      Cooperation and Continued Compliance with Restrictive Covenants .

a)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall cooperate fully with the Company, at reasonable times as agreed between Executive and the Company, in connection with its actual or contemplated defense, prosecution or investigation of any existing or future litigation, arbitrations, mediations, claims, demands, audits, government or regulatory inquiries, or other matters arising from events, acts or failures to act that occurred during the time period in which Executive was employed by the Company (including any period of employment with an entity acquired by the Company). Such cooperation includes, without limitation, being available upon reasonable notice, without subpoena, to provide accurate and complete advice, assistance and information to the Company, including offering and explaining evidence, providing truthful and accurate sworn statements, and participating in discovery and trial preparation and testimony. Executive also agrees to promptly send the Company copies of all correspondence (for example, but not limited to, subpoenas) received by Executive in connection with any such legal proceedings, unless Executive is expressly prohibited by law from so doing. Nothing in this Agreement prohibits Executive from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this Agreement is intended to prohibit or restrain Executive in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with any such cooperation (excluding foregone wages, salary or other compensation) within thirty (30) days of Executive’s timely presentation of appropriate documentation thereof, in accordance with the Company’s standard reimbursement policies and procedures. The Company will reasonably accommodate Executive’s scheduling needs with respect to any such cooperation after the Termination Date.

b)     After the Termination Date, Executive shall continue to abide by Executive’s continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

c)     From the Effective Date and through and including the Change in Control Severance Period or Covered Termination Severance Period as defined below, or, if Executive is Terminated with Cause, for one year after Executive’s Termination Date, whichever is applicable, Executive shall not, without the Company’s prior written consent, whether directly or indirectly be employed, under contract with, provide services to or on behalf of, or be involved with any business or organization (whether “for profit” or “not-for-profit”), or applicable Division thereof (as defined below), which researches, develops, creates, manufactures, designs and/or sells compounds and/or related pharmaceuticals, medicines and/or therapies to treat rare or orphan neurological conditions or diseases, and/or otherwise competes with products and/or services then under research or development by or offered or sold by the Company in the same therapeutic category. Nothing in Section 4.3(c) shall prohibit Executive from investing as a less than one percent (1%) shareholder in securities of any company listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system.


d)     From the Effective Date until twelve (12) months after Termination Date, Executive shall not hire or retain, or attempt to hire or retain, any of the Company’s then-existing board members, employees, advisors, consultants, collaborators, investigators or agents and shall not induce any such to give up employment with or to cease providing services to the Company, and shall not otherwise interfere with, or attempt to interfere with, the relationship of any such person with the Company; or attempt in any manner to solicit, persuade or induce any Client of the Company to terminate, reduce or refrain from renewing or extending its contractual or other relationship with the Company in regard to the purchase of products or services marketed or sold by the Company, or to become a Client of or enter into any contractual or other relationship with you or any other individual, person or entity in regard to the purchase of products or services similar or identical to those marketed or sold by the Company.

e)     Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s obligations under this Section 4.3 are an essential part of the consideration Executive is providing hereunder in exchange for which and in reliance upon which the Company has agreed to provide the payments and benefits under this Agreement. Executive further acknowledges and agrees that Executive’s violation of this Section 4.3 inevitably would involve use or disclosure of the Company’s proprietary and confidential information. If it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in any state that any restriction in this Section 4.3 is excessive in duration or scope or is unreasonable or unenforceable under the laws of that state, it is the intention of the parties that such restriction may be modified or amended by the court to render it enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state.

4.4.      Parachute Payments .

a)      Parachute Payment Limitation . If any payment or benefit (including payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement) Executive would receive in connection with a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“ Payment ”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this paragraph, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), then the Company shall cause to be determined, before any amounts of the Payment are paid to Executive, which of the following two alternative forms of payment shall be paid to Executive: (A) payment in full of the entire amount of the Payment (a “ Full Payment ”), or (B) payment of only a part of the Payment so that Executive receives the largest payment possible without the imposition of the Excise Tax (a “ Reduced Payment ”). A Full Payment shall be made in the event that the amount received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis is greater than what would be received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis if the Reduced Payment were made, otherwise a Reduced Payment shall be made. If a Reduced Payment is made, (i) the Payment shall be paid only to the extent permitted under the Reduced Payment alternative, and Executive shall have no rights to any additional payments and/or benefits constituting the Payment, and (ii) reduction in payments and/or benefits shall occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (C) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. In the event that acceleration of compensation from Executive’s equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be canceled in the reverse order of the date of grant.

