UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 26, 2018

Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   001-31326   84-1368850

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

950 Winter Street

Waltham, MA

  02451
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (781) 577-5300

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

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)

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

Emerging growth company ☐

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


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Adoption of Equity Incentive Plan

On March 12, 2018, the Board of Directors of Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “Company”) adopted the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”), which was subsequently approved by written consent on March 26, 2018 of Company stockholders owning a majority of the Company’s issued and outstanding stock.

The actions taken pursuant to the written consent of such stockholders, including the approval of the 2018 Plan, will become effective on the twentieth calendar day following the mailing of the Company’s Information Statement on Schedule 14C (the “Information Statement”) to the Company’s stockholders holding issued and outstanding stock as of the record date in the Information Statement. The Company filed the Information Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2018.

Upon the effectiveness of the 2018 Plan, the Company will cease granting awards under each of the Sevion Therapeutics, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (as Amended and Restated, effective December 15, 2014) and the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Share Ownership and Option Plan (2013) (the “Prior Plans”).

The 2018 Plan authorizes the grant and issuance of awards that may take the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock units, and performance-based incentive awards, as applicable, to employees, consultants and directors. As of March 12, 2018, there were 287,712 shares available for grant under the Prior Plans. Upon the effectiveness of the 2018 Plan, the total number of shares available for awards to employees, non-employee directors and other key personnel will increase by 5,000,000 shares, which increase represents approximately 18% of the Company’s outstanding common equity.

The Company has reserved 10,000,000 shares under the Plan (the “Share Reserve”). The Share Reserve includes an evergreen provision for future increases to the Share Reserve on an annual basis.

The foregoing description of the 2018 Plan does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by, reference to the full terms of (i) the 2018 Plan, (ii) the grant agreement documentation under the 2018 Plan, (iii) the Israeli Sub-Plan (which is a part of the 2018 Plan), and (iv) the grant agreement documentation under the Israeli Sub-Plan, which are attached as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

Stockholders owning a majority of the Company’s issued and outstanding stock as of the record date in the Information Statement approved the 2018 Plan. The disclosure in Item 5.02 is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

  (d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

10.1    Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan
10.2    Form of Stock Option Grant Notice, Option Agreement and Notice of Exercise under the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan
10.3    Israeli Sub-Plan under the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan
10.4    Form of Israeli Stock Option Grant Package under the Israeli Sub-Plan under the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    ELOXX PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Date: March 30, 2018     By:   /s/ Gregory Weaver
     

Gregory Weaver

Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 10.1

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS , I NC .

2018 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN

A DOPTED BY THE B OARD OF D IRECTORS : M ARCH 12, 2018

A PPROVED BY THE S TOCKHOLDERS : M ARCH 26, 2018

E FFECTIVE D ATE :                     

 

1. G ENERAL .

(a) Successor to and Continuation of Prior Plans . The Plan is intended as the successor to and continuation of the Sevion Therapeutics, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (as Amended and Restated, effective December 15, 2014) and the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Share Ownership and Option Plan (2013) (the “ Prior Plans ”). From and after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Effective Date, no additional stock awards will be granted under the Prior Plans. All Awards granted on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Effective Date will be granted under this Plan. All stock awards granted under the Prior Plans, will remain subject to the terms of the Prior Plans.

(i) Any shares that would otherwise remain available for future grants under the Prior Plans as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Effective Date (the “ Prior Plans’ Available Reserve ”) will cease to be available under the Prior Plans at such time. Instead, that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the Prior Plans’ 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 Effective Date, any shares subject, at such time, to outstanding stock awards granted under the Prior Plans 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 types of 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 granting 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.

 

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).

 

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(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 at which cash or shares of Common Stock may be issued).

(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 his or her then-outstanding Award without his or her 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 to make the Plan or Awards granted under the Plan compliant with the requirements for Incentive Stock Options or 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. However, 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 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 provided in the Plan (including subsection (viii) below) or an Award Agreement, no amendment of the Plan will materially impair a Participant’s rights under an outstanding Award unless (1) the Company requests the consent of the affected Participant, and (2) such Participant consents in writing.

(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 422 of the Code regarding incentive stock options or (B) 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

 

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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.

 

  (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 construed as being 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 Committee may, at any time, abolish the subcommittee and/or revest in the Committee any powers delegated to the subcommittee. 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) Rule 16b-3 Compliance. The Committee may consist solely of two or more Non-Employee Directors, in accordance with Rule 16b-3.

(d) Delegation to an Officer . The Board may delegate to one 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

 

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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 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(z)(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 10,000,000 shares (the “ Share Reserve ”), which number is the sum of (i) 5,000,000 new shares, plus (ii) the number of shares subject to the Prior Plans’ Available Reserve, plus (iii) the number of shares that are Returning Shares, as such shares become available from time to time. 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 Effective Date occurs and ending on (and including) January 1, 2028, in an amount equal to 5% of the total number of shares of Capital Stock outstanding on December 31st 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 Share Reserve and 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 20,000,000 shares of Common Stock.

 

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(d) Limitation on Grants to Non-Employee Directors. From and after the Effective Date, the maximum number of shares subject to Stock Awards granted under this Plan or under any other equity plan maintained by the Company during a single calendar year to any Non-Employee Director in connection with such Non-Employee Director’s service as a 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 $500,000 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, $1,000,000. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the limitations under this Section 3(d) shall not apply to Stock Awards and payments made pursuant to an agreement with a Director entered into prior to the Effective Date.

(e) 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, 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 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.

 

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:

 

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(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 (10) 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 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 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

 

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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 (and 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 herein, 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 Regulation 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, upon the death 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 therefore 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 three (3) months 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.

 

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(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.

( 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 twelve (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 eighteen (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 or any Affiliate 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 (6) months following the

 

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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 (6) 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 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.

(m) Early Exercise of Options. An Option may, but need not, include a provision whereby the Optionholder may elect at any time before the Optionholder’s Continuous Service terminates to exercise the Option as to any part or all of the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option prior to the full vesting of the Option. Any unvested shares of Common Stock so purchased may be subject to a repurchase right in favor of the Company or to any other restriction the Board determines to be appropriate. The Company will not be required to exercise its repurchase right until at least six (6) months (or such longer or shorter period of time required to avoid classification of the Option as a liability for financial accounting purposes) have elapsed following exercise of the Option unless the Board otherwise specifically provides in the Option Agreement.

 

6. P ROVISIONS OF S TOCK A WARDS O THER 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 deems appropriate. To the extent consistent with the Company’s bylaws, at the Board’s election, shares of Common Stock may be (i) held in book entry form subject to the Company’s instructions until any restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award lapse; or (ii) 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 services to the Company or an Affiliate, or (C) any other form of legal consideration (including future services) 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.

 

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(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 deems 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.

(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 or other written agreement between a Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, such portion of the Restricted Stock Unit Award that has not vested will be forfeited upon the Participant’s termination of Continuous Service.

 

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(c) Performance Awards .

( i ) Performance Stock Awards . A Performance Stock Award is a Stock Award that is payable (including that may be granted, vest or exercised) contingent upon the attainment during a Performance Period of certain Performance Goals. A Performance Stock Award may, but need not, require the 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 Board or Committee , in its sole discretion. In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law and the applicable Award Agreement, the Board or the Committee 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 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 Board or Committee, in its sole discretion. The Board or the Committee 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 adjust 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.

