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): June 12, 2019

 

 

ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   333-230353   46-1981974

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

10628 Science Center Drive, Suite 250

San Diego, California 92121

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (858) 900-2660

Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd.

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

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

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common stock, par value $0.001 per share   ARCT   The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

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.  ☐

 

 

 


Explanatory Note

On June 12, 2019 (the “ Effective Time ”), Arcturus Israel redomiciled as a Delaware corporation (the “ Redomiciliation ”), following the completion of the actions contemplated by the Exchange Agreement (the “ Exchange Agreement ”), dated as of February 8, 2019, between Arcturus Therapeutics, Ltd., a public company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the State of Israel (“ Arcturus-Israel ”) and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”). Following the Redomiciliation, the Company became the successor issuer to Arcturus-Israel. This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed for the purpose of establishing the Company as the successor issuer pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and to disclose certain related matters. Pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act, shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“ Common Stock ”), as successor issuer, are deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

Exchange Agreement

On February 8, 2019, the board of directors of Arcturus-Israel approved the Redomiciliation and the entry by Arcturus-Israel into the Exchange Agreement, dated as of February 8, 2019, between Arcturus Israel and the Company, the adoption of which was approved by shareholders of Arcturus Israel on May 17, 2019. In connection therewith, all issued ordinary shares and options to purchase ordinary shares of Arcturus Israel as of immediately prior to the effective time of the Redomiciliation were exchanged with the Company on a one-for-one basis for newly issued shares of Common Stock and options to purchase shares of Common Stock. On February 11, 2019, the Company submitted to the District Court of the Tel-Aviv (the “ Israel Court ”) a request according to sections 350-351 of the Companies Law, to order the convening of a meeting of shareholders to approve the Redomiciliation. The meeting of shareholders was held on May 17, 2019. On June 10, 2019, the Israel Court approved the Redomiciliation, which was effected on June 12, 2019 (the “ Effective Date ”), and, at such time, the ordinary shareholders of Arcturus-Israel became stockholders of the Company and holders of options to purchase Arcturus-Israel ordinary shares became holders of options to purchase Common Stock of the Company. Accordingly such stockholders’ and optionholders’ rights are now governed by Delaware law and the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws.

As a result of the Redomiciliation, the Company became the successor issuer to Arcturus-Israel pursuant to Section 12g-3(a) of the Exchange Act, and, as a result, the Common Stock is deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.

The Common Stock was approved for listing on Nasdaq and began trading on June 13, 2019 under the symbol “ARCT,” the same symbol under which Arcturus-Israel previously traded prior to the Effective Time.

The foregoing description of the Redomiciliation and the Exchange Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety to the full text of the Exchange Agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 2.1 and which is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 3.03 Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

At the Effective Time, each ordinary share of Arcturus Israel issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time was exchanged for one share of Common Stock and is governed by the Company’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, filed as Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which exhibits are incorporated herein by reference. A description of the Common Stock and the rights of holders of Common Stock is included in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-230353) under the captions “Description of Arcturus-Delaware Capital Stock” and “Comparison of Rights of Israel Shareholders and Delaware Stockholders” and is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the information set forth in Item 1.01--Exchange Agreement and Item 5.03 is incorporated herein by reference.


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

Upon consummation of the redomiciliation, the directors of the Company are the same as the directors of Arcturus Israel:

 

Name

  

Age

  

AC

  

CC

  

NCGC

James Barlow    61    C    X    X
Dr. Peter Farrell    77    X    X    C
Dr. Magda Marquet    60    X    C    X
Joseph E. Payne    47         
Andrew Sassine    54         

 

AC    Audit Committee
CC    Compensation Committee
NCGC    Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
C    Committee Chairperson

 

Upon consummation of the redomiciliation, the officers of the Company are the same as the officers of Arcturus Israel:

 

Name

  

Age

  

Position(s)

Joseph E. Payne    47    President and Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Sassine    54    Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Padmanabh Chivukula    40    Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Joseph E. Payne is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. He serves on Arcturus’s Board since March 2013. He brings with him an exceptional track record of ushering novel therapeutics to the clinic including targeted RNA medicines utilizing lipid-mediated delivery technologies. Joseph’s background includes over 20 years of successful drug discovery experience at Merck Research Labs, DuPont Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Kalypsys, and Nitto as evidenced by over 40 publications and patents, and several investigational new drug (IND) clinical candidates. His academic training includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, magna cum laude from Brigham Young University, a Master of Science in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Calgary and Executive Training Certification from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Dr.  Padmanabh Chivukula is the Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. Dr. Chivukula has an exceptional and technically solid foundation in nanoparticle technology. Prior to Arcturus, from 2008 until February 2013, Dr. Chivukula was employed by Nitto, where his titles included Group Leader and Chief Scientist. Dr. Chivukula brings over 15 years of experience in drug delivery and therapeutic drug development, including leading the polymeric RNAi research department at Nitto. Dr. Chivukula has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Utah where he specialized in nanoparticle technology.

Dr.  Peter Farrell is the founder, former long-term CEO and current Chairman of ResMed Inc. (NYSE:RMD). Dr. Farrell has been Chairman and a director of ResMed since 1989, when the company began as a management buyout of sleep technology from Baxter Healthcare. Peter was previously Foundation Director of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Graduate School for Biomedical Engineering (1978-89) while simultaneously serving as Vice President of Research & Development for Baxter Healthcare in Tokyo (1984-89). Dr. Farrell served on the board of directors of NuVasive, Inc., a company focused on the surgical treatment of spine disorders. Dr. Farrell serves on the board of trustees of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla and is Chairman of the Boston-based POC NMR diagnostic company, WaveGuide. Dr. Farrell is a fellow or honorary fellow of several professional bodies, including the US National Academy of Engineering. He was inducted as 1998 San Diego Entrepreneur of the Year for Health Sciences, 2001 Australian Entrepreneur of the Year and 2005 US National Entrepreneur of the Year for Health Sciences. Peter was appointed to the Executive Council of the


division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School in 1998, was appointed Vice Chairman in 2000 (2000-2010), became Chairman in 2010 and served in that capacity for three years. He is on various academic advisory boards including UCSD’s Jacobs School of Engineering, where he was named the 2012 Gordon Fellow, UCSD’s Rady Business School and the MIT Dean of Engineering’s Advisory Council. Peter holds a B.E. with honors in chemical engineering from the University of Sydney, an SM in chemical engineering from MIT, a PhD in bioengineering from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a DSc from UNSW for research which resulted in improved treatment for both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients.

Andrew Sassine serves on the Board of Directors of Nasdaq listed iCAD Inc. (ICAD) and Nasdaq listed Gemphire Therapeutics, Inc. (GEMP). iCAD Inc. is a leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for early detection and treatment of cancer. Gemphire Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on delivering and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. He also is Chairman of the Board of privately held ComHear Inc., a digital audio software and device company. Mr. Sassine previously served on the board of Acorn Energy, Inc., CNS Response, Inc. and FluoroPharma Medical, Inc., (FMPI). Mr. Sassine served in various positions at Fidelity Investments from 1999 to 2012, including, most recently as Portfolio Manager. Between 2004 and 2011, he managed the Fidelity Small Cap Stock Fund, the Fidelity International Small Cap Opportunities Fund and the Fidelity Advisor International Small Cap Opportunities Fund. Mr. Sassine joined Fidelity as a high yield research analyst, covering the Telecommunications, Satellite, Technology, Defense and Aerospace, and Restaurant Industries and in 2001, joined the international group as a research analyst covering small and mid-cap international stocks. Prior to joining Fidelity, he served as a vice president in the Acquisition Finance Group at Fleet National Bank. Mr. Sassine has been a member of the Henry B. Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa Board of Advisors since 2009 and served on the Board of Trustees at the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech between 2009 and 2014. Mr. Sassine earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Iowa in 1987 and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993.

James Barlow is a member of the Board of Directors of NAHS Holding, Inc., an Employee Stock Ownership Plan company, whose affiliates provide post-acute care, subacute care, short and long-term rehabilitation, and skilled nursing in the United States. Mr. Barlow is a C-level financial executive with more than 30 years of experience leading teams in the successful strategic achievement of financial and operational goals, and expertise in domestic and international operations, financial planning, forecasting and reporting, restructurings, business development and integrations, treasury and investor relations. As an Executive Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) at Allergan, Inc. from January 2002 to March 2015, he oversaw financial due diligence, integration and structuring for all significant asset purchases, sales, business combinations and licensing transactions, the spin-off of Advanced Medical Optics, the $3.3 billion acquisition of Inamed Corporation and more than $4.5 billion in other transactions. He ensured consistent application of corporate policies and procedures and alignment with global reporting and corporate compliance requirements, made recommendations globally to improve financial operations and participated in robust financial planning/forecasting activities. Prior to joining Allergan, Mr. Barlow served as Chief Financial Officer of Wynn Oil Company, a division of Parker Hannifin Corporation, during 2001, Treasurer and Controller of Wynn’s International, Inc. from 1990 to 2000 and Vice President and Controller of Ford Equipment Leasing Company from 1986 to 1990. From 1983 to 1985 Mr. Barlow worked for the accounting firm Deloitte Haskins and Sells. Mr. Barlow received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, graduating magna cum laude, from Brigham Young University and a Master of Accountancy, graduating with honors—high distinction, from Brigham Young University. He is a certified public accountant (inactive).