b)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged by the Company for general audit purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control shall make all determinations required to be made under this Section 4.4. If the independent registered public accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such independent registered public accounting firm required to be made hereunder.


c)     The independent registered public accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder shall provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Company or Executive) or such other time as requested by the Company or Executive. If the independent registered public accounting firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable with respect to a Payment, either before or after the application of the Reduced Amount, it shall furnish the Company and Executive with an opinion reasonably acceptable to Executive that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to such Payment. Any good faith determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Company and Executive.

4.5.      Certain Reductions and Offsets . To the extent that any federal, state or local laws, including, without limitation, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or any other so-called “plant closing” laws, require the Company to give advance notice or make a payment of any kind to Executive because of Executive’s involuntary termination due to a layoff, reduction in force, plant or facility closing, sale of business, change in control or any other similar event or reason, the benefits payable under this Agreement shall be correspondingly reduced. The benefits provided under this Agreement are intended to satisfy any and all statutory obligations that may arise out of Executive’s involuntary termination of employment for the foregoing reasons, and the parties shall construe and enforce the terms of this Agreement accordingly.

4.6.      Mitigation . Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, Executive shall not be required to mitigate damages or the amount of any payment provided under this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for under this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned by Executive as a result of employment by another employer or by any retirement benefits received by Executive after the date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination (except as expressly provided in Sections 2.3 and 3.3 above).

4.7.      Indebtedness of Executive . If Executive is indebted to the Company on the effective date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination Date, the Company reserves the right to offset any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits under this Agreement by the amount of such indebtedness, subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and applicable law.

4.8.      Application of Section  409A .

a)      Separation from Service . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, no amount deemed deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be payable pursuant to Section 2 or Section 3 unless Executive’s termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury Regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder and, except as provided under Section 4.8(b) hereof, any such amount shall not be paid, or in the case of installments, commence payment, until the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service. Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the sixty (60) day period immediately following Executive’s separation from service but for the preceding sentence shall be paid to Executive on the first regularly-scheduled payroll date occurring on or after the sixtieth (60th) day after Executive’s separation from service and the remaining payments shall be made as provided in this Agreement.


b)      Specified Executive . Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed at the time of his or her separation from service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of the benefits to which Executive is entitled under this Agreement is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, such portion of Executive’s benefits shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of Executive’s “separation from service” with the Company (as such term is defined in the Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code) or (ii) the date of Executive’s death. Upon the first business day following the expiration of the applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Section 4.8(b) shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due under this Agreement shall be paid as otherwise provided herein.

c)      Expense Reimbursements . To the extent that any reimbursement payable pursuant to this Agreement is subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, any such reimbursement payable to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid to Executive no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred; the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year; and Executive’s right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

d)      Installments . For purposes of Section 409A of the Code (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each such installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment.

4.9.      Tax Withholding . All payments under this Agreement shall be subject to applicable withholding for federal, state and local income and employment taxes.

4.10.      No Duplication of Severance Benefits. The Severance Benefits and Change in Control Severance Benefits provided in Section 2 and Section 3 are mutually exclusive of each other, and in no event shall Executive receive any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits pursuant to both Section 2 and Section 3.

5. TERMINATION WITH CAUSE OR BY VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION; OTHER RIGHTS AND BENEFITS

5.1.      Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability . If, at any time, the Company terminates Executive’s employment with the Company for Cause, or upon a voluntary resignation by Executive that is not a Resignation for Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates for any reason not entitling Executive to the Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits, or if Executive’s employment terminates as a result of Executive’s death or disability (other than a Permanent Disability in the case of a Covered Termination), then the Company shall have no further obligation to Executive hereunder except for the payment or provision, as applicable, of (i) the portion of the Annual Base Salary accrued through Executive’s last day of employment, (ii) all unreimbursed expenses (if any), subject to Sections 1.4 and 4.8(c), and (iii) any unused vacation (if applicable) accrued through Executive’s last day of employment. Under these circumstances, Executive will not be entitled to any other form of compensation, including any Severance Benefits or Change in Control Severance Benefits, other than Executive’s rights to the vested portion of Executive’s Option and any other rights to which Executive is entitled under the Company’s benefit programs.