(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 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 Stock Awards.

(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan, 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

 

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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 securities 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 Stock 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 approving 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.

(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

 

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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 he or she 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 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 Stock 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 Stock 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

 

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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) 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 Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntary terminate employment upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.

(l) 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 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” 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.

 

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 that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options pursuant to Section 3(c), (iii) the class(es) and maximum number of securities that may be awarded to any Non-Employee Director pursuant to Section 3(d), and (iv) 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.

 

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(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 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 will 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 may 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 determines (or, if the Board does 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; provided, however , that the Board may require Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of exercise before the effective date of a Transaction, which exercise is contingent upon the effectiveness of such 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 $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 the Company’s Common Stock in connection with the Transaction is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any 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. Unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing a Performance Cash Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board, in the event of a Transaction, then all Performance Cash Awards outstanding under the Plan will terminate prior to the effective time of such Transaction.

(d) Change in Control. 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, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.

 

10. T ERMINATION OR S USPENSION OF THE P LAN .

(a) The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. No Incentive Stock Option will be granted after the tenth anniversary of the earlier of (i) 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.

(b) No Impairment of Rights. Suspension or termination of the Plan will not materially impair rights and obligations under any Award granted while the Plan is in effect except with the written consent of the affected Participant or as otherwise permitted in the Plan (including Section 2(b)(viii)) or an Award Agreement.

 

11. E FFECTIVE D ATE OF P LAN .

The Plan will become effective on the Effective Date.

 

12. C HOICE OF L AW .

The laws 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) Adoption Date ” means the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

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

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

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

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

 

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

(g) 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.

(h) Cause will 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, embezzlement, 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, embezzlement or act of dishonesty against the Company or an Affiliate; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate or of any statutory duty owed to the Company or an Affiliate; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s or an Affiliate’s confidential information or trade secrets; (v) the refusal or omission by the Participant to perform any duties required of him or her if such duties are consistent with duties customary for the position held with the Company or an Affiliate or persistent unsatisfactory performance or neglect of his or her job duties; or (vi) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause will 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 will have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other purpose.

(i) 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 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, or (C) 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;

 

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(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;

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

(iv) 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; 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 or any other provision of this Plan, (A) 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 (B) 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. To the extent required for compliance with Section 409A of the Code, in no event will a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred if such transaction is not also a “change in the ownership or effective control of” the Company or “a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company as determined under Treasury Regulations Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder). The Board may, in its sole discretion and without a Participant’s consent, amend the definition of “Change in Control” to conform to the definition of “Change in Control” under Section 409A of the Code, and the regulations thereunder.

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

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

(l) Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company.

 

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(m) Company ” means Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

(n) 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.

(o) 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, Director or Consultant or a change in the Entity for which the Participant renders 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. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or to a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. 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. In addition, to the extent required for exemption from or compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the determination of whether there has been a termination of Continuous Service will be made, and such term will be construed, in a manner that is consistent with the definition of “separation from service” as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder). The Board may determine whether any given leave of absence constitutes a termination of Continuous Service.

(p) 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.

 

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(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.

(t) Effective Date ” means the effective date of this Plan, which is the date this Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders.

(u) 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.

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

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

(x) 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 Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.

(y) 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.

 

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(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.

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

(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) Own, Owned, Owner, Ownership 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.

(jj) 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.

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

 

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(ll) 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: (1) earnings (including earnings per share and net earnings); (2) earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation; (3) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (4) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and legal settlements; (5) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, legal settlements and other income (expense); (6) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, legal settlements, other income (expense) and stock-based compensation; (7) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, legal settlements, other income (expense), stock-based compensation and changes in deferred revenue; (8) total stockholder return; (9) return on equity or average stockholder’s equity; (10) return on assets, investment, or capital employed; (11) stock price; (12) margin (including gross margin); (13) income (before or after taxes); (14) operating income; (15) operating income after taxes; (16) pre-tax profit; (17) operating cash flow; (18) sales or revenue targets; (19) increases in revenue or product revenue; (20) expenses and cost reduction goals; (21) improvement in or attainment of working capital levels; (22) economic value added (or an equivalent metric); (23) market share; (24) cash flow; (25) cash flow per share; (26) share price performance; (27) debt reduction; (28) implementation or completion of projects or processes (including, without limitation, clinical trial initiation, clinical trial enrollment, clinical trial results, new and supplemental indications for existing products, regulatory filing submissions, regulatory filing acceptances, regulatory or advisory committee interactions, regulatory approvals, and product supply); (29) stockholders’ equity; (30) capital expenditures; (31) debt levels; (32) operating profit or net operating profit; (33) workforce diversity; (34) growth of net income or operating income; (35) billings; (36) bookings; (37) employee retention; (38) initiation of phases of clinical trials and/or studies by specific dates; (39) patient enrollment rates; (40) budget management; (41) submission to, or approval by, a regulatory body (including, but not limited to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) of an applicable filing or a product candidate; (42) regulatory milestones; (43) progress of internal research or clinical programs; (44) progress of partnered programs; (45) partner satisfaction; (46) timely completion of clinical trials; (47) submission of INDs and NDAs and other regulatory achievements; (48) research progress, including the development of programs; (49) strategic partnerships or transactions (including in-licensing and out-licensing of intellectual property; (50) customer satisfaction; and (51) other measures of performance selected by the Board.

( mm ) 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

 

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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; and (12) to exclude the effect of any other unusual, non-recurring gain or loss or other extraordinary item. 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.

(nn) 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.

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

(pp) Plan ” means this Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.

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

(rr) 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.

(ss) 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).

( tt ) 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.

(uu) 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.

(vv) Rule 405 ” means Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.

( 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.

 

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(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.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS , I NC .

S TOCK O PTION G RANT N OTICE

(2018 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN )

Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “ Company ”), pursuant to its 2018 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.

 

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS , I NC .    O PTIONHOLDER :
By:                                                                                                      

 

Signature    Signature
Title:    Date:
Date:   

A TTACHMENTS : Option Agreement, 2018 Equity Incentive Plan and Notice of Exercise

 

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A TTACHMENT I

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS , I NC .

O PTION A GREEMENT

(2018 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, Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the “ Company ”) has granted you an option under its 2018 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) three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service for any reason other than Cause, your Disability or your death (except as otherwise provided in Section 7(d) below); provided, however, that if during any part of such three (3) month period your option is not exercisable solely because of the condition set forth in Section 6 above, your option will not expire until the earlier of the Expiration Date or until it has been exercisable for an aggregate period of three (3) months after the termination of your Continuous Service; provided further, if during any part of such three (3) month 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 three (3) months 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 three (3) months 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 three (3) months 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.