Dr.  Magda Marquet is an experienced and highly-regarded leader in the life sciences industry with a very successful track record in entrepreneurship. She has a true passion for creating a winning corporate culture of innovation and expertise in strategic growth and corporate governance. She co-founded Althea Technologies in 1998, and led the company as co-CEO for ten years. Althea Technologies was successfully acquired by Ajinomoto in 2013. As of today, Dr. Marquet remains as Chairman of the Board of the new entity, Aji Bio-Pharma, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization. She is also the co-Founder of AltheaDx, a commercial stage precision medicine company with the world’s leading pharmacogenomics test for anxiety and depression. She is co-Founder and co-CEO of ALMA Life Sciences, an early stage investment firm


focusing on the creation and growth of innovative healthcare companies with an overall focus on prevention. In addition, Dr. Marquet serves as a Board member of Senté, Matrisys Bioscience, HUYA and Independa. She is an advisor to Mesa Verde Venture Partners and City National Bank. Dr. Marquet plays a pivotal role in developing San Diego’s entrepreneurial ecosystem where she serves on several non-profit boards, including BIOCOM, CONNECT, EDC and Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego. Dr. Marquet has over three decades of experience in the biotechnology industry in the United States and Europe. Prior to starting Althea Technologies, Dr. Marquet held management positions at Vical, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Protein Polymer Technologies, Syntro Corporation and Transgene. She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from INSA/University of Toulouse, France. Dr. Marquet has received numerous awards throughout her career including the 2005 Regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Life Sciences category, the Athena Pinnacle award, the Most Admired CEO award from the San Diego Business Journal, and the Director of the Year award (Corporate Governance) from the Corporate Directors Forum. Under her leadership, Althea Technologies received several Best Companies to Work For awards. Dr. Marquet is the first woman to be inducted into the CONNECT Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

Employment Agreements

On June 13, 2019, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement (the “ Payne Agreement ”) with Joseph Payne, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. The Payne Agreement provides for the following compensation and benefits to Mr. Payne:

 

   

An annual base salary of $450,000, paid in bi-monthly installments.

 

   

An annual bonus of up to 60% of annual base salary. The bonus will be subject to the achievement of certain criteria, as determined by the board and compensation committee.

 

   

Reimbursement of travel and other expenses incurred by Mr. Payne in connection with his service as President and Chief Executive Officer.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason unrelated to change in control of the Company, Mr. Payne will be entitled to receive (i) severance pay in the form of continuation of payment installments of Mr. Payne’s final base salary for 12 months, (ii) a pro rata portion of his annual bonus (as calculated by the compensation committee and board at the end of the bonus period and paid in a lump sum when annual bonuses are paid to other executive officers), and (iii) payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to 18 months following his termination of employment.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason in connection with a change in control of the Company, Mr. Payne will be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to (i) one year’s annual base salary, (ii) an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination and (iii) an amount equal to a pro rata portion of his target annual bonus for the year of termination. Mr. Payne will also be entitled to payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to 18 months following termination. In addition, Mr. Payne’s unvested option awards and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by him will accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, and no longer subject to repurchase, if applicable, upon such termination and will remain exercisable, if applicable, following Mr. Payne’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award.

The foregoing description of the Payne Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of such agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

On June 13, 2019, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement (the “ Sassine Agreement ”) with Andy Sassine, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. The Sassine Agreement provides for the following compensation and benefits to Mr. Sassine:

 

   

An annual base salary of $375,000, paid in bi-monthly installments.

 

   

An annual bonus of up to 40% of annual base salary. The bonus will be subject to the achievement of certain criteria, as determined by the board and compensation committee.

 

   

Reimbursement of travel and other expenses incurred by Mr. Sassine in connection with his service as Chief Financial Officer.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason unrelated to change in control of the Company, Mr. Sassine will be entitled to receive (i) severance pay in the form of continuation of payment installments of Mr. Sassine’s final base salary for 9 months, (ii) a pro rata portion of his annual bonus (as calculated by the compensation committee and board at the end of the bonus period and paid in a lump sum when annual bonuses are paid to other executive officers), and (iii) payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to 9 months following his termination of employment.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason in connection with a change in control of the Company, Mr. Sassine will be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to (i) one year’s annual base salary, (ii) an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination and (iii) an amount equal to a pro rata portion of his target annual bonus for the year of termination. Mr. Sassine will also be entitled to payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to 12 months following termination. In addition, Mr. Sassine’s unvested option awards and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by him will accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, and no longer subject to repurchase, if applicable, upon such termination and will remain exercisable, if applicable, following Mr. Sassine’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award.


The foregoing description of the Sassine Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of such agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

On June 13, 2019, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement (the “ Chivukula Agreement ”) with Dr. Padmanabh Chivukula, the Company’s Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer. The Chivukula Agreement provides for the following compensation and benefits to Dr. Chivukula:

 

   

An annual base salary of $370,000, paid in bi-monthly installments.

 

   

An annual bonus of up to 40% of annual base salary. The bonus will be subject to the achievement of certain criteria, as determined by the board and compensation committee.

 

   

Reimbursement of travel and other expenses incurred by Dr. Chivukula in connection with his service as Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason unrelated to change in control of the Company, Dr. Chivukula will be entitled to receive (i) severance pay in the form of continuation of payment installments of Dr. Chivukula’s final base salary for 12 months, (ii) a pro rata portion of his annual bonus (as calculated by the Compensation Committee and Board at the end of the bonus period and paid in a lump sum when annual bonuses are paid to other executive officers), and (iii) payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to 18 months following his termination of employment.

 

   

For termination without cause or resignation for good reason in connection with a change in control of the Company, Dr. Chivukula will be entitled to receive a lump sum severance payment equal to (i) one year’s annual base salary, (ii) an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination and (iii) an amount equal to a pro rata portion of his target annual bonus for the year of termination. Dr. Chivukula will also be entitled to payment of certain health insurance coverage premiums (COBRA) for up to eighteen (18) months following termination. In addition, Dr. Chivukula’s unvested option award and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by him will accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, and no longer subject to repurchase, if applicable, upon such termination and will remain exercisable, if applicable, following Dr. Chivukula’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award.

The foregoing description of the Chivukula Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of such agreement, which is filed as Exhibit 10.3 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan

On June 13, 2019, the Company adopted the 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “ 2019 Plan ”). The purpose of the 2019 Plan is to allow non-employee directors and selected employees, officers and consultants (“ Grantees ”) to acquire equity ownership in the Company, thereby strengthening their commitment to the Company’s success and incentivizing their efforts on behalf of the Company. The 2019 Plan is also intended to assist the Company in attracting new Grantees and retaining existing Grantees. Finally, the 2019 Plan supports and increases our ability to facilitate the sustained progress, growth and profitability of the Company.

The total number of shares available for grant under the plan is 2,600,000, subject to adjustment.

The compensation committee of our board of directors (the “ Committee ”) administers the 2019 Plan and has full power to grant stock options and common stock, construe and interpret the 2019 Plan, establish rules and


regulations and perform all other acts, including the delegation of administrative responsibilities, as it believes reasonable and proper. Any decision made or action taken by the Committee arising out of or in connection with the interpretation and administration of the 2019 Plan is final and conclusive. The Committee, in its absolute discretion, may award common stock to employees, consultants, and directors of the Company, and such other persons as the Committee may select, and permit holders of options to exercise such options prior to full vesting.

In the event that our outstanding common stock is changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of the Company by reason of merger, consolidation, other reorganization, recapitalization, combination of shares, stock split-up or stock dividend, equitable adjustment will be made to the aggregate number and kind of shares subject to stock options which may be granted under the 2019 Plan.

The Committee may at any time, and from time to time, suspend or terminate the 2019 Plan in whole or in part or amend it from time to time in such respects as it may deem appropriate and in our best interest.

The 2019 Plan will be presented to stockholders for approval at the Company’s next annual meeting of stockholders.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2019 Plan, which is filed as Exhibit 10.4 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

In connection with the Redomiciliation, the Company’s board of directors approved the Company’s certificate of incorporation (“Certificate of Incorporation”) and bylaws (the “Bylaws”). There are differences between Arcturus-Israel’s articles of association and the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws as they are in effect after the Redomiciliation, especially relating to changes (i) that are required by Delaware law (i.e., certain provisions of the Arcturus-Israel articles of association were not replicated in the Arcturus-Delaware certificate of incorporation or bylaws because the Delaware General Corporation Law (“ DGCL ”) would not permit such replication, and certain provisions were included in the Arcturus-Delaware certificate of incorporation and bylaws although they were not in the Arcturus-Israel articles of association because the DGCL requires such provisions to be included in the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of a Delaware corporation or to provide for related provisions customarily provided in respect of publicly-traded Delaware corporations), or (ii) that are necessary in order to preserve the current rights of shareholders and powers of the board of directors of Arcturus following the Redomiciliation. A description of the differences between Arcturus-Israel and the Company under their respective charter documents is contained in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-230353) under the caption “Comparison of Rights of Israel Shareholders and Delaware Stockholders” and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.05. Amendments to the Registrant’s Code of Ethics, or Waiver of a Provision of the Code of Ethics.

On June 13, 2019, the Company adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “ Code ”), which applies to all directors, officers and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Code, which is filed as Exhibit 14.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. The Code is available on the Company’s website at http://ir.arcturusrx.com/governance-highlights.

Item 8.01 Other Events.

Successor Issuer

In connection with the Redomiciliation and by operation of Rule 12g-3(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act, the Company is the successor issuer to Arcturus Israel and has succeeded to the attributes of Arcturus-Israel as the registrant. The Common Stock is deemed to be registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The Company hereby reports this succession in accordance with Rule 12g-3(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act.


The description of the Company’s common stock is set forth in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-230353) under the caption “Description of Arcturus-Delaware Capital Stock” and is incorporated herein by reference.

Press Release

On June 13, 2019, the Company issued a press release entitled “Arcturus Therapeutics Announces Redomiciliation as a Delaware corporation. The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

2.1    Exchange Agreement, dated as of February  8, 2019, between the Company and Arcturus Israel, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No.  333-230353), filed with the SEC on March 18, 2019.
3.1    Certificate of Incorporation (attached as Annex B to the proxy statement / prospectus which forms part of the Registration Statement Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-230353) and is incorporated herein by reference).
3.2    Bylaws (attached as Annex C to the proxy statement / prospectus which forms part of the Registration Statement Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-230353) and is incorporated herein by reference).
10.1    Employment Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2019, between the Company and Joseph Payne.
10.2    Employment Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2019, between the Company and Andy Sassine.
10.3    Employment Agreement, dated as of June 13, 2019, between the Company and Dr. Padmanabh Chivukula.
10.4    2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.
14.1    Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
99.1    Press Release dated June 13, 2019.