5.2.      Other Rights and Benefits. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit Executive’s continuing or future participation in any benefit, bonus, incentive or other plans, programs, policies or practices provided by the Company and for which Executive may otherwise qualify, nor shall anything herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as Executive may have under other agreements with the Company except as provided in Section 4 and Section 5.1 above. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, amounts that are vested benefits or that Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan, policy, practice or program of the Company at or subsequent to the date of a Change in Control shall be payable in accordance with such plan, policy, practice or program.

6. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:

6.1.     “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company, or the compensation committee thereof, as determinations or responsibilities may be delegated by the Board to the compensation committee.

6.2.     “ Cause ” shall mean a determination by the Company based upon reasonably available information of Executive’s: (i) unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; (ii) material breach of any agreement to which the Executive and the Company are a party; (iii) material failure to comply with the Company’s written policies or rules; (iv) conviction of, or plea of “guilty” or “no contest” to, a felony under the laws of the United States or any State; (v) negligence or willful misconduct relating to Executive’s performance of his duties on behalf of the Company; (vi) continuing failure to perform material and lawful assigned duties after receiving thirty (30) days’ written notification of the failure from the Company if such breach is not cured (if curable) during that thirty (30) day period; (vii) failure to cooperate in good faith with a governmental or internal investigation of the Company or its directors, officers or employees, if the Company has requested Executive’s cooperation without prejudice or personal liability to Executive; (viii) violation of employee or ethical guidelines including, without limitation, violations of business practices and ethics commonly in place in similar companies in the United States; or (ix) violation of the Company code of conduct and/or any contractual code of conduct to which the Company is obligated.

6.3.     “ Change in Control ” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:

a)    Any natural person, entity or group within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“ Exchange Act Person ”), becomes the owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur (i) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by any institutional investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions that are primarily a private financing transaction for the Company or (ii) solely because the level of ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “ Subject Person ”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to occur;


b)    There is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving, directly or indirectly, the Company if, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not own, directly or indirectly, either (i) outstanding voting securities representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (ii) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction; or

c)    There is consummated a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries to an entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition.

The term Change in Control shall not include a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, the definition of Change in Control (or any analogous term) in an individual written agreement between the Company or any affiliate and the participant shall supersede the foregoing definition with respect to stock awards subject to such agreement (it being understood, however, that if no definition of Change in Control or any analogous term is set forth in such an individual written agreement, the foregoing definition shall apply).

6.4.     “ Change in Control Benefits Period ” means the period of nine (9) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.5.     “ Change in Control Severance Period ” means the period of nine (9) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.6.      “ Change in Control Termination ” means an “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” or “ Resignation for Good Reason , ” either of which occurs within three (3) months prior to or upon or within twelve (12) months following the closing of a Change in Control or Dissolution Event, provided that any such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). Death and disability shall not be deemed Change in Control Terminations.

6.7.     “ COBRA ” means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended.

6.8.     “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

6.9.     “ Company ” means Ovid Therapeutics Inc. or, following a Change in Control, the surviving entity resulting from such transaction, or any subsequent surviving entity resulting from any subsequent Change in Control.

6.10.     “ Confidentiality Agreement ” means Executive’s Confidential Information and Invention Assignment Agreement with the Company, dated May 25, 2016 (or any successor agreement thereto).

6.11.      “ Covered Termination ” means an “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” or “ Resignation for Good Reason , ” provided that any such termination is a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). Death and disability, other than a Permanent Disability, shall not be deemed Covered Terminations. If an Involuntary Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason qualifies as a Change in Control Termination, it shall not constitute a Covered Termination.


6.12.     “ Covered Termination Benefits Period ” means the period of nine (9) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.13.     “ Covered Termination Severance Period ” means the period of nine (9) months commencing on the Termination Date.

6.14.     “ Dissolution Event ” means the stockholders of the Company approve or the Board approves a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or a complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company shall otherwise occur.

6.15.     “ Involuntary Termination Without Cause ” means Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons other than Cause and other than as a result of death or disability; provided , however , that for purposes of a Covered Termination, Involuntary Termination Without Cause shall include Executive’s dismissal or discharge by the Company for reasons of Permanent Disability.