(d) By accepting your option you agree that you will not sell, dispose of, transfer, make any short sale of, grant any option for the purchase of, or enter into any hedging or similar transaction with the same economic effect as a sale, any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company held by you, for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act or such longer period as the

 

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underwriters or the Company will request to facilitate compliance with FINRA Rule 2711 or NYSE Member Rule 472 or any successor or similar rules or regulation (the “ Lock-Up Period ”); provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 8(d) will prevent the exercise of a repurchase option, if any, in favor of the Company during the Lock-Up Period. You further agree to execute and deliver such other agreements as may be reasonably requested by the Company or the underwriters that are consistent with the foregoing or that are necessary to give further effect thereto. In order to enforce the foregoing covenant, the Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to your shares of Common Stock until the end of such period. You also agree that any transferee of any shares of Common Stock (or other securities) of the Company held by you will be bound by this Section 8(d). The underwriters of the Company’s stock are intended third party beneficiaries of this Section 8(d) and will have the right, power and authority to enforce the provisions hereof as though they were a party hereto.

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

 

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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.

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.

 

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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 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

2018 E QUITY I NCENTIVE P LAN


A TTACHMENT III

N OTICE OF E XERCISE

 

Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.    Date of Exercise:                     
950 Winter Street   
Waltham, MA 02451   

This constitutes notice to Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, 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 Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 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 10.3

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS , I NC .

I SRAELI S UB - P LAN

 

1. PREAMBLE

 

  (a) This Israeli Sub-Plan (the “ Sub-Plan ”) shall apply only to Participants who are residents or citizens of the State of Israel or those who are deemed to be residents or citizens of the State of Israel for the payment of tax (the “ Israeli Participants ”). The provisions specified hereunder shall form an integral part of the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan to which this Sub-Plan is attached (the “ Plan ”). For the avoidance of doubt, this Sub-Plan does not add to or modify the Plan in respect of any other category of Participants.

 

  (b) The Plan and this Sub-Plan are complementary to each other and shall be deemed one. In any case of contradiction, whether explicit or implied, between the provisions of this Sub-Plan and the Plan, the provisions set out in this Sub-Plan shall prevail with respect to Awards granted to Israeli Participants.

 

  (c) Any capitalized terms not specifically defined in this Sub-Plan shall be construed according to the interpretation given to them in the Plan. The Plan administrator shall have full and binding authority to construe and interpret the terms of this Sub-Plan, and any such determinations shall be final and binding on all parties.

 

  (d) The purpose and intent of the Sub-Plan is to provide incentives to employees, directors, officers, service providers, consultants and/or advisors of the Company and/or any Affiliate who are Israeli Participants by providing them with the opportunity to benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock through the issuance of shares, Options, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Unit Awards and other Stock Awards.

This Sub-Plan is to be read as a continuation of the Plan and only refers to Awards granted to Israeli Participants so that they comply with the requirements set by the Israeli law in general and in particular with Section 102 of the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance (New Version), 1961, as amended from time to time, or any provision which may amend or replace it (the “ Ordinance ” and “ Section  102 ”) and the rules, regulations and orders or procedures promulgated thereunder from time to time, as amended or replaced from time to time (the “ Rules ”) and to enable the Company and the Israeli Participants hereunder to benefit from Section 102 and the Rules and also to enable the Company to grant Awards and issue shares outside the context of Section 102. The Company, however, does not warrant that the Plan and Sub-Plan will be recognized by the income tax authorities or that future changes will not be made to the provisions of the law, regulations or the Rules, which are promulgated from time to time, or that any exemption or benefit currently available pursuant to Section 102 will not be abolished.

 

  (e) Should any provision of Section 102, regulations thereunder or the Rules which apply to employees or any such other Participants who are Israeli Participants as applicable under the provisions of Section 102 and the Rules, be amended, such amendment shall be deemed included in the Sub-Plan with respect to Awards granted or shares issued in the context of Section 102. Where a conflict arises between any section of the Sub-Plan, the Award Agreement or their application, and the provisions of any tax law, rule or regulations, including without limitation the Ordinance and/or the Rules, whether relied upon for tax relief or otherwise, the latter shall prevail, and the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine the necessary changes to be made to the Sub-Plan and its determination regarding this matter shall be final and binding.


  (f) The Sub-Plan shall be administered by the Board or the Committee as further set forth in the Plan. Subject to applicable law and without derogating from the generality of the Plan, the Board shall have plenary authority to determine whether or not an Award shall be granted pursuant to Section 102, and if so, whether such Award be granted to a trustee under the Ordinance and the election of the “Ordinary Income Route” according to Section 102(b)(1) of the Ordinance or the “Capital Gains Route” according to Section 102(b)(2) of the Ordinance or otherwise (Awards granted either under the Ordinary Income Route or under the Capital Gains Route shall be referred to herein as “ Approved 102 Awards ”), or without a trustee according to Section 102(c) of the Ordinance (the “ Unapproved 102 Awards ”).

 

  (g) No director or officer of the Company shall be personally liable or obligated to any Participant as a result of any decision made and/or action taken with respect to the Sub-Plan or its interpretation or execution.

 

2. DESIGNATION OF ISRAELI PARTICIPANTS

 

  (a) The persons eligible for participation in the Sub-Plan as Israeli Participants shall include any employee, director, service provider, consultant and/or advisors of the Company or any Affiliate or any other person or entity so designated by the Board, provided that for the purpose of the Israeli tax law, Israeli Employees (as defined herein) may only be granted Awards under Section 102 of the Ordinance; and Israeli Non-Employees (as defined below) may only be granted Awards under Section 3(i) of the Ordinance.

For the purpose of this Section:

Israeli Employee ” shall mean a person who is employed by the Company or its Affiliate, which is an “employing company” within the meaning of Section 102(a) of the Ordinance, including an individual who is serving as a director or an office holder, but excluding Controlling Shareholder, who is an Israeli resident or deemed to be an Israeli resident for the payment of tax.

Controlling Shareholder ” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 32(9) of the Ordinance.

Israeli Non-Employees ” shall mean a consultant, adviser, service provider, Controlling Shareholder or any other person who is not an Israeli Employee, who is an Israeli resident or deemed to be an Israeli resident for the payment of tax.

 

  (b) The grant of an Award hereunder shall neither entitle the Israeli Participant to participate nor disqualify the Israeli Participant from participating in, any other grant of Awards pursuant to the Plan or any other Award or share plan of the Company or any Affiliate.

 

3. DESIGNATION OF AWARDS PURSUANT TO SECTION 102

 

  (a) The Company may designate Awards granted to Israeli Employees pursuant to Section 102 as Unapproved 102 Awards or Approved 102 Awards.

 

  (b) The grant of Approved 102 Awards shall be made under this Sub-Plan adopted by the Board, and shall be conditioned upon the approval of this Sub-Plan by the ITA.

 

  (c) Approved 102 Award may either be classified as Capital Gain Award (“ CGO ”) or Ordinary Income Award (“ OIO ”).

 

  (d) Approved 102 Award elected and designated by the Company to qualify under the capital gain tax treatment in accordance with the provisions of Section 102(b)(2) shall be referred to herein as CGO.

 

  (e) Approved 102 Award elected and designated by the Company to qualify under the ordinary income tax treatment in accordance with the provisions of Section 102(b)(1) shall be referred to herein as OIO.