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.

 

    Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc.
Date: June 14, 2019    
    By:  

/s/ Joseph E. Payne

    Name:   Joseph E. Payne
    Title:   Chief Executive Officer

Exhibit 10.1

 

ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

for

JOSEPH E. PAYNE

This Executive Employment Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), is made and entered into by and between Joseph E. Payne (“ Executive ”) and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”). This Agreement amends and restates any prior employment agreement previously entered into by Executive and the Company. In consideration of the mutual agreements set forth herein, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

1. Employment by the Company .

1.1. Employment . The Company hereby agrees to employ Executive and Executive hereby agrees to accept such employment, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, with a start date of July 5, 2018 (the “ Effective Date ”).

1.2. Position . Executive shall serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, reporting to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “ Board ”). During the term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company and serving as President of the Company, except as permitted by Section 7.1 below and approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies.

1.3. Duties and Location . Executive shall perform such duties as are customarily associated with the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of a public company, as well as such additional or other duties and responsibilities as the Board may assign. Executive’s primary office location shall be the Company’s headquarters located in San Diego, CA. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time and to require reasonable business travel.

1.4. Policies and Procedures . The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. Compensation .

2.1. Compensation Policy Limits . Any compensation or benefits payable to Executive under this Agreement is subject to any applicable limitations imposed by applicable law.


2.2. Base Salary. For services to be rendered hereunder, Executive shall receive a base salary at the rate of $450,000 per year (the “ Base Salary ), less standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.3. Annual Bonus. Executive will be eligible to earn an annual discretionary target bonus (the Annual Bonus ) of sixty percent (60%) of Executive’s then current Base Salary. Whether Executive receives an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined in the good faith discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the Compensation Committee ), based upon the Company’s and Executive’s achievement of objectives and milestones to be determined on an annual basis by the Compensation Committee in accordance with the Compensation Policy. No Annual Bonus is guaranteed and, in addition to the other conditions for earning such compensation, Executive must remain an employee in good standing of the Company on the scheduled Annual Bonus payment date in order to be eligible for any Annual Bonus, except as set forth below.

2.4. Special Bonus. Executive has received a special bonus in the amount of $130,000 ( Special Bonus ) for 2018 only for his exceptional achievements in 2018, including for his efforts to help the Company’s stockholders replace the Board with nominees who have experience that is commensurate with directors of similarly sized and publicly traded life science companies and who are committed to supporting the Company’s vision and mission statement. The Special Bonus also reflects the personal and professional sacrifices made by Executive during such period. The Special Bonus is in addition to the Annual Bonus that Executive may otherwise be entitled to receive.

3. Option. Executive was granted an option to purchase 120,000 shares of common stock of the Company (the Option ) which will be governed by the Company’s 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan or the adoption of any successor plan (the Plan ).

4. Standard Company Benefits. Executive shall, in accordance with Company policy and the terms and conditions of the applicable Company benefit plan documents, be eligible to participate in the benefit and fringe benefit programs provided by the Company to its executive officers and other employees from time to time. Any such benefits shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the governing benefit plans and policies and may be changed by the Company in its discretion, provided however, that Executive shall continue to be entitled to five (5) weeks of paid time off per calendar year, with no cap on accruals thereof.

5. Expenses. The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by Executive in furtherance or in connection with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time.

6. Indemnification; Proprietary Information Obligations.

6.1. Indemnification Agreement. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and the Executive shall enter into an indemnification agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

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6.2. Proprietary Information Agreement. As a condition of employment, and in consideration for the benefits provided for in this Agreement, Executive shall sign and comply with the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (the “ Proprietary Information Agreement ) attached hereto as Exhibit B. In addition, Executive agrees to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, as may be modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion.

6.3. Third-Party Agreements and Information. Executive represents and warrants that Executive’s employment by the Company does not conflict with any prior employment or consulting agreement or other agreement with any third party, and that Executive will perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement without violating any such agreement. Executive represents and warrants that Executive does not possess confidential information arising out of prior employment, consulting, or other third party relationships, that would be used in connection with Executive’s employment by the Company, except as expressly authorized by that third party. During Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will use in the performance of Executive’s duties only information that is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to Executive’s own, common knowledge in the industry, otherwise legally in the public domain, or obtained or developed by the Company or by Executive in the course of Executive’s work for the Company.

7. Outside Activities and Non-Competition During Employment.

7.1. Outside Activities. Throughout Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder or present a conflict of interest with the Company or its affiliates. Subject to the restrictions set forth herein, and only with prior written disclosure to and consent of the Board, Executive may engage in other types of business or public activities. The Board may rescind such consent, if the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that such activities compromise or threaten to compromise the Company’s or its affiliates’ business interests or conflict or compete with Executive’s duties to the Company or its affiliates.

7.2. Non-Competition During Employment. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, during Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will not, without the express written consent of the Board, directly or indirectly serve as an officer, director, stockholder, employee, partner, proprietor, investor, joint ventures, associate, representative or consultant of any person or entity engaged in, or planning or preparing to engage in, business activity competitive with any line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company or its affiliates; provided, however, that Executive may purchase or otherwise acquire up to (but not more than) one percent (1%) of any class of securities of any enterprise (without participating in the activities of such enterprise) if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange. In addition, Executive will be subject to certain restrictions (including restrictions continuing after Executive’s employment ends) under the terms of the Proprietary Information Agreement.

 

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8. Termination of Employment; Severance and Change in Control Benefits.

8.1. At-Will Employment. Executive’s employment relationship is at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below) or advance notice.

8.2. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason Unrelated to Change in Control. In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Period (as defined below), then provided such termination or resignation constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “ Separation from Service ), and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section 9 below, and subject to obtaining any Compensation Committee and/or Board consideration and approval that is required under the Compensation Policy, the Company shall provide Executive with the following “ Severance Benefits :

8.2.1. Severance Payments. Severance pay in the form of (i) continuation of payment installments of Executive’s final annual Base Salary for twelve (12) months following Executive’s Separation from Service plus (ii) a lump sum payment of the pro rata portion of Executive’s Annual Bonus for the year of termination based actual performance, payable when annual bonuses are payable to other executive officers of the Company (but not later than March 15 of the year following the year of termination), in each case subject to required payroll deductions and tax withholdings (the Severance Payments ) . Subject to Sections 9 and 10 below, the Base Salary continuation payments shall be made on the Company’s regular payroll schedule in effect following Executive’s termination date; provided, however that any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below) shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date. For such purposes, Executive’s final Base Salary will be calculated prior to giving effect to any reduction in Base Salary that would give rise to Executive’s right to resign for Good Reason.

8.2.2. Health Care Continuation Coverage Payments.

(i) COBRA Premiums. If Executive timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, the Company will pay Executive’s COBRA premiums to continue Executive’s coverage (including coverage for Executive’s eligible dependents, if applicable) ( COBRA Premiums ) for the eighteen (18) month period starting on the day after the date on which group insurance coverage would, absent COBRA, cease (the COBRA Premium Period ); provided, however, that the Company’s provision of such COBRA Premium benefits will immediately cease if, during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage through a new employer or Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination. In the event Executive becomes covered under another employer’s group health plan or otherwise ceases to be eligible for COBRA during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive must immediately notify the Company of such event.

 

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(ii) Special Tax Treatment of COBRA Premiums. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA Premiums on a pre-tax basis without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company shall report the applicable COBRA premiums as compensation includible in the Executive’s gross income for the remainder of the COBRA Premium Period. If the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that its payment of the COBRA Premiums would cause the Compensation Limits to be exceeded, the amount of COBRA Premiums payable by the Company on behalf of Executive will be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. Executive will be required to pay the balance of the cost of his COBRA coverage.

8.3. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason During Change in Control Period. In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) at any time during the Change in Control Period or Executive resigns for Good Reason at any time during the Change in Control Period and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section 9 below, the Executive will receive the following: (i) the Severance Payments described in Section 8.2.1, except that the amount of the pro rata portion of the Annual Bonus will be determined based on his target annual bonus for the year in which Executive’s Separation from Service occurs and the Severance Payments will be paid in a lump sum on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date; (ii) the COBRA Premiums described in Section 8.2.2, except that the COBRA Premium Period shall be extended from twelve (12) months to eighteen (18) months; (iii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in option agreements, effective as of Executive’s employment termination date, the vesting and exercisability of the Option and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by Executive shall accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, by Executive upon such termination and shall remain exercisable, if applicable, following Executive’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award documents; and (iv) a lump sum payment in an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination, payable on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date (collectively, the “CIC Severance Benefit”), in each case subject to applicable tax withholding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot provide the CIC Severance Benefit in compliance with the Compensation Policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law the Company instead shall adjust the COBRA Premiums as provided in Section 8.2.2 (ii) and pay to Executive a fully taxable cash payment with respect to the remaining CIC Severance Benefit equal to fair value of the CIC Severance Benefit (determined without regard to the COBRA Premiums), subject to applicable tax withholding (the “CIC Substitute Benefit”); provided, however, that the CIC Substitute Benefit shall be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. With respect to any performance-based vesting equity award, such award shall continue to be governed in all respects by the terms of the applicable equity award documents.

8.4. Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability. Executive will not be eligible for, or entitled to any severance benefits, including (without limitation) the benefits listed in Section 8.2 and Section 8.3 above, if the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, Executive resigns Executive’s employment

 

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without Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates due to Executive’s death or disability.

9. Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefit. To be eligible for any of the benefits pursuant to Section 8 above, Executive must satisfy the following release requirement (the “ Release Requirement ): return to the Company a signed and dated general release of all known and unknown claims in a termination agreement acceptable to the Company (the Release ) within the applicable deadline set forth therein, but in no event later than forty-five (45) days following Executive’s termination date, and permit the Release to become effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms (such effective date of the Release, the Release Effective Date ) . No Severance Benefits or CIC Severance Benefit (or any substitute benefits provided in lieu of such benefits) will be provided hereunder prior to the Release Effective Date. Accordingly, if Executive breaches the preceding sentence and/or refuses to sign and deliver to the Company an executed Release or signs and delivers to the Company the Release but exercises Executive’s right, if any, under applicable law to revoke the Release (or any portion thereof), then Executive will not be entitled to any severance, payment or benefit under this Agreement.

10. Section  409A. It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent no so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed by the Company at the time of Executive’s Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation”, then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earliest of (i) the expiration of the six-month and one day period measured from the date of Executive’s Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of Executive’s death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the Company determines that any severance benefits provided under this Agreement constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A, for purposes of determining the schedule for payment of the severance benefits, the effective date of the Release will not be deemed to have occurred any earlier than the sixtieth (60th) date following the Separation From Service, regardless of when the Release actually

 

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becomes effective, so that if the applicable deadline for Executive to execute (and not revoke) the applicable Release spans two calendar years, payment of the applicable severance benefits shall not commence until the beginning of the second calendar year. To the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Code Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to Executive on or before the last day of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to Executive) during any one year may not effect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments described in this Agreement will be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A and make no undertaking to preclude Code Section 409A from applying to any such payment.

11. Section 280G; Limitations on Payment.

11.1. If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a 280G Payment ) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the Excise Tax ), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a Payment ) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The Reduced Amount shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount (i. e. , the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the Reduction Method ) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the Pro Rata Reduction Method ) .

11.2. Notwithstanding any provision of Section 11.1 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events (e. g. , being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

11.3. Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance

 

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purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section 11 . The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

11.4. If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section 11.1 and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section 11.1 ) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section 11.1 , Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

12. Definitions.

12.1. Cause. For the purposes of this Agreement, Cause means the occurrence of any one or more of the following: (i) Executive’s conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any felony or a crime of moral turpitude; (ii) Executive’s willful and continued failure or refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions of the Company or the Board or lawful and reasonable policies and regulations of the Company or its affiliates; (iii) Executive’s willful and continued failure to faithfully and diligently perform the assigned duties of Executive’s employment with the Company or its affiliates; (iv) unprofessional, unethical, immoral or fraudulent conduct by Executive that materially discredits the Company or any affiliate of the Company or is materially detrimental to the reputation, character and standing of the the Company or any affiliate of the Company; or (v) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement, the Proprietary Information Agreement, or any written Company policies. An event described in Section 12.2(ii) through Section 12.2(iv) herein shall not be treated as “Cause” until after Executive has been given written notice of such event, failure, conduct or breach and Executive fails to cure such event, failure, conduct or breach within 30 days from such written notice; provided, however, that such 30-day cure period shall not be required if the event, failure, conduct or breach is incapable of being cured.

12.2. Change in Control. For purposes of this Agreement, Change in Control shall mean any of the following events, provided that such event is closed, consummated, completed, or disposed of on or after June 10, 2019: (i) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting shares immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction,

 

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securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the entity surviving such transaction or, where the surviving entity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of another entity, the surviving entity’s parent; (iii) a reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but the ordinary shares outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities of the surviving entity’s parent, cash or otherwise, and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting stock immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction, securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the Company; or (iv) an acquisition by any person, entity or group (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related trust, sponsored or maintained by the Company or subsidiary of the Company or other entity controlled by the Company) of the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company representing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the combined voting power entitled to vote in the election of directors; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and further provided that none of the foregoing transactions shall constitute a Change in Control unless it also constitutes a change in ownership of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii).

12.3. Change in Control Period. For the purposes of this Agreement, Change in Control Period means the time period commencing on the effective date of a Change in Control and ending on the date that is twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change in Control.

12.4. Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, Executive shall have Good Reason for resignation from employment with the Company if any of the following actions are taken by the Company without Executive’s prior written consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary, unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s senior executives; (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties (including responsibilities and/or authorities), provided, however, that (A) a change in job position (including a change in title) shall not be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself unless Executive’s new duties are materially reduced from the prior duties, and (B) any reduction in Executive’s duties which results from Executive serving in a more subordinate role in connection with the Company’s hiring of an individual not previously employed by the Company to serve as its President and/or Chief Executive Officer shall not be deemed a “material reduction”; or (iii) relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment to a place that increases Executive’s one-way commute by more than fifty (50) miles as compared to Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation. In order for Executive to resign for Good Reason, each of the following requirements must be met: (iv) Executive must provide written notice to the Board within 30 days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for Executive’s resignation, (v) Executive must allow the Company at least 30 days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, (vi) such event is not reasonably cured by the Company within such 30 day period (the Cure Period ), and (vii) Executive must resign from all positions Executive then holds with the Company not later than 30 days after the expiration of the Cure Period.

 

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13. Insider Trading Policy. Executive hereby acknowledges that Executive has received and read a copy of the Company’s Insider Trading Policy (the Trading Policy ) . Executive agrees to comply with the specific requirements of the Trading Policy in all respects during Executive’s employment or other service relationship with the Company. Executive understands that the Trading Policy constitutes a material term of Executive’s employment or other service relationship with the Company and that Executive’s failure to comply in all respects with the Trading Policy is a basis for termination for Cause.

14. Dispute Resolution. Any dispute, controversy, or claim, whether contractual or non-contractual, between Executive and the Company shall be resolved by binding arbitration before the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service (the JAMS ), in accordance with the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at www.jamsadr.com . Executive and the Company each agree that before proceeding to arbitration, they will mediate disputes before the JAMS by a mediator approved by the JAMS. If mediation fails to resolve the matter, any subsequent arbitration shall be conducted by an arbitrator approved by the JAMS and mutually acceptable to Executive and the Company. All disputes, controversies, and claims shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, who shall: (i) allow discovery authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1282, et seq., or any other discovery required by applicable law; and (ii) issue a written award that sets forth the essential findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award any relief authorized by law in connection with the asserted claims or disputes. Judgment upon the arbitrator’s award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If Executive and the Company are unable to agree on the mediator or the arbitrator, then JAMS shall select the mediator/arbitrator. The resolution of the dispute by the arbitrator shall be final, binding, non-appealable, and fully enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction under the Federal Arbitration Act. The arbitration award shall be in writing and shall include a statement of the reasons for the award. The arbitration shall be held in San Diego, California. The Company shall pay all JAMS, mediation, and arbitrator’s fees and costs, irrespective of who raised the claim and the outcome of arbitration.

15. General Provisions.

15.1. Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all compensation paid to Executive by the Company (whether payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise) will be subject to reduction, recovery and/or recoupment to the extent required and allowed by any present or future law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company which ensures compliance with the requirements of any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

15.2. Resignation from Positions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon any termination of employment (whether voluntary or involuntary), Executive, upon written request from the Board, shall immediately resign from any positions Executive has with the Company and any subsidiary or other affiliate thereof, whether as an executive, officer, employee, consultant, director, trustee, fiduciary or otherwise.

15.3. Notices. Any notices provided must be in writing and will be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by fax) or the next

 

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day after sending by overnight carrier, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at the address as listed on the Company payroll.

15.4. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties.

15.5. Waiver. Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

15.6. Complete Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Indemnification Agreement and Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the Company’s and Executive’s agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone concerning Executive’s employment terms, compensation or benefits, whether oral or written (including but not limited any agreements or promises with or from the Company or any of its affiliates or predecessors). It cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, with the exception of those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s discretion in this Agreement.

15.7. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but both of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

15.8. Headings. The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

15.9. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, except that Executive may not assign any of Executive’s duties hereunder and Executive may not assign any of Executive’s rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

15.10. Tax Withholding. All payments and awards contemplated or made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholdings of applicable taxes in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations of all appropriate government authorities. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company has neither made any assurances nor any guarantees concerning the tax treatment of any payments or awards contemplated by or made pursuant to

 

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this Agreement. Executive has had the opportunity to retain a tax and financial advisor and fully understands the tax and economic consequences of all payments and awards made pursuant to this Agreement.

15.11. Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

A RCTURUS T HERAPEUTICS H OLDINGS I NC .

 

By:  

/s/ Andy Sassine

    Date: June 13, 2019
  Name: Andy Sassine             
  Title: Chief Financial Officer    
  J OSEPH E. P AYNE    
 

/s/ Joseph E. Payne

   

Date: June 13, 2019

  Joseph E. Payne    

Exhibit 10.2

ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

for

ANDY SASSINE

This Executive Employment Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), is made and entered into by and between Andy Sassine (“ Executive ”) and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”). This Agreement amends and restates any prior employment agreement previously entered into by Executive and the Company. In consideration of the mutual agreements set forth herein, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

1. Employment by the Company .

1.1. Employment . The Company hereby agrees to employ Executive and Executive hereby agrees to accept such employment, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, with a start date of Tuesday, January 1, 2019 (the “ Effective Date ”). The period from the Effective Date until this Agreement is terminated as provided herein shall be the “ Term ” of this Agreement and of Executive’s employment.

1.2. Position . Executive shall serve as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, reporting to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. During the Term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except as permitted by Section  7.1 below and approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies. Subject to the Company’s bylaws, Executive shall also serve as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Company.

1.3. Duties and Location . Executive shall perform such duties as are customarily associated with the positions of Chief Financial Officer of a public company, as well as such additional or other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Company’s Board of Directors (collectively, the “ Board ”). Executive’s primary office location shall be the Company’s headquarters located in San Diego, CA. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time and to require reasonable business travel.

1.4. Policies and Procedures . The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.


2. Compensation .

2.1. Compensation Policy Limits . Any compensation or benefits payable to Executive under this Agreement is subject to any applicable limitations imposed by applicable law.