6.16.     “ IPO ” means the Company’s first firm commitment underwritten public offering of its common stock pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

6.17.     “ Monthly Base Salary ” means 1/12 th of Executive’s Annual Base Salary (excluding incentive pay, premium pay, commissions, overtime, bonuses and other forms of variable compensation) as in effect on the date of a Covered Termination or Change in Control Termination.

6.18.     “ Permanent Disability ” means total and permanent disability as defined in Code Section 22(e)(3).

6.19.     “ Resignation for Good Reason ” means Executive’s resignation from all employee positions Executive then holds with the Company within ninety (90) days following any of the following events taken without Executive’s consent, provided Executive has given the Company written notice of such event within thirty (30) days after the first occurrence of such event and the Company has not cured such event within thirty (30) days thereafter:

a)    A material decrease in Executive’s Annual Base Salary, other than in connection with a decrease in compensation for all comparable executives of the Company;

b)    A relocation of Executive’s principal place of work outside of a fifty (50) mile radius of its current location; or

c)    The Company’s material breach of this Agreement.

6.20.     “ Termination Date ” means the effective date of a Change in Control Termination, a Covered Termination, a termination for Cause or any other circumstance under which the employment relationship between Executive and the Company terminates, as applicable.

6.21.     “ Division ” shall mean only that part, unit or therapeutic category of a larger entity that is competitive with the Company, but not an entire company itself, if other divisions, units or therapeutic categories of such larger company are not competitive with the Company.

6.22.      Client ” shall mean (A) anyone who is a client of the Company as of, or at any time during the one-year period immediately preceding, the termination of your employment, but only if you had a direct relationship with, supervisory responsibility for or otherwise were involved with such client during your employment with the Company; and (B) any prospective client to whom the Company made a new business presentation (or similar offering of services) at any time during the one-year period immediately preceding, or six-month period immediately following, your employment termination (but


only if initial discussions between the Company and such prospective client relating to the rendering of services occurred prior to the termination date, and only if you participated in or supervised such presentation and/or its preparation or the discussions leading up to it).

6.23.     “ Solicit ” shall mean: (A) active solicitation of any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents; (B) the provision of information regarding any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents to any third party where such information could be useful to such third party in attempting to obtain business from such Client or attempting to hire any such Company employee; (C) participation in any meetings, discussions, or other communications with any third party regarding any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents where the purpose or effect of such meeting, discussion or communication is to obtain business from such Client or employ such Company employee; and (D) any other passive use of information about any Client or Company employee, board member, advisor, consultant, collaborator, investigator or agents which has the purpose or effect of assisting a third party or causing harm to the business of the Company.

7. GENERAL PROVISIONS

7.1.      Employment Status. This Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or impose upon Executive any obligation to remain as an employee, or impose on the Company any obligation (i) to retain Executive as an employee, (ii) to change the status of Executive as an at-will employee or (iii) to change the Company’s policies regarding termination of employment.

7.2.      Notices . Any notices provided hereunder must be in writing, and such notices or any other written communication shall be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by facsimile or email transmission (to a facsimile number or email address designated in advance by the receiving party)) or the third day after mailing by first class mail, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at Executive’s address as listed in the Company’s payroll records. Any payments made by the Company to Executive under the terms of this Agreement shall be delivered to Executive either in person or at the address as listed in the Company’s payroll records.

7.3.      Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, and the provision in question shall be modified so as to be rendered enforceable in a manner consistent with the intent of the parties insofar as possible under applicable law.

7.4.      Waiver . If either party should waive any breach of any provisions of this Agreement, he, she or it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

7.5.      Complete Agreement . This Agreement, together with Exhibits A and B , the Confidentiality Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement, forms the complete and exclusive statement of Executive’s employment agreement with the Company, and supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone, whether oral or written (including but not limited to the Prior Agreement).

7.6.      Amendment or Termination of Agreement; Continuation of Agreement . Except for those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s or the Board’s discretion in this Agreement, this Agreement may be changed or terminated only upon the mutual written consent of the Company and Executive. The written consent of the Company to a change or termination of this Agreement must be signed by an executive officer of the Company (other than Executive) after such change or termination


has been approved by the Board. Unless so terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect for as long as Executive continues to be employed by the Company or by any surviving entity following any Change in Control. For the avoidance of any doubt, if, following a Change in Control, Executive continues to be employed by the surviving entity without a Change in Control Termination and the surviving entity then undergoes a Change in Control, following which Executive is terminated by the subsequent surviving entity in a Change in Control Termination, Executive shall receive the benefits described in Section 3 hereof.