 

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  (f) The Company’s election of the type of Approved 102 Awards as CGO or OIO granted to Israeli Employees (the “ Election ”), shall be appropriately filed with the ITA before the date of grant of an Approved 102 Award. Such Election shall become effective beginning the first date of grant of an Approved 102 Award under this Plan and shall remain in effect at least until the end of the year following the year during which the Company first granted Approved 102 Awards. The Election shall obligate the Company to grant only the type of Approved 102 Award it has elected, and shall apply to all Israeli Participants who were granted Approved 102 Awards during the period indicated herein, all in accordance with the provisions of Section 102(g) of the Ordinance. For the avoidance of doubt, such Election shall not prevent the Company from granting Unapproved 102 Awards or any other Awards simultaneously.

 

  (g) All Approved 102 Awards must be held in trust by a Trustee, as described below.

 

  (h) For the avoidance of doubt, the designation of Unapproved 102 Awards and Approved 102 Awards shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Section 102 of the Ordinance and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

  (i) With regards to Approved 102 Awards, the provisions of the Sub-Plan and/or the Award Agreement (as defined in the Plan) shall be subject to the provisions of Section 102 and the Tax Assessing Officer’s permit, and the said provisions and permit shall be deemed an integral part of the Sub-Plan and of the Award Agreement. Any provision of Section 102 and/or the said permit which is necessary in order to receive and/or to keep any tax benefit pursuant to Section 102, which is not expressly specified in the Sub-Plan or the Award Agreement, shall be considered binding upon the Company and the Israeli Participants.

 

4. GRANT OF THE AWARDS AND ISSUANCE OF THE SHARES TO THE TRUSTEE

 

  (a) Shares issued upon exercise of an Award shall be issued to the Israeli Participant or to the Trustee (as such term is defined below), in the name of the Israeli Participant and on his or her behalf, subject to the sole discretion of the Board. In the event that the Board grants an Award to be held by the Israeli Participant directly, and unless determined otherwise with respect to a specific grant, then without derogating from any other rights or obligations conveyed to the Israeli Participant according to the Sub-Plan all rights and obligations conveyed to the Trustee according to this Sub-Plan shall be awarded to the said Israeli Participant.

 

  (b) The Board shall appoint a Trustee for the purposes of this Sub-Plan (the “ Trustee ”). In case of a Trustee nominated under Section 102, the nomination of such Trustee shall be subject to the approval of the Israeli Income Tax Authorities (the “ ITA ”) in accordance with the provisions of Section 102(a) of the Ordinance. The Trustee shall have all the powers provided by law, including, without limitation, the Ordinance, Section 102 and the Rules, the trust agreement with the Company and/or any Affiliate thereof, and the Sub-Plan and shall act pursuant to the provisions thereof, as they shall apply from time to time. The Board or the Committee shall be entitled to replace the Trustee and/or to nominate another person to serve as a Trustee in lieu of the existing Trustee at its sole discretion, subject to applicable law, and that the new Trustee shall have the same powers and authority which this Sub-Plan grants the Trustee.

 

  (c)

Unless otherwise determined by the Board, all Award including, without limitation, the shares issued pursuant thereto, and all rights deriving from or in connection therewith, including, without limitation, any bonus shares (including stock dividends) issued in connection therewith, shall be issued by the Company in the name of the Trustee on behalf of the Israeli Participant and the share certificates representing any shares issued pursuant to Awards exercised hereunder, shall be issued by the Company in the name of the Trustee in trust for the designated Israeli Participant and shall be deposited with the Trustee, held by him and registered in his name in the register of shareholders of the Company for such period as determined by the Board but, in the case of Approved 102

 

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  Awards, not less than the period set forth therein or otherwise required, or approved, with respect thereto pursuant to Israeli law, regulations promulgated thereunder, the Ordinance, Section 102 or the Rules, as shall be in effect from time to time (the “ Restriction Period ”) and the same tax route pursuant to Section 102 shall apply thereto. Furthermore, Approved 102 Awards granted or shares issued pursuant to such Approved 102 Awards shall not be sold or transferred until the end of the Restriction Period, unless otherwise allowed or determined by the Israeli tax authorities. Notwithstanding the above, if any such sale or transfer occurs during the Restriction Period, the sanctions under Section 102 of the Ordinance and under the Rules or regulation or orders or procedures promulgated thereunder shall apply to and shall be borne by such Israeli Participant.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Trustee shall not release any shares, income of appropriation allocated or issued upon exercise of Approved 102 Awards prior to the full payment of the Israeli Participant’s tax liabilities arising from Approved 102 Awards which were granted to him/her and/or any shares allocated or issued upon exercise of such Awards.

 

  (d) Unless otherwise determined by the Board, Awards granted hereunder shall not confer upon the Israeli Participant any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, for as long as they have not been exercised and, once exercised, for as long as the shares have not been issued, transferred and registered in the Israeli Participant’s name in the Company’s shareholder register.

 

  (e) Nothing in the aforegoing provisions shall derogate from the power of the Board to grant Awards or to allot shares to the Trustee otherwise than under the provisions of Section 102 and the Rules or to allot shares or grant Awards to Israeli Participants directly otherwise than through the Trustee or on terms which differ from those specified above or to approve the transfer of shares from the Trustee to the name of any Israeli Participant(s) upon such conditions as shall be determined by the Board.

 

5. AWARD OR SHARE PURCHASE AGREEMENT

Unless otherwise determined by the Board, every Israeli Participant shall be required to sign an Award Agreement.

The Award Agreement need not be identical with respect to each Israeli Participant. The following terms, however, shall apply to all Awards, and, mutatis mutandis, shares, unless otherwise determined by the Board or set forth in the Israeli Participant’s Award Agreement:

 

  (a) The Awards granted to Israeli Participants pursuant to Section 102 and the Rules are personal and except insofar as is specified in this Sub-Plan, may not be transferred, assigned, pledged, withheld, attached or otherwise charged either voluntarily or pursuant to any law, except by way of transfer pursuant to the laws of inheritance or as otherwise determined by the Board, and no power of attorney or deed of transfer, whether the same has immediate effect or shall take effect on a future date, shall be given with respect thereto. During the lifetime of such Israeli Participant the Award may only be exercised by the designated Israeli Participant or, if granted to the Trustee, by the Trustee on behalf of the designated Israeli Participant. A note as to the provisions of this sub-section or a legend may appear on any document which grants the Award and in particular in the Award Agreement, and also on any share certificate.

 

  (b) The right to exercise the Award is granted to the Trustee on behalf of the Israeli Participant and maybe subject to a vesting schedule, and may be further subject to any performance goals and measurements as may be determined by the Board, provided that, unless otherwise determined by the Board or set forth in the respective Award Agreement, upon each of such vesting dates the Israeli Participant continues to be employed by, or provide services to, or serve as a director or officer of the Company or an Affiliate on a continual basis from the date of the grant thereof.