2.2. Base Salary . For services to be rendered hereunder, Executive shall receive a base salary at the rate of $375,000 per year (the “ Base Salary ”), less standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.3. Annual Bonus . Executive will be eligible to earn an annual discretionary target bonus (the “ Annual Bonus ”) of forty percent (40%) of Executive’s then current Base Salary. Whether Executive receives an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined in the good faith discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “ Compensation Committee ”), based upon the Company’s and Executive’s achievement of objectives and milestones to be determined on an annual basis by the Compensation Committee in accordance with the Compensation Policy. No Annual Bonus is guaranteed and, in addition to the other conditions for earning such compensation, Executive must remain an employee in good standing of the Company on the scheduled Annual Bonus payment date in order to be eligible for any Annual Bonus, except as set forth below. Executive’s target objectives and milestones shall be established by the Compensation Committee no later than March 15 for each calendar year during the Term, and any bonus determined for the prior calendar year shall be paid no later than March 15 of the following calendar year.

3. Option . On the Effective Date, the Company granted Executive an option to purchase 100,000 shares of common stock of the Company (the “Option”) which will be governed by the Company’s 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan or a successor plan (the “ Plan ”), and Executive’s associated stock option grant notice and agreement. Additional options may be awarded annually in the Company’s discretion.

4. Standard Company Benefits . During the Term, Executive shall, in accordance with Company policy and the terms and conditions of the applicable Company benefit plan documents, be eligible to participate in the benefit and fringe benefit programs provided by the Company to its executive officers and other employees from time to time. Any such benefits shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the governing benefit plans and policies and may be changed by the Company in its discretion, provided however, that, during the Term, Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks of paid time off per calendar year, with no cap on accruals thereof.

5. Expenses . The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by Executive in furtherance or in connection with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time.

 

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6. Indemnification; Proprietary Information Obligations .

6.1. Indemnification Agreement. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and the Executive shall enter into an indemnification agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

6.2. Proprietary Information Agreement . As a condition of employment, and in consideration for the benefits provided for in this Agreement, Executive shall sign and comply with the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (the “ Proprietary Information Agreement ”) attached hereto as Exhibit B . In addition, Executive agrees to abide by the Company’s policies and procedures, as may be modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion.

6.3. Third-Party Agreements and Information . Executive represents and warrants that Executive’s employment by the Company does not conflict with any prior employment or consulting agreement or other agreement with any third party, and that Executive will perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement without violating any such agreement. Executive represents and warrants that Executive does not possess confidential information arising out of prior employment, consulting, or other third party relationships, that would be used in connection with Executive’s employment by the Company, except as expressly authorized by that third party. During Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will use in the performance of Executive’s duties only information that is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to Executive’s own, common knowledge in the industry, otherwise legally in the public domain, or obtained or developed by the Company or by Executive in the course of Executive’s work for the Company.

7. Outside Activities and Non-Competition During Employment.

7.1. Outside Activities . Throughout Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder or present a conflict of interest with the Company or its affiliates. In addition, Executive may serve as a member of the Board of Directors of those companies listed on Schedule A hereto and such other companies in the future, and devote such time as is necessary to satisfy his obligations thereunder, so long as such activities do not interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder or present a conflict of interest with the Company or its affiliates. Subject to the restrictions set forth herein, and only with prior written disclosure to and consent of the Board, Executive may engage in other types of business or public activities. The Board may rescind such consent, if the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that such activities compromise or threaten to compromise the Company’s or its affiliates’ business interests or conflict or compete with Executive’s duties to the Company or its affiliates.

7.2. Non-Competition During Employment . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, during Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will not, without the express written consent of the Board, directly or indirectly serve as an officer, director, stockholder, employee, partner, proprietor, investor, joint ventures, associate, representative or consultant of any person or entity engaged in, or planning or preparing to engage in, business

 

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activity competitive with any line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company or its affiliates; provided, however, that Executive may purchase or otherwise acquire up to (but not more than) four percent (4%) of any class of securities of any enterprise (without participating in the activities of such enterprise) if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange. In addition, Executive will be subject to certain restrictions (including restrictions continuing after Executive’s employment ends) under the terms of the Proprietary Information Agreement.

8. Termination of Employment; Severance and Change in Control Benefits .

8.1. At-Will Employment . Executive’s employment relationship is at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below) or advance notice.

8.2. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason Unrelated to Change in Control . In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Period (as defined below), then provided such termination or resignation constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “ Separation from Service ”), and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section  9 below, and subject to obtaining any Compensation Committee and/or Board consideration and approval that is required under the Compensation Policy, the Company shall provide Executive with the following “ Severance Benefits :

8.2.1. Severance Payments . Severance pay in the form of (i) continuation of payment installments of Executive’s final annual Base Salary for nine (9) months following Executive’s Separation from Service plus (ii) a lump sum payment of the pro rata portion of Executive’s Annual Bonus for the year of termination based actual performance, payable when annual bonuses are payable to other executive officers of the Company (but not later than March 15 of the year following the year of termination), in each case subject to required payroll deductions and tax withholdings (the “ Severance Payments ”). Subject to Sections 9 and 10 below, the Base Salary continuation payments shall be made on the Company’s regular payroll schedule in effect following Executive’s termination date; provided, however that any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below) shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date. For such purposes, Executive’s final Base Salary will be calculated prior to giving effect to any reduction in Base Salary that would give rise to Executive’s right to resign for Good Reason.

8.2.2. Health Care Continuation Coverage Payments .

(i) COBRA Premiums . If Executive timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, the Company will pay Executive’s COBRA premiums to continue Executive’s coverage (including coverage for Executive’s eligible dependents, if applicable) (“ COBRA Premiums ”) for the nine (9) month period starting on the day after the date on which

 

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group insurance coverage would, absent COBRA, cease (the “ COBRA Premium Period ”); provided, however, that the Company’s provision of such COBRA Premium benefits will immediately cease if, during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage through a new employer or Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination. In the event Executive becomes covered under another employer’s group health plan or otherwise ceases to be eligible for COBRA during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive must immediately notify the Company of such event.

(ii) Special Tax Treatment of COBRA Premiums . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA Premiums on a pre-tax basis without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company shall report the applicable COBRA premiums as compensation includible in the Executive’s gross income for the remainder of the COBRA Premium Period. If the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that its payment of the COBRA Premiums would cause the Compensation Limits to be exceeded, the amount of COBRA Premiums payable by the Company on behalf of Executive will be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. Executive will be required to pay the balance of the cost of his COBRA coverage.

8.3. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason During Change in Control Period . In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) at any time during the Change in Control Period or Executive resigns for Good Reason at any time during the Change in Control Period and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section  9 below, the Executive will receive the following: (i) the Severance Payments described in Section  8.2.1 , except that the amount of the pro rata portion of the Annual Bonus will be determined based on his target annual bonus for the year in which Executive’s Separation from Service occurs and the Severance Payments will be paid in a lump sum on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date; (ii) the COBRA Premiums described in Section  8.2.2 , except that the COBRA Premium Period shall be extended from nine (9) months to twelve (12) months; (iii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in option agreements, effective as of Executive’s employment termination date, the vesting and exercisability of the Option and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by Executive shall accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, by Executive upon such termination and shall remain exercisable, if applicable, following Executive’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award documents; and (iv) a lump sum payment in an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination, payable on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date (collectively, the “ CIC Severance Benefit ”), in each case subject to applicable tax withholding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot provide the CIC Severance Benefit in compliance with the Compensation Policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law the Company instead shall adjust the COBRA Premiums as provided in Section  8.2.2(ii) and pay to Executive a fully taxable cash payment with respect to the remaining CIC Severance Benefit equal to fair value of the CIC Severance Benefit (determined without regard to the COBRA Premiums), subject to applicable tax withholding (the “ CIC Substitute Benefit ”); provided , however , that the CIC Substitute Benefit shall be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. With respect to any

 

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performance-based vesting equity award, such award shall continue to be governed in all respects by the terms of the applicable equity award documents.

8.4. Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability . Executive will not be eligible for, or entitled to any severance benefits, including (without limitation) the benefits listed in Section  8.2 and Section  8.3 above, if the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, Executive resigns Executive’s employment without Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates due to Executive’s death or disability.

9. Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefit . To be eligible for any of the benefits pursuant to Section  8 above, Executive must satisfy the following release requirement (the “ Release Requirement ”): return to the Company a signed and dated general release of all known and unknown claims in a termination agreement acceptable to the Company (the “ Release ”) within the applicable deadline set forth therein, but in no event later than forty-five (45) days following Executive’s termination date, and permit the Release to become effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms (such effective date of the Release, the “ Release Effective Date ”). No Severance Benefits or CIC Severance Benefit (or any substitute benefits provided in lieu of such benefits) will be provided hereunder prior to the Release Effective Date. Accordingly, if Executive breaches the preceding sentence and/or refuses to sign and deliver to the Company an executed Release or signs and delivers to the Company the Release but exercises Executive’s right, if any, under applicable law to revoke the Release (or any portion thereof), then Executive will not be entitled to any severance, payment or benefit under this Agreement.

10. Section 409A . It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent no so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed by the Company at the time of Executive’s Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation”, then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earliest of (i) the expiration of the six-month and one day period measured from the date of Executive’s Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of Executive’s death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph

 

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shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the Company determines that any severance benefits provided under this Agreement constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A, for purposes of determining the schedule for payment of the severance benefits, the effective date of the Release will not be deemed to have occurred any earlier than the sixtieth (60th) date following the Separation From Service, regardless of when the Release actually becomes effective, so that if the applicable deadline for Executive to execute (and not revoke) the applicable Release spans two calendar years, payment of the applicable severance benefits shall not commence until the beginning of the second calendar year. To the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Code Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to Executive on or before the last day of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to Executive) during any one year may not effect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments described in this Agreement will be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A and make no undertaking to preclude Code Section 409A from applying to any such payment.

11. Section 280G; Limitations on Payment .

11.1. If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “ 280G Payment ”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “ Payment ”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “ Reduced Amount ” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount ( i.e. , the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “ Reduction Method ”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “ Pro Rata Reduction Method ”).