7.7.      Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement. Facsimile and electronic image copies of signatures shall be equivalent to original signatures.

7.8.      Headings . The headings of the Sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

7.9.      Successors and Assigns . This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive, and the Company, and any surviving entity resulting from a Change in Control and upon any other person who is a successor by merger, acquisition, consolidation or otherwise to the business formerly carried on by the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, without regard to whether or not such person actively assumes any rights or duties hereunder; provided , however , that Executive may not assign any duties hereunder and may not assign any rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably.

7.10.      Choice of Law . This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflicts of law principles.

7.11.      Arbitration . To ensure the rapid and economical resolution of any disputes that may arise under or relate to this Agreement or Executive’s employment relationship, Executive and the Company agree that any and all disputes, claims, or causes of action, in law or equity, arising from or relating to the performance, enforcement, execution, or interpretation of this Agreement, Executive’s employment with the Company, or the termination of Executive’s employment (collectively, “ Claims ”), shall be resolved by final, binding, and (to the extent permitted by law) confidential arbitration before a single arbitrator in New York, New York. The arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Section 1 et seq. , as amended, and shall be administered by the Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“ JAMS ”), in accordance with its then-current Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “ JAMS Rules ”). The JAMS Rules are available online at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/ . The parties or their representatives may also call JAMS at 800.352.5267 if they have questions about the arbitration process. If the JAMS Rules are inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall exclude Claims that by law are not subject to arbitration. The arbitrator shall: (a) have the authority to compel adequate discovery for the resolution of all Claims and to award such relief as would otherwise be permitted by law; and (b) issue a written arbitration decision including the arbitrator’s essential findings and conclusions and a statement of the award. The Company shall pay all JAMS fees in excess of the amount of filing and other court-related fees Executive would have been required to pay if the Claims were asserted in a court of law. EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY UNDERSTAND AND FULLY AGREE THAT BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, BOTH EXECUTIVE AND THE COMPANY ARE GIVING UP THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HAVE A TRIAL BY JURY, AND ARE GIVING UP THE NORMAL RIGHTS OF APPEAL FOLLOWING THE RENDERING OF A DECISION, EXCEPT AS THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW ALLOW FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS. Nothing in this


Agreement shall prevent either Executive or the Company from obtaining injunctive relief in court to prevent irreparable harm pending the conclusion of any such arbitration. Any awards or final orders in such arbitrations may be entered and enforced as judgments or orders in the federal and state courts of any competent jurisdiction in compliance with Section 7.11 of this Agreement.

7.12.      Construction of Agreement . In the event of a conflict between the text of this Agreement and any summary, description or other information regarding this Agreement, the text of this Agreement shall control.

7.13.    Circular 230 Disclaimer . THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER IS PROVIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE’S CIRCULAR 230 (21 C.F.R. PART 10). ANY TAX ADVICE CONTAINED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS INTENDED TO BE PRELIMINARY, FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AND NOT FINAL. ANY SUCH ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED FOR MARKETING, PROMOTING OR RECOMMENDING ANY TRANSACTION OR FOR THE USE OF ANY PERSON IN CONNECTION WITH THE PREPARATION OF ANY TAX RETURN. ACCORDINGLY, THIS ADVICE IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND IT CANNOT BE USED, BY ANY PERSON FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING TAX PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON SUCH PERSON.

REVIEWED, UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED:

 

OVID THERAPEUTICS INC.     EXECUTIVE
By:  

/s/ Jeremy Levin

    By:  

/s/ Dirk Haasner

Name:   Jeremy Levin     Name:   Dirk Haasner
Title:   Chief Executive Officer      

Exhibit A:         Release (Individual Termination – Age 40 or Older)

Exhibit B:         Release (Group Termination – Age 40 or Older)


EXHIBIT A

RELEASE

(INDIVIDUAL TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have twenty-one (21) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the CEO); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. In giving the releases set forth in this Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

 

 

A-1


Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature

 

Printed Name

Date:

 

A-2


EXHIBIT B

RELEASE

(GROUP TERMINATION – AGE 40 OR OLDER)

Certain capitalized terms used in this Release are defined in the Amended and Restated Executive Employment Agreement between me and Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (the “ Company ”) (the “ Agreement ”), which I have executed and of which this Release is a part.