 

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  (c) The Board may determine at its sole discretion, that any Israeli Participant shall be entitled to receive the Awards or the shares, through the Trustee, pursuant to the provisions of this Sub-Plan or, subject to the provisions of Section 102, as applicable, directly in the name of the Israeli Participant, immediately upon execution of the Award Agreement or on such other date or dates as the Company has undertaken towards such Israeli Participant. The Board shall be entitled, subject to applicable law, to determine that where the Israeli Participant does not comply with the conditions determined by the Board or the Award Agreement or ceases to be an employee of or to provide services to serve as an officer or director of the Company or an Affiliate, the Company or an Affiliate shall have the right to repurchase the shares from the Israeli Participant for the higher of: (i) nominal or (ii) any other consideration paid by the Israeli Participant, subject to applicable law. The Board may set additional conditions to this right of repurchase. For as long as the aforegoing conditions of the Board (including, without limitation, a minimum period of employment, other engagement or appointment as a condition for the lapse of the right to reacquisition) have not been complied with, or have not lapsed, as applicable, the Israeli Participant shall not be entitled to sell or charge or transfer in any other manner the shares which are subject to the right of reacquisition. As security for the compliance with this undertaking the share certificate will be deposited with the Trustee who will release the same to the Israeli Participant only after the Israeli Participant becomes entitled to the shares and the same are not subject to any other restrictive condition.

 

  (d) The Award Agreement shall be further subject to the Plan in connection with termination of Continuous Service, acceleration upon a Change of Control, exercise price, dividends, and vesting.

 

6. TERM OF AWARDS; EXERCISE

 

  (a) The term of each Award shall be as set forth in the Plan or the Award Agreement, subject to an early termination in connection with a Change of Control and other circumstances set forth in the Plan.

 

  (b) An Israeli Participant who desires that the Trustee exercise an Award granted to the Trustee on his behalf shall so instruct the Trustee in writing in the form annexed hereto as Appendix A or in such other form as shall be approved by the Board from time to time. The notice shall be accompanied by payment of the full Award Exercise Price as provided in the Award Agreement.

 

  (c) As a condition for the exercise of the Award, the Israeli Participant shall pay, or otherwise make arrangements to the Company’s satisfaction, for the payment of the tax and other obligatory payments applicable to him (including all sums payable arising out of or in connection with the Company’s obligation to deduct tax and other obligatory payments at source) pursuant to applicable law and the provisions of the Plan and the Sub-Plan.

 

  (d) Upon receipt of all the requisite documents, approvals and payments from the Israeli Participant, including sufficient proof of payment or other arrangement with respect to the payment of any applicable taxes in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee, the Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Company in the form annexed hereto as Appendix B or in such other form as shall be approved by the Board, whereupon the Company shall allot the shares in the name of the Trustee.

 

  (e)

An Israeli Participant who desires to exercise an Award granted directly to him or her (and not through the Trustee), subject to the approval of the Board, shall so notify the Company in writing in such form as shall be prescribed by the Board from time to time. As a condition for the exercise of the Award, the Israeli Participant shall pay or otherwise make arrangements, to the Company’s or its Affiliate’s satisfaction, for the payment of the tax and other obligatory payments applicable to him (including all sums

 

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  payable by the Company or its Affiliate arising out of its obligation to deduct tax and other obligatory payments at source) pursuant to applicable law and the provisions of the Plan or the Sub-Plan. Upon receipt of all the requisite documents, approvals and payments from the Israeli Participant, including sufficient proof of payment or other arrangement with respect to the payment of any applicable taxes in form satisfactory to the Company or the Affiliate, the Company shall allot the shares or the Award in the name of the Israeli Participant.

 

  (f) Without limiting the foregoing, the Board may, with the consent of the Israeli Participant, from time to time cancel all or any portion of any Award then subject to exercise, and the Company’s obligation in respect of such Award may be discharged by: (i) payment to the Israeli Participant or to the Trustee on behalf of the Israeli Participant of an amount in cash equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as such term is defined in the Plan) of the Awards at the date of such cancellation subject to the portion of the Award so canceled over the aggregate Award Exercise Price of such shares; (ii) the issuance or transfer to the Israeli Participant or to the Trustee on behalf of the Israeli Participant of shares of the Company with a Fair Market Value at the date of such transfer equal to any such excess; or (iii) a combination of cash and shares with a combined value equal to any such excess, all as determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

7. ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Whether the Award is granted or issued in the name of the Trustee or otherwise, the Company shall have the right to demand from the Israeli Participant at any time that the same shall provide, and the Israeli Participant shall provide, any certificate, declaration or other document which the Company and/or the Trustee shall consider to be necessary or desirable pursuant to Section 102.

 

8. TAXATION

 

  (a) General

Subject to applicable law, the Israeli Participant shall be liable for all taxes, duties, fines and other payments which may be imposed by the tax authorities (whether in Israel or abroad) and for every obligatory payment of whatever source in respect of the Awards, the shares (including, without limitation, upon the grant of Awards, the exercise of the Awards, the sale of the shares or the registration of the shares in the Israeli Participant’s name) or dividends or any other benefit in respect thereof and/or for all charges which shall accrue to the Israeli Participant, the Company, any Affiliate and/or to the Trustee in connection with the Plan, the Awards and/or the shares, or any act or omission of the Israeli Participant or the Company in connection therewith or pursuant to any determination of the applicable tax or other authorities.

 

  (b) Deduction at Source

The Company (including any Affiliate) and/or the Trustee shall have the right to withhold or require the Israeli Participant to pay an amount in cash or to retain or sell without notice Common Stock or any portion of the Award in value sufficient to cover any tax or obligatory payment required by a governmental entity administrative authority to be withheld or otherwise deducted and paid with respect to the Awards or the shares subject thereto (including, without limitation, upon the registration of the shares in the Israeli Participant’s name) or with respect to dividends or any other benefits in respect thereof (“ Withholding Tax ”), and to make payment (or to reimburse itself or himself for payment made) to the appropriate tax or other authority of an amount in cash equal to the amount of such Withholding Tax. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Israeli Participant shall be entitled to satisfy the obligation to pay any Withholding Tax, in whole or in part, by providing the Company and/or its Affiliate and/or the Trustee with funds sufficient to enable the Company and/or its Affiliate and/or the Trustee to pay such Withholding Tax.

 

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  (c) Certificate of Authorization of Assessing Officer

The Company (including any Affiliate) or the Trustee shall at any time be entitled to apply to the assessing officer, and in the case of an Israeli Participant abroad, to any foreign tax authority, for receipt of their certificate of authorization as to the amount of tax which the Company or any Affiliate or the Israeli Participant or the Trustee is to pay to the tax authorities resulting from granting the Awards or allotting the shares, or regarding any other question with respect to the application of the Plan.

 

9. RIGHTS AND/OR BENEFITS ARISING OUT OF THE EMPLOYEE/ EMPLOYER OR OTHER RELATIONSHIP AND THE ABSENCE OF AN OBLIGATION TO ENGAGE

 

  (a) Other than with respect to social security payments if required to be made by the Company or an Affiliate as a result of its choice of the tax treatment of the Awards pursuant to Section 102, no income or gain which shall be credited to or which purports to be credited to the Israeli Participant as a result of the Sub-Plan, shall in any manner be taken into account in the calculation of the basis of the Israeli Participant’s entitlements from the Company or any Affiliate or in the calculation of any social welfare right or other rights or benefits arising out of the employee/employer relationship between the parties or any other engagement by the Company of the Israeli Participant. If, pursuant to any law, the Company or any Affiliate shall be obliged for the purposes of calculation of the said items to take into account income or gain actually or theoretically credited to the Israeli Participant, the Israeli Participant shall indemnify the Company or any Affiliate, against any expense caused to it in this regard.