11.2. Notwithstanding any provision of Section  11.1 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events ( e.g. , being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C)

 

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as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

11.3. Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section  11 . The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

11.4. If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section  11.1 and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section  11.1 ) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section  11.1 , Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

12. Definitions .

12.1. Cause. For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following: (i) Executive’s conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any felony or a crime of moral turpitude; (ii) Executive’s willful and continued failure or refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions of the Company or the Board or lawful and reasonable policies and regulations of the Company or its affiliates; (iii) Executive’s willful and continued failure to faithfully and diligently perform the assigned duties of Executive’s employment with the Company or its affiliates; (iv) unprofessional, unethical, immoral or fraudulent conduct by Executive that materially discredits the Company or any affiliate of the Company or is materially detrimental to the reputation, character and standing of the Company or any affiliate of the Company; or (v) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement, the Proprietary Information Agreement, or any written Company policies. An event described in Section  12.2(ii) through Section  12.2(iv) herein shall not be treated as “Cause” until after Executive has been given written notice of such event, failure, conduct or breach and Executive fails to cure such event, failure, conduct or breach within 30 days from such written notice; provided, however, that such 30-day cure period shall not be required if the event, failure, conduct or breach is incapable of being cured.

 

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12.2. Change in Control . For purposes of this Agreement, “ Change in Control ” shall mean any of the following events, provided that such event is closed, consummated, completed, or disposed of on or after June 10, 2019: (i) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting shares immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction, securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the entity surviving such transaction or, where the surviving entity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of another entity, the surviving entity’s parent; (iii) a reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but the ordinary shares outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities of the surviving entity’s parent, cash or otherwise, and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting stock immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction, securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the Company; or (iv) an acquisition by any person, entity or group (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related trust, sponsored or maintained by the Company or a subsidiary of the Company) of the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company representing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the combined voting power entitled to vote in the election of directors; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and further provided that none of the foregoing transactions shall constitute a Change in Control unless it also constitutes a change in ownership of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii).

12.3. Change in Control Period . For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Change in Control Period ” means the time period commencing on the effective date of a Change in Control and ending on the date that is twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change in Control.

12.4. Good Reason . For purposes of this Agreement, Executive shall have “ Good Reason ” for resignation from employment with the Company if any of the following actions are taken by the Company without Executive’s prior written consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary, unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s senior executives; (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties (including responsibilities and/or authorities), provided, however , that (A) a change in job position (including a change in title) shall not be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself unless Executive’s new duties are materially reduced from the prior duties, and (B) any reduction in Executive’s duties which results from Executive serving in a more subordinate role in connection with the Company’s hiring of an individual not previously employed by the Company to serve as its President and/or Chief Executive Officer shall not be deemed a “material reduction”; or (iii) relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment to a place that increases Executive’s one-way commute by more than fifty (50) miles as compared to Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation. In order for Executive to resign for Good Reason, each of the following requirements must be met: (iv) Executive must provide written notice to the Board within 30 days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for Executive’s resignation, (v) Executive must allow the Company at least 30 days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, (vi) such event is not reasonably

 

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cured by the Company within such 30 day period (the “ Cure Period ”), and (vii) Executive must resign from all positions Executive then holds with the Company not later than 30 days after the expiration of the Cure Period.

13. Insider Trading Policy . Executive hereby acknowledges that Executive has received and read a copy of the Company’s Insider Trading Policy (the “ Trading Policy ”). Executive agrees to comply with the specific requirements of the Trading Policy in all respects during Executive’s employment or other service relationship with the Company. Executive understands that the Trading Policy constitutes a material term of Executive’s employment or other service relationship with the Company and that Executive’s failure to comply in all respects with the Trading Policy is a basis for termination for Cause.

14. Dispute Resolution . Any dispute, controversy, or claim, whether contractual or non-contractual, between Executive and the Company shall be resolved by binding arbitration before the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service (the “ JAMS ”), in accordance with the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at www.jamsadr.com. Executive and the Company each agree that before proceeding to arbitration, they will mediate disputes before the JAMS by a mediator approved by the JAMS. If mediation fails to resolve the matter, any subsequent arbitration shall be conducted by an arbitrator approved by the JAMS and mutually acceptable to Executive and the Company. All disputes, controversies, and claims shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, who shall: (i) allow discovery authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1282, et seq., or any other discovery required by applicable law; and (ii) issue a written award that sets forth the essential findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award any relief authorized by law in connection with the asserted claims or disputes. Judgment upon the arbitrator’s award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If Executive and the Company are unable to agree on the mediator or the arbitrator, then JAMS shall select the mediator/arbitrator. The resolution of the dispute by the arbitrator shall be final, binding, non-appealable, and fully enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction under the Federal Arbitration Act. The arbitration award shall be in writing and shall include a statement of the reasons for the award. The arbitration shall be held in San Diego, California. The Company shall pay all JAMS, mediation, and arbitrator’s fees and costs, irrespective of who raised the claim and the outcome of arbitration.

15. General Provisions.

15.1. Clawback . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all compensation paid to Executive by the Company (whether payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise) will be subject to reduction, recovery and/or recoupment to the extent required and allowed by any present or future law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company which ensures compliance with the requirements of any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

15.2. Resignation from Positions . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon any termination of employment (whether voluntary or involuntary), Executive, upon written request from the Board, shall immediately resign from any positions Executive has with the Company and any subsidiary or other affiliate thereof, whether

 

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as an executive, officer, employee, consultant, director, trustee, fiduciary or otherwise (other than as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company).

15.3. Notices . Any notices provided must be in writing and will be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by fax) or the next day after sending by overnight carrier, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at the address as listed on the Company payroll.

15.4. Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties.

15.5. Waiver . Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

15.6. Complete Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Indemnification Agreement and Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the Company’s and Executive’s agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone concerning Executive’s employment terms, compensation or benefits, whether oral or written (including but not limited any agreements or promises with or from the Company or any of its affiliates or predecessors). It cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, with the exception of those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s discretion in this Agreement.

15.7. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but both of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

15.8. Headings . The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

15.9. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, except that Executive may not assign any of Executive’s duties hereunder and Executive may not assign any of Executive’s rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

15.10. Tax Withholding . All payments and awards contemplated or made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholdings of applicable taxes in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations of all appropriate government authorities. Executive

 

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acknowledges and agrees that the Company has neither made any assurances nor any guarantees concerning the tax treatment of any payments or awards contemplated by or made pursuant to this Agreement. Executive has had the opportunity to retain a tax and financial advisor and fully understands the tax and economic consequences of all payments and awards made pursuant to this Agreement.

15.11. Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

  A RCTURUS T HERAPEUTICS H OLDINGS I NC .   
By:  

/s/ Joseph Payne

   Date: June 13, 2019
  Name: Joseph Payne   
  Title: Chief Executive Officer   
  A NDY S ASSINE   
 

/s/ Andy Sassine

   Date: June 13, 2019
  Andy Sassine   

Exhibit 10.3

 

ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

for

PADMANABH CHIVUKULA

This Executive Employment Agreement (this “ Agreement ”), is made and entered into by and between Padmanabh Chivukula (“ Executive ”) and Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”). This Agreement amends and restates any prior employment agreement previously entered into by Executive and the Company. In consideration of the mutual agreements set forth herein, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

1. Employment by the Company .

1.1. Employment . The Company hereby agrees to employ Executive and Executive hereby agrees to accept such employment, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, with a start date of July 5, 2018 (the “ Effective Date ”).

1.2. Position . Executive shall serve as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Scientific Officer, reporting to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. During the term of Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive will devote Executive’s best efforts and substantially all of Executive’s business time and attention to the business of the Company, except as permitted by Section  7.1 below and approved vacation periods and reasonable periods of illness or other incapacities permitted by the Company’s general employment policies.

1.3. Duties and Location . Executive shall perform such duties as are customarily associated with the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of a public company, as well as such additional or other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by Company’s Board of Directors (collectively, the “ Board ”). Executive’s primary office location shall be the Company’s headquarters located in San Diego, CA. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company reserves the right to reasonably require Executive to perform Executive’s duties at places other than Executive’s primary office location from time to time and to require reasonable business travel.

1.4. Policies and Procedures . The employment relationship between the parties shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. Compensation .


2.1. Compensation Policy Limits . Any compensation or benefits payable to Executive under this Agreement is subject to any applicable limitations imposed by applicable law.

2.2. Base Salary . For services to be rendered hereunder, Executive shall receive a base salary at the rate of $370,000 per year (the “ Base Salary ”), less standard payroll deductions and withholdings and payable in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll schedule.

2.3. Annual Bonus . Executive will be eligible to earn an annual discretionary target bonus (the “ Annual Bonus ”) of forty percent (40%) of Executive’s then current Base Salary. Whether Executive receives an Annual Bonus for any given year, and the amount of any such Annual Bonus, will be determined in the good faith discretion of the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “ Compensation Committee ”), based upon the Company’s and Executive’s achievement of objectives and milestones to be determined on an annual basis by the Compensation Committee in accordance with the Compensation Policy. No Annual Bonus is guaranteed and, in addition to the other conditions for earning such compensation, Executive must remain an employee in good standing of the Company on the scheduled Annual Bonus payment date in order to be eligible for any Annual Bonus, except as set forth below.

3. Option . Executive was granted an option to purchase 80,000 shares of common stock of the Company (the “ Option ”) which will be governed by the Company’s 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan or the adoption of any successor plan (the “ Plan ”).

4. Standard Company Benefits . Executive shall, in accordance with Company policy and the terms and conditions of the applicable Company benefit plan documents, be eligible to participate in the benefit and fringe benefit programs provided by the Company to its executive officers and other employees from time to time. Any such benefits shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the governing benefit plans and policies and may be changed by the Company in its discretion, provided however, that Executive shall continue to be entitled to five (5) weeks of paid time off per calendar year, with no cap on accruals thereof.