I hereby acknowledge and reaffirm my continuing obligations under the Confidentiality Agreement.

In exchange for the consideration provided to me under the Agreement, to which I would not otherwise be entitled, I hereby generally and completely release the Company, its parents and subsidiaries, and its and their current and former officers, directors, agents, servants, employees, shareholders, partners, attorneys, insurers, predecessors, successors, assigns and affiliates (collectively, the “ Released Parties ”) from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, that arise out of or are in any way related to events, acts, conduct or omissions occurring prior to or on the date I sign this Release (collectively, the “ Released Claims ”). The Released Claims include but are not limited to: (A) all claims arising out of or in any way related to my employment with the Company, or the termination of that employment; (B) all claims related to compensation or benefits from the Company, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation, paid time off, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership, equity or profits interests in the Company; (C) all claims for breach of contract, wrongful termination and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; (D) all tort claims, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress and discharge in violation of public policy; and (E) all federal, state and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (the “ ADEA ”), the New York Human Rights Laws, the New York City Human Rights Law, the New York Civil Rights Act, the New York Minimum Wage Law, the Equal Pay Law for New York, the Massachusetts Wage Act and the Massachusetts Fair Employment Practices Act.

I acknowledge that I am knowingly and voluntarily waiving and releasing any rights I may have under the ADEA, and that the consideration given for the waiver and release in this Release is in addition to anything of value to which I am already entitled. I further acknowledge that I have been advised, as required by the ADEA, that: (A) my waiver and release do not apply to any rights or claims that may arise after the date that I sign this Release; (B) I should consult with an attorney prior to signing this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (C) I have forty-five (45) days to consider this Release (although I may choose voluntarily to sign it earlier); (D) I have seven (7) days following the date I sign this Release to revoke it (by providing written notice of my revocation to the CEO); and (E) this Release shall not be effective until the date upon which the revocation period has expired, which shall be the eighth (8th) day after the date that I sign this Release provided that I do not revoke it. I further acknowledge that the Company has provided me with ADEA disclosure information (under 29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H)).

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE CLAIMS THAT, IF KNOWN BY ME, WOULD

 

B-1


AFFECT MY DECISION TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. In giving the releases set forth in this Release, which include claims which may be unknown to me at present, I hereby expressly waive and relinquish all rights and benefits under any law or legal principle of similar effect in any jurisdiction with respect to my release of claims herein, including but not limited to the release of unknown and unsuspected claims.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, I understand that the following are not included in the Released Claims (the “ Excluded Claim s ”): (i) any rights or claims for indemnification I may have pursuant to any written indemnification agreement with the Company to which I am a party or under applicable law; (ii) any rights which cannot be waived as a matter of law; (iii) any rights I have to file or pursue a claim for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance; and (iv) any claims for breach of this Agreement. In addition, nothing in this Release shall prevent me from filing, cooperating with or participating in any proceeding before any federal, state or other government agency, except that I acknowledge and agree and hereby waive my right to any monetary benefits in connection with any such claim, charge or proceeding before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, or any analogous federal, state or other government agency with regard to any claim released herein. I represent that, other than the Excluded Claims, I am not aware of any claims I have or might have against any of the Released Parties that are not included in the Released Claims.

I hereby represent that I have been paid all compensation owed and for all time worked; I have received all the leave and leave benefits and protections for which I am eligible pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, any applicable law or Company policy; and I have not suffered any on-the-job injury or illness for which I have not already filed a workers’ compensation claim.

I agree not to disparage the Company, and the Company’s officers, directors, employees, shareholder, members and agents, in any manner likely to be harmful to them or their business, business reputation or personal reputation. Similarly, I understand that the Company agrees to direct its directors and officers not to disparage me in any manner likely to be harmful to my business reputation or personal reputation. Nothing in this provision, however, shall prevent either me or the Company from responding accurately and fully to any request for information if required by legal process or in connection with a government investigation. In addition, nothing in this provision or this Release is intended to prohibit or restrain me in any manner from making disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation or under other applicable law or regulation.

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

Signature
Printed Name

 

Date:

 

 

B-2