 

  (b) Nothing in the Sub-Plan shall be interpreted as obliging the Company or any Affiliate to employ or otherwise engage the Israeli Participant and nothing in the Sub-Plan or any Award granted pursuant thereto shall confer upon any Israeli Participant any right to continue in the employment (or other engagement or appointment, as applicable) of the Company or any Affiliate or restrict the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate such employment (or other engagement or appointment, as applicable) at any time. The Israeli Participant shall have no claim whatsoever against the Company or any Affiliate as a result of the termination of his or her employment (or other engagement or appointment, as applicable), including, without limitation, any claim that such termination causes any Awards to expire or otherwise terminate and/or prevents the Israeli Participant from exercising the Awards and/or from receiving or retaining any shares pursuant to any agreement between him and the Company, or results in any loss due to an early imposition, or earlier than anticipated imposition, of tax or other liability pursuant to applicable law.

 

10. TERM, TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT

This Sub-Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date and shall terminate on upon the termination of the Plan.

 

11. RELEASE OF THE TRUSTEE FROM LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

  (a)

In no event shall the Trustee be liable to the Company and/or any Israeli Participant under the Sub-Plan and/or any third party (including without prejudice to the generality of the aforegoing, to the income tax authorities and any other governmental or administrative authority), or to a purchaser of shares from any Israeli Participant with respect to any act or omission which has been or will be carried out in relation to the Sub-Plan, its execution and any matter connected thereto or arising therefrom. The Company will not, and the Israeli

 

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  Participant will be required to covenant upon signing the Award Agreement that he will not, make any claim against the Trustee in any manner whatsoever and on any ground whatsoever and they expressly agree that if the Trustee is sued by them, then the Trustee shall be entitled by virtue of this Section alone to apply to the court for dismissal of the action against them with costs. The Company covenants and agrees that if an action is commenced by any third party against the Trustee it shall be entitled, without any objection on the Company’s part to join the Company as a third party to any action and a judgment against them will be paid by the Company.

 

  (b) The Company covenants and the Israeli Participant will be required to covenant to indemnify the Trustee against any liability in relation to any claim and/or demand made against the Trustee by any person whatsoever, including the tax authorities, in relation to its acts or omissions in connection with the Plan.

 

12. GOVERNING LAW

The Sub-Plan (including any relevant portion of the Plan) and all instruments issued thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel.

 

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ELOXX PHARMACEUTICALS I NC .

A PPENDIX A

to Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. Israeli Sub-Plan

(S ECTION 11.3)

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

[ Adjustments may be required for Awards that are not options ]

Date:                     

The Trustee under the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan and its Israeli Sub-Plan

Dear Sirs,

R E : N OTICE OF E XERCISE

I hereby wish to inform you that it is my desire that of the Award which was granted to you on              to acquire              (            ) Common Stock of Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “Company”) on my behalf, you exercise and acquire on my behalf              (            ) of the Common Stock subject to the said Award at a price of USD              per share, all in accordance with the Plan and Sub-Plan.

Attached to this Notice is a check in the amount of USD              (USD             ), as payment for the above mentioned shares.

I am aware that all the shares shall be allotted to you, registered in your name and that you shall hold all share certificates representing such shares.

Likewise, I am aware of and agree to all other provisions of the Plan, the Sub-Plan and applicable law.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Signature

 

Name

 

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ELOXX PHARMACEUTICALS I NC .

A PPENDIX B

to Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. Israeli Sub-Plan

(S ECTION 11.5)

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

[ Adjustments may be required for Awards that are not options ]

Date:                     

Dear Sirs,

R E : N OTICE OF E XERCISE

Please be advised that I hereby exercise                      (                    ) of the Common Stock subject to the Award which was granted to me on behalf of                      on                          to acquire                      (                    ) Common Stock of Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc., at a price of USD                      per share, all in accordance with the Plan and Sub-Plan.

Attached to this Notice is a check in the amount of USD                      (USD                     ) as payment for the abovementioned shares.

 

Yours sincerely,

        

The Trustee

 

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Exhibit 10.4

102 CAPITAL GAINS OPTION AGREEMENT

THIS 102 CAPITAL GAINS OPTION AGREEMENT (this “ Agreement ”) is made and entered into as of February     , 2018, by and between Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Corporation registered under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Corporation ”) and [                ] (the “ Grantee ”) (the Corporation and the Grantee shall sometimes be referred to, each as a “ Party ” and collectively, as the “ Parties ”).

 

WHEREAS: The Grantee is an employee of the Corporation and/or a Related Company; and

 

WHEREAS: The Corporation desires to grant the Grantee options to purchase shares in the Corporation and the Grantee is interested in receiving the aforesaid options, all in accordance with and subject to the Corporation’s Share Ownership and Option Plan (2013), as shall be amended from time to time, and the annexes thereto (the “ Plan ”) and the provisions of this Agreement, and their intention is that the provisions of the Ordinance, Section 102 and the Rules shall apply to the options granted and shares issued; and

 

WHEREAS: The Grantee has read Section 102, the Rules and the Plan, wishes to be bound by them and desires that they apply to the options and shares which shall be granted to her hereunder;

NOW, THEREFORE , it is agreed as follows:

 

1. Application of the Provisions of the Plan and the Ordinance

 

1.1. The Grantee hereby confirms that she has carefully read the Plan and that she acknowledges and agrees to all of the provisions, conditions, limitations, authorizations, declarations and commitments included therein, except and to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein.

 

1.2. All of the provisions, conditions, limitations and declarations included and specified in the Plan are hereby incorporated herein by reference and constitute an integral part of this Agreement and of the Grantee’s undertakings and obligations hereunder. Except and to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, nothing in this Agreement or in the provisions hereof shall derogate from anything contained in the Plan.

 

1.3. The Grantee acknowledges, agrees and confirms that the Plan may be amended from time to time as provided for therein. The Grantee understands that any amendment to the Plan or any document connected to the Plan, shall bind her as if she was a party thereto, provided , that , except as otherwise provided for herein or in the Plan, no amendment or modification of the Plan may, without the consent of the Grantee, adversely affect the rights of the Grantee hereunder.

 

1.4. The Grantee declares, covenants and agrees that the Ordinance, Section 102 and the Rules, as the same shall be amended from time to time, including the trust agreement between the Corporation and the Trustee (the conditions whereof are accepted by the Grantee and upon signing this Agreement she approves them as an integral part of this Agreement) and the notice to the Tax Assessing Officer about the allotment, are fully binding on the Grantee and, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1.3 above, shall prevail in case of contradiction over any other provision in this Agreement or in the Plan.

 

1.5. A copy of the Plan is attached hereto as Exhibit A and constitutes an integral part hereof.

 

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2. Grant of Option; Vesting

 

2.1. Subject to this Agreement and the Plan, the Corporation shall grant to the Trustee for the benefit of the Grantee, a CGO Approved 102 Option (the “ Option ”) to purchase [        ] (                    ) Shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, par value $0.01 each (the “ Shares ”), at an exercise price equal to [            ], at the time and in the manner hereinafter provided.

 

2.2. The Option Exercise Price shall be paid on the date of the exercise thereof.

 

2.3. The term of the Option shall be ten (10) years from the date hereof or such shorter period as is prescribed herein or in the Plan (the “ Term ”).