5. Expenses . The Company will reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by Executive in furtherance or in connection with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect from time to time.

6. Indemnification; Proprietary Information Obligations .

6.1. Indemnification Agreement. Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, the Company and the Executive shall enter into an indemnification agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

6.2. Proprietary Information Agreement . As a condition of employment, and in consideration for the benefits provided for in this Agreement, Executive shall sign and comply with the Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (the “ Proprietary Information Agreement ”) attached hereto as Exhibit B . In addition, Executive agrees to abide

 

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by the Company’s policies and procedures, as may be modified from time to time within the Company’s discretion.

6.3. Third-Party Agreements and Information . Executive represents and warrants that Executive’s employment by the Company does not conflict with any prior employment or consulting agreement or other agreement with any third party, and that Executive will perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement without violating any such agreement. Executive represents and warrants that Executive does not possess confidential information arising out of prior employment, consulting, or other third party relationships, that would be used in connection with Executive’s employment by the Company, except as expressly authorized by that third party. During Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will use in the performance of Executive’s duties only information that is generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to Executive’s own, common knowledge in the industry, otherwise legally in the public domain, or obtained or developed by the Company or by Executive in the course of Executive’s work for the Company.

7. Outside Activities and Non-Competition During Employment.

7.1. Outside Activities . Throughout Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive may engage in civic and not-for-profit activities so long as such activities do not interfere with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder or present a conflict of interest with the Company or its affiliates. Subject to the restrictions set forth herein, and only with prior written disclosure to and consent of the Board, Executive may engage in other types of business or public activities. The Board may rescind such consent, if the Board determines, in its sole discretion, that such activities compromise or threaten to compromise the Company’s or its affiliates’ business interests or conflict or compete with Executive’s duties to the Company or its affiliates.

7.2. Non-Competition During Employment . Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, during Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive will not, without the express written consent of the Board, directly or indirectly serve as an officer, director, stockholder, employee, partner, proprietor, investor, joint ventures, associate, representative or consultant of any person or entity engaged in, or planning or preparing to engage in, business activity competitive with any line of business engaged in (or planned to be engaged in) by the Company or its affiliates; provided, however, that Executive may purchase or otherwise acquire up to (but not more than) one percent (1%) of any class of securities of any enterprise (without participating in the activities of such enterprise) if such securities are listed on any national or regional securities exchange. In addition, Executive will be subject to certain restrictions (including restrictions continuing after Executive’s employment ends) under the terms of the Proprietary Information Agreement.

8. Termination of Employment; Severance and Change in Control Benefits .

8.1. At-Will Employment . Executive’s employment relationship is at-will. Either Executive or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without Cause (as defined below) or advance notice.

 

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8.2. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason Unrelated to Change in Control . In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) or Executive resigns for Good Reason, in either case, at any time except during the Change in Control Period (as defined below), then provided such termination or resignation constitutes a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h), without regard to any alternative definition thereunder, a “ Separation from Service ”), and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section  9 below, and subject to obtaining any Compensation Committee and/or Board consideration and approval that is required under the Compensation Policy, the Company shall provide Executive with the following “ Severance Benefits :

8.2.1. Severance Payments . Severance pay in the form of (i) continuation of payment installments of Executive’s final annual Base Salary for twelve (12) months following Executive’s Separation from Service plus (ii) a lump sum payment of the pro rata portion of Executive’s Annual Bonus for the year of termination based actual performance, payable when annual bonuses are payable to other executive officers of the Company (but not later than March 15 of the year following the year of termination), in each case subject to required payroll deductions and tax withholdings (the “ Severance Payments ”). Subject to Sections 9 and 10 below, the Base Salary continuation payments shall be made on the Company’s regular payroll schedule in effect following Executive’s termination date; provided, however that any such payments that are otherwise scheduled to be made prior to the Release Effective Date (as defined below) shall instead accrue and be made on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date. For such purposes, Executive’s final Base Salary will be calculated prior to giving effect to any reduction in Base Salary that would give rise to Executive’s right to resign for Good Reason.

8.2.2. Health Care Continuation Coverage Payments .

(i) COBRA Premiums . If Executive timely elects continued coverage under COBRA, the Company will pay Executive’s COBRA premiums to continue Executive’s coverage (including coverage for Executive’s eligible dependents, if applicable) (“ COBRA Premiums ”) for the twelve (12) month period starting on the day after the date on which group insurance coverage would, absent COBRA, cease (the “ COBRA Premium Period ”); provided, however, that the Company’s provision of such COBRA Premium benefits will immediately cease if, during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage through a new employer or Executive ceases to be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage for any reason, including plan termination. In the event Executive becomes covered under another employer’s group health plan or otherwise ceases to be eligible for COBRA during the COBRA Premium Period, Executive must immediately notify the Company of such event.

(ii) Special Tax Treatment of COBRA Premiums . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot pay the COBRA Premiums on a pre-tax basis without potentially incurring financial costs or penalties under applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the Company shall report the applicable COBRA premiums as compensation includible in

 

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the Executive’s gross income for the remainder of the COBRA Premium Period. If the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that its payment of the COBRA Premiums would cause the Compensation Limits to be exceeded, the amount of COBRA Premiums payable by the Company on behalf of Executive will be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. Executive will be required to pay the balance of the cost of his COBRA coverage.

8.3. Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason During Change in Control Period . In the event Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than as a result of Executive’s death or disability) at any time during the Change in Control Period or Executive resigns for Good Reason at any time during the Change in Control Period and provided that Executive satisfies the Release Requirement in Section  9 below, the Executive will receive the following: (i) the Severance Payments described in Section  8.2.1 , except that the amount of the pro rata portion of the Annual Bonus will be determined based on his target annual bonus for the year in which Executive’s Separation from Service occurs and the Severance Payments will be paid in a lump sum on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date; (ii) the COBRA Premiums described in Section  8.2.2 , except that the COBRA Premium Period shall be extended from twelve (12) months to eighteen (18) months; (iii) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in option agreements, effective as of Executive’s employment termination date, the vesting and exercisability of the Option and any other unvested time-based vesting equity awards then held by Executive shall accelerate and become immediately vested and exercisable, if applicable, by Executive upon such termination and shall remain exercisable, if applicable, following Executive’s termination as set forth in the applicable equity award documents; and (iv) a lump sum payment in an amount equal to his target annual bonus for the year of termination, payable on the first regular payroll date following the Release Effective Date (collectively, the “ CIC Severance Benefit ”), in each case subject to applicable tax withholding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that it cannot provide the CIC Severance Benefit in compliance with the Compensation Policy, to the extent permitted by applicable law the Company instead shall adjust the COBRA Premiums as provided in Section  8.2.2(ii) and pay to Executive a fully taxable cash payment with respect to the remaining CIC Severance Benefit equal to fair value of the CIC Severance Benefit (determined without regard to the COBRA Premiums), subject to applicable tax withholding (the “ CIC Substitute Benefit ”); provided , however , that the CIC Substitute Benefit shall be reduced, if necessary, so that in no event will the Compensation Limits be exceeded. With respect to any performance-based vesting equity award, such award shall continue to be governed in all respects by the terms of the applicable equity award documents.

8.4. Termination for Cause; Resignation Without Good Reason; Death or Disability . Executive will not be eligible for, or entitled to any severance benefits, including (without limitation) the benefits listed in Section  8.2 and Section  8.3 above, if the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause, Executive resigns Executive’s employment without Good Reason, or Executive’s employment terminates due to Executive’s death or disability.

9. Conditions to Receipt of Severance Benefits and CIC Severance Benefit . To be eligible for any of the benefits pursuant to Section  8 above, Executive must satisfy

 

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the following release requirement (the “ Release Requirement ”): return to the Company a signed and dated general release of all known and unknown claims in a termination agreement acceptable to the Company (the “ Release ”) within the applicable deadline set forth therein, but in no event later than forty-five (45) days following Executive’s termination date, and permit the Release to become effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms (such effective date of the Release, the “ Release Effective Date ”). No Severance Benefits or CIC Severance Benefit (or any substitute benefits provided in lieu of such benefits) will be provided hereunder prior to the Release Effective Date. Accordingly, if Executive breaches the preceding sentence and/or refuses to sign and deliver to the Company an executed Release or signs and delivers to the Company the Release but exercises Executive’s right, if any, under applicable law to revoke the Release (or any portion thereof), then Executive will not be entitled to any severance, payment or benefit under this Agreement.

10. Section 409A . It is intended that all of the severance benefits and other payments payable under this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Code Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9), and this Agreement will be construed to the greatest extent possible as consistent with those provisions, and to the extent no so exempt, this Agreement (and any definitions hereunder) will be construed in a manner that complies with Section 409A. For purposes of Code Section 409A (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), Executive’s right to receive any installment payments under this Agreement (whether severance payments, reimbursements or otherwise) shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each installment payment hereunder shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is deemed by the Company at the time of Executive’s Separation from Service to be a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any of the payments upon Separation from Service set forth herein and/or under any other agreement with the Company are deemed to be “deferred compensation”, then to the extent delayed commencement of any portion of such payments is required in order to avoid a prohibited distribution under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) and the related adverse taxation under Section 409A, such payments shall not be provided to Executive prior to the earliest of (i) the expiration of the six-month and one day period measured from the date of Executive’s Separation from Service with the Company, (ii) the date of Executive’s death or (iii) such earlier date as permitted under Section 409A without the imposition of adverse taxation. Upon the first business day following the expiration of such applicable Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) period, all payments deferred pursuant to this Paragraph shall be paid in a lump sum to Executive, and any remaining payments due shall be paid as otherwise provided herein or in the applicable agreement. No interest shall be due on any amounts so deferred. If the Company determines that any severance benefits provided under this Agreement constitutes “deferred compensation” under Section 409A, for purposes of determining the schedule for payment of the severance benefits, the effective date of the Release will not be deemed to have occurred any earlier than the sixtieth (60th) date following the Separation From Service, regardless of when the Release actually becomes effective, so that if the applicable deadline for Executive to execute (and not revoke) the applicable Release spans two calendar years, payment of the applicable severance benefits shall not commence until the beginning of the second calendar year. To the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Code Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to Executive under this Agreement shall be paid to Executive on or before the last day of the year

 

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following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to Executive) during any one year may not effect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments described in this Agreement will be exempt from or comply with Code Section 409A and make no undertaking to preclude Code Section 409A from applying to any such payment.