 

2.4. The Option may be exercised during the Term, in whole or in part, by the Trustee in favor of the Grantee, pursuant to the Grantee’s instructions.

The Option shall vest as follows:

[                                                                                      ].

The consideration shall be paid on the date of the exercise of the Option. The Option shall be exercisable by the Trustee on behalf of the Grantee in progressive stages on the exercise dates as aforesaid, provided , that the Grantee shall have been continuously engaged with the Corporation and/or a Related Company, from the date hereof until each such date of exercise.

 

2.5. In the event that the Grantee’s engagement with the Corporation is terminated, then the provisions of Section 9.6 of the Plan shall apply.

 

2.6. A Grantee who desires that the Trustee exercise the Option granted to the Trustee on his behalf shall so instruct the Trustee in writing in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B or in such other form as shall be approved by the Board from time to time. The notice shall be accompanied by payment of the full Option Exercise Price. A certificate for the purchased Shares shall be issued in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the Grantee and according to applicable law may bear a restrictive legend.

 

3. Non Assignability; Restriction Period

 

3.1. All of the Grantee’s rights hereunder, including without limitation, the Grantee’s rights to (a) receive and exercise the Option; (b) receive all or part of the Shares; (c) require that the same shall be registered in her name; (d) request that the Trustee sell all or part of the Shares on her behalf, are personal and except insofar as is specified in this Agreement and/or in the Plan, and, where applicable, subject to Section 102 and the Rules, may not be transferred, assigned, pledged, withheld, attached or otherwise charged either voluntarily or pursuant to any law, except by way of transfer pursuant to the laws of inheritance or as otherwise determined by the Board, and no power of attorney or deed of transfer, whether the same has immediate effect or shall take effect on a future date, shall be given with respect thereto. During the lifetime of the Grantee the Option may only be exercised by the designated Grantee or, if granted to the Trustee, by the Trustee on behalf of the designated Grantee.

 

3.2.

Without derogating from any provision contained herein, the Grantee declares and agrees that she is restricted from making any disposition of the Option or the Shares for a period of at least twenty-four (24) months from the end of the tax year in which the

 

2


  Options are allocated to the Trustee or a shorter period as approved by the tax authorities. The Grantee acknowledges and understands that the meaning of the above restriction for purposes of the tax authorities is that if the Grantee voluntarily sells (in accordance with the meaning of Section 102 and the Rules) the Option or the Shares before the end of the Restriction Period, the Option or the Shares shall be subject to tax as ordinary income as per Sections 2(1) and 2(2) of the Ordinance and the other provisions of Section 102 and the Rules. Furthermore, all rights related to the Option or the Shares will be held by the Trustee until the end of the Restriction Period, including, without limitation, bonus shares, and will be subject to the provisions of Section 102 and the Rules.

 

3.3. Notwithstanding the above, if any such sale or transfer occurs during the Restriction Period, the sanctions under Section 102 and under the Rules or regulation or orders or procedures promulgated thereunder shall apply to and shall be borne by the Grantee.

 

4. Grantee Representations, Warranties and Covenants

Without derogating in any manner from the provisions of the Plan or this Agreement, the Grantee hereby represents, warrants, agrees and undertakes as follows:

 

4.1. The Grantee acknowledges that the grant of the Option, the exercise thereof, the issuance of the Shares, the execution of this Agreement and the Grantee’s participation in the Plan shall have tax consequences to the Grantee, and that the Corporation is not able to ensure or represent to the Grantee the nature and extent of such tax consequences.

 

4.2. The Grantee acknowledges that nothing in this Agreement and/or in the Plan shall be interpreted as a commitment and/or an agreement by the Corporation and/or any Related Company to engage with the Grantee, whether for a certain period or otherwise. The Grantee shall have no claim whatsoever against the Corporation and/or any Related Company (including, without limitation, any of its or their officers, directors or shareholders) with respect to the termination of her engagement, even if such termination causes the Option or any other options, in whole or in part, to expire and/or prevents her from exercising the Option in whole or in part and/or from receiving or retaining the Shares, or results in any loss due to any imposition of tax liability (including any early imposition) pursuant to applicable law.

 

4.3. The Grantee acknowledges and agrees that no income or gain which the Grantee may be credited with or which purports to be credited to the Grantee as a result of the grant of the Option, the issue of the Shares, the transfer into the Grantee’s name thereof or the sale thereof, if any, shall in any manner be taken into account in the calculation of the basis for the Grantee’s entitlements from the Corporation or any Related Company or in the calculation of any social welfare right or other rights or benefits arising out of the employee/employer relationship, including without limitation, social security, manager’s insurance, educational fund, pension funds, severance pay, holiday pay, etc.

In the event that the Corporation and/or any Related Company shall be required, pursuant to any law, to take into account for purposes of calculating any such benefits, any of the aforesaid elements of income or gain actually or theoretically credited to the Grantee, the Grantee shall promptly indemnify the Corporation and/or any Related Company against any liability or expense caused to it in this regard, and any such amount shall be deemed a debt of the Grantee to the Corporation and/or any Related Company, which may be deducted or set off from any amounts payable to the Grantee, subject to applicable law.

 

4.4. The Grantee acknowledges that she is aware of, and clearly understands: (a) the rights and limitations attached to the Shares as set forth in the Plan and this Agreement; and (b) the limitations on transferability thereof set forth in the Plan, and this Agreement.

 

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4.5. The Grantee shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation, for as long as the Option has not been exercised and, once exercised, for as long as the Shares have not been transferred and registered in the Grantee’s name.

 

4.6. The Grantee has full knowledge of the Corporation and its activities, and is aware that the Corporation operates in a sophisticated, high tech and high risk sector, and that the market thereof is restricted and highly competitive, and that the exercise of the Option constitutes an economic risk. The Grantee undertakes that she shall not have any claim against the Corporation and/or any Related Corporation or any of its or their officers, directors, Grantees, shareholders or advisors if the Grantee’s investment in the Shares shall fail or for the payment of any tax due or for any other reason.

 

4.7. The exercise of this Option and the issuance of the Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the Corporation and Grantee with all applicable requirements of law relating thereto and with all applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq National Market, if applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for trading at the time of such exercise and issuance.

 

4.8. The inability of the Corporation to obtain approval from any regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to this Option shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the non-issuance or sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not have been obtained. The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to obtain all such approvals.

 

5. Taxes; Indemnification of the Corporation, the Trustee

 

5.1. Without derogating from the provisions of the Plan, the Grantee hereby covenants, whether or not the provisions of the Ordinance, Section 102 or the Rules shall apply, to bear all tax obligations, duties, levies, fines and other payments which may be imposed by the tax authorities (whether in Israel or abroad) and any other obligation or expense from whatever source, including but not limited to, every obligatory payment of whatever source in respect of or arising out of the Plan (including granting of the Option, exercise of the Option, issue of the Shares, transfer of the Shares into the Grantee’s name and the sale thereof by the Grantee and/or by the Trustee) or dividends or any other benefit in respect thereof, and/or all other charges which may accrue to the Grantee, the Corporation, any Related Company and/or the Trustee in connection with the Plan, the Options and/or the Shares, or any act or omission of the Grantee or the Corporation or a Related Company in connection therewith or pursuant to any determination of the applicable tax or other authorities.

Without derogating from the generality of the aforesaid and subject to applicable law, the Grantee’s obligations in this regard shall include income tax, stamp tax, employer’s tax, capital gains tax, social security insurance and any other tax, levy or payment which the Grantee or the Corporation and/or any Related Company is or shall be obliged to pay in connection with the Option and/or the Shares (including deductions at source which the Corporation is obliged to make for tax imposed upon the Grantee) and the Grantee shall indemnify the Corporation and/or any Related Company and/or the Trustee for every charge or payment as aforesaid, which may be deducted or set off

 

4


from any amounts payable to the Grantee, including, without limitation, dividends, consideration for the sale of shares or from any other source, at the Corporation and/or Related Company’s sole and absolute discretion, subject to applicable law.

 

5.2. Without derogating from the above, the Grantee hereby covenants to pay the Corporation and/or the Trustee promptly upon their first request, any sum for which they are responsible (or, in the Board’s opinion, they might be responsible for), and which is payable by the Grantee as set forth in Section 5.1 hereof to the income tax authorities and/or any other governmental or administrative authority, whether in Israel or abroad (including for deduction of tax at source) pursuant to the Plan and/or in respect of the Grantee’s participation in the Plan, whether the Corporation and/or the Trustee’s responsibility as aforesaid shall arise directly or in respect of any responsibility of the Grantee for such payment. The Grantee covenants to promptly indemnify the Corporation and/or any Related Company and/or the Trustee for any charge or payment as aforesaid, which may be deducted or set off from any amounts payable to the Grantee.

 

5.3. Furthermore, the Grantee acknowledges that the Grantee shall not have, and the Grantee hereby waives, any complaint and/or cause of action the same has or shall have in the future against the Trustee and/or against the Corporation in any way connected to any taxation resulting from the grant of the Option, the exercise thereof, the transfer of Shares into the Grantee’s name, the sale of Shares by the Grantee and/or by the Trustee and/or any other matter which is in any manner whatsoever connected to the Option, the Shares and/or the participation of the Grantee in the Plan.

 

5.4. In no event shall the Trustee be liable to the Corporation and/or the Grantee and/or to any third party (including, without derogating from the generality of the aforesaid, the income tax authorities and any other governmental or administrative authority, whether in Israel or abroad) or a purchaser of Shares from the Grantee (or the Trustee), with respect to any act which has been or which shall be carried out in relation to the Plan and any matter connected thereto or arising therefrom. The Corporation and/or any Related Company and the Grantee covenant, upon signing this Agreement, that they will not make, and they each hereby waive, any and all claims against the Trustee as aforesaid and each of the Corporation, Related Company and the Grantee expressly agree that if either shall make any claim against the Trustee the same shall then be entitled on the grounds of this section alone to apply to the competent court for dismissal of the action against them, with costs. The Corporation covenants and agrees that if a claim is brought by any third party against the Trustee the same will be entitled without objection by the Corporation, to join the Corporation as a third party to any such action and any judgment against them shall be paid by the Corporation.

The Corporation and the Grantee hereby covenant to indemnify the Trustee against any liability in relation to any claim and/or demand made against the Trustee by any person whatsoever, including the tax authorities, in relation to their acts or omissions in connection with the Plan.

The provisions of this section and the other provisions of this Agreement and the Plan which grant any right, power, immunity or any authority to the Trustee shall operate in favor of the Trustee and the Trustee shall be entitled to act pursuant to and enforce such provisions, and the Corporation and the Grantee shall be liable to the Trustee as if the Trustee was party to this Agreement.

 

6. Miscellaneous

 

6.1.

Preamble; Interpretation . The preamble to this Agreement is the basis and constitutes an integral part thereof. All article and section headings herein are inserted for convenience

 

5


  only and shall not modify or affect the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. Unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall bear the meanings ascribed to them in the Plan.

 

6.2. Entire Agreement; Amendment . The Grantee declares and agrees that this Agreement and the Plan prevail over any previous agreement, arrangement and/or understanding, whether written or oral, between the Grantee and the Corporation and/or any Related Company, or the officers and/or directors and/or the shareholders thereof with respect to the subject matters hereof and thereof and that any agreement, arrangement and/or understanding as aforesaid are null and void and of no further force or effect. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, no modification or amendment of this Agreement will be valid unless executed by the Corporation and the Grantee.

 

6.3. Confidentiality . The Grantee shall regard the information in this Agreement and its exhibits attached hereto as confidential information and the Grantee shall not reveal its contents to anyone except when required by law or for the purpose of gaining legal or tax advice. The Grantee specifically acknowledges and understands that the Corporation is a public company traded on the OTC market. Accordingly, (a) any confidential information of the Corporation may be considered as “inside information” pursuant to U.S. securities laws and regulations; and (b) the Corporation is required to make certain disclosures and publications under applicable laws which may include this Agreement.

 

6.4. Disputes; Governing Laws . This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel and, subject to the provisions below, the competent courts in the Tel-Aviv district shall have exclusive jurisdiction with respect to any matter or conflict with respect thereto.

As a condition of the granting of the Option, the Grantee and the Grantee’s successors and assigns agree that any dispute or disagreement which shall arise under or as a result of this Agreement shall be determined by the Board, or any committee designated by the Board pursuant to the Plan, in its sole discretion and judgment and that any such determination and any interpretation by the Board or any such committee of the terms of this Agreement shall be final and shall be binding and conclusive for all purposes. In making any such determination or interpretation the Board or any such committee shall not be bound by the rules of procedure or evidence or substantive law and shall not be required to give any reasons therefore.

 

6.5. Notices and/or Instructions . Every notice and/or instruction required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be given in writing and shall be deemed to have been delivered (i) on the date of its delivery to the addressee by hand, (ii) three (3) days after having been sent by registered mail or (iii) one (1) after having been sent by facsimile. The parties’ addresses for the purpose of this Section shall be as communicated by each Party to the other by written notice in advance.

A stamp or a receipt on behalf of the postal service which evidences the time of delivery of the notice or a confirmation of transmission shall constitute conclusive evidence as to the date of delivery and no party shall claim that a notice delivered as aforesaid has not been received by such party.

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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[Signature Page to Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. Option Agreement]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have executed this Option Agreement as of the date written hereinabove.

 

 

E LOXX P HARMACEUTICALS I NC .

  

 

G RANTEE

By:                                                                      

  

 

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Exhibit A

The Plan

 

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Exhibit B

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

Date:                     

The Trustee under the Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. Employee Share Ownership and Option Plan (2013) (the “ Plan ”)

Dear Sirs or Madams,

Re: Notice of Exercise

I hereby wish to inform you that it is my desire that of the Option which was granted to you on                  to acquire              (                ) Shares of Common Stock of Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (the “ Corporation ”) on my behalf, you exercise and acquire on my behalf                  (                ) of the Shares of Common Stock subject to the said Option at a price of USD              per share, all in accordance with the Plan.

Attached to this Notice is a check in the amount of USD                  (USD                 ), as payment for the above mentioned Shares.

I am aware that all the shares shall be allotted to you, registered in your name and that you shall hold all share certificates representing such shares.

Likewise, I am aware of and agree to all other provisions of the Plan and applicable law.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Signature

 

Name

 

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