11. Section 280G; Limitations on Payment .

11.1. If any payment or benefit Executive will or may receive from the Company or otherwise (a “ 280G Payment ”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “ Excise Tax ”), then any such 280G Payment provided pursuant to this Agreement (a “ Payment ”) shall be equal to the Reduced Amount. The “ Reduced Amount ” shall be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment (after reduction) being subject to the Excise Tax or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of the Payment, whichever amount ( i.e. , the amount determined by clause (x) or by clause (y)), after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes, and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater economic benefit notwithstanding that all or some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in a Payment is required pursuant to the preceding sentence and the Reduced Amount is determined pursuant to clause (x) of the preceding sentence, the reduction shall occur in the manner (the “ Reduction Method ”) that results in the greatest economic benefit for Executive. If more than one method of reduction will result in the same economic benefit, the items so reduced will be reduced pro rata (the “ Pro Rata Reduction Method ”).

11.2. Notwithstanding any provision of Section  11.1 to the contrary, if the Reduction Method or the Pro Rata Reduction Method would result in any portion of the Payment being subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A that would not otherwise be subject to taxes pursuant to Section 409A, then the Reduction Method and/or the Pro Rata Reduction Method, as the case may be, shall be modified so as to avoid the imposition of taxes pursuant to Section 409A as follows: (A) as a first priority, the modification shall preserve to the greatest extent possible, the greatest economic benefit for Executive as determined on an after-tax basis; (B) as a second priority, Payments that are contingent on future events ( e.g. , being terminated without Cause), shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not contingent on future events; and (C) as a third priority, Payments that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A shall be reduced (or eliminated) before Payments that are not deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A.

11.3. Unless Executive and the Company agree on an alternative accounting firm or law firm, the accounting firm engaged by the Company for general tax compliance purposes as of the day prior to the effective date of the Change in Control transaction shall perform the foregoing calculations. If the accounting firm so engaged by the Company is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control transaction, the Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting or law firm to make the determinations required by this Section  11 . The Company shall bear all expenses with

 

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respect to the determinations by such accounting or law firm required to be made hereunder. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the accounting or law firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder to provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which Executive’s right to a 280G Payment becomes reasonably likely to occur (if requested at that time by Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by Executive or the Company.

11.4. If Executive receives a Payment for which the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (x) of Section  11.1 and the Internal Revenue Service determines thereafter that some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax, Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company a sufficient amount of the Payment (after reduction pursuant to clause (x) of Section  11.1 ) so that no portion of the remaining Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Reduced Amount was determined pursuant to clause (y) of Section  11.1 , Executive shall have no obligation to return any portion of the Payment pursuant to the preceding sentence.

12. Definitions .

12.1. Cause. For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” means the occurrence of any one or more of the following: (i) Executive’s conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any felony or a crime of moral turpitude; (ii) Executive’s willful and continued failure or refusal to follow lawful and reasonable instructions of the Company or the Board or lawful and reasonable policies and regulations of the Company or its affiliates; (iii) Executive’s willful and continued failure to faithfully and diligently perform the assigned duties of Executive’s employment with the Company or its affiliates; (iv) unprofessional, unethical, immoral or fraudulent conduct by Executive that materially discredits the Company or any affiliate or is materially detrimental to the reputation, character and standing of the Company or any affiliate of the Company; or (v) Executive’s material breach of this Agreement, the Proprietary Information Agreement, or any written Company policies. An event described in Section  12.2(ii) through Section  12.2(iv) herein shall not be treated as “Cause” until after Executive has been given written notice of such event, failure, conduct or breach and Executive fails to cure such event, failure, conduct or breach within 30 days from such written notice; provided, however, that such 30-day cure period shall not be required if the event, failure, conduct or breach is incapable of being cured.

12.2. Change in Control . For purposes of this Agreement, “ Change in Control ” shall mean any of the following events, provided that such event is closed, consummated, completed, or disposed of on or after June 10, 2019: (i) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; (ii) a merger or consolidation in which the Company is not the surviving entity and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting shares immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction, securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the entity surviving such transaction or, where the surviving entity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of another entity, the surviving entity’s parent; (iii) a reverse merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but the ordinary shares outstanding immediately preceding the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities of the surviving entity’s parent,

 

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cash or otherwise, and in which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting stock immediately prior to such transaction own, immediately after such transaction, securities representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the Company; or (iv) an acquisition by any person, entity or group (excluding any employee benefit plan, or related trust, sponsored or maintained by the Company or subsidiary of the Company or other entity controlled by the Company) of the beneficial ownership of securities of the Company representing at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the combined voting power entitled to vote in the election of directors; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to a sale of assets, merger or other transaction effected exclusively for the purpose of changing the domicile of the Company and further provided that none of the foregoing transactions shall constitute a Change in Control unless it also constitutes a change in ownership of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii).

12.3. Change in Control Period . For the purposes of this Agreement, “ Change in Control Period ” means the time period commencing on the effective date of a Change in Control and ending on the date that is twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change in Control.

12.4. Good Reason . For purposes of this Agreement, Executive shall have “ Good Reason ” for resignation from employment with the Company if any of the following actions are taken by the Company without Executive’s prior written consent: (i) a material reduction in Executive’s Base Salary, unless pursuant to a salary reduction program applicable generally to the Company’s senior executives; (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s duties (including responsibilities and/or authorities), provided, however , that (A) a change in job position (including a change in title) shall not be deemed a “material reduction” in and of itself unless Executive’s new duties are materially reduced from the prior duties, and (B) any reduction in Executive’s duties which results from Executive serving in a more subordinate role in connection with the Company’s hiring of an individual not previously employed by the Company to serve as its President and/or Chief Executive Officer shall not be deemed a “material reduction”; or (iii) relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment to a place that increases Executive’s one-way commute by more than fifty (50) miles as compared to Executive’s then-current principal place of employment immediately prior to such relocation. In order for Executive to resign for Good Reason, each of the following requirements must be met: (iv) Executive must provide written notice to the Board within 30 days after the first occurrence of the event giving rise to Good Reason setting forth the basis for Executive’s resignation, (v) Executive must allow the Company at least 30 days from receipt of such written notice to cure such event, (vi) such event is not reasonably cured by the Company within such 30 day period (the “ Cure Period ”), and (vii) Executive must resign from all positions Executive then holds with the Company not later than 30 days after the expiration of the Cure Period.

13. Insider Trading Policy . Executive hereby acknowledges that Executive has received and read a copy of the Company’s Insider Trading Policy (the “ Trading Policy ”). Executive agrees to comply with the specific requirements of the Trading Policy in all respects during Executive’s employment or other service relationship with the Company. Executive understands that the Trading Policy constitutes a material term of Executive’s employment

 

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or other service relationship with the Company and that Executive’s failure to comply in all respects with the Trading Policy is a basis for termination for Cause.

14. Dispute Resolution . Any dispute, controversy, or claim, whether contractual or non-contractual, between Executive and the Company shall be resolved by binding arbitration before the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service (the “ JAMS ”), in accordance with the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures, available at www.jamsadr.com . Executive and the Company each agree that before proceeding to arbitration, they will mediate disputes before the JAMS by a mediator approved by the JAMS. If mediation fails to resolve the matter, any subsequent arbitration shall be conducted by an arbitrator approved by the JAMS and mutually acceptable to Executive and the Company. All disputes, controversies, and claims shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, who shall: (i) allow discovery authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1282, et seq., or any other discovery required by applicable law; and (ii) issue a written award that sets forth the essential findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the award is based. The arbitrator shall have the authority to award any relief authorized by law in connection with the asserted claims or disputes. Judgment upon the arbitrator’s award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If Executive and the Company are unable to agree on the mediator or the arbitrator, then JAMS shall select the mediator/arbitrator. The resolution of the dispute by the arbitrator shall be final, binding, non-appealable, and fully enforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction under the Federal Arbitration Act. The arbitration award shall be in writing and shall include a statement of the reasons for the award. The arbitration shall be held in San Diego, California. The Company shall pay all JAMS, mediation, and arbitrator’s fees and costs, irrespective of who raised the claim and the outcome of arbitration.

15. General Provisions.

15.1. Clawback . Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all compensation paid to Executive by the Company (whether payable pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise) will be subject to reduction, recovery and/or recoupment to the extent required and allowed by any present or future law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company which ensures compliance with the requirements of any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

15.2. Resignation from Positions . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, upon any termination of employment (whether voluntary or involuntary), Executive, upon written request from the Board, shall immediately resign from any positions Executive has with the Company and any subsidiary or other affiliate thereof, whether as an executive, officer, employee, consultant, director, trustee, fiduciary or otherwise.

15.3. Notices . Any notices provided must be in writing and will be deemed effective upon the earlier of personal delivery (including personal delivery by fax) or the next day after sending by overnight carrier, to the Company at its primary office location and to Executive at the address as listed on the Company payroll.

15.4. Severability . Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under

 

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any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction to the extent possible in keeping with the intent of the parties.

15.5. Waiver . Any waiver of any breach of any provisions of this Agreement must be in writing to be effective, and it shall not thereby be deemed to have waived any preceding or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement.

15.6. Complete Agreement . This Agreement, together with the Indemnification Agreement and Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, constitutes the entire agreement between Executive and the Company with regard to the subject matter hereof and is the complete, final, and exclusive embodiment of the Company’s and Executive’s agreement with regard to this subject matter. This Agreement is entered into without reliance on any promise or representation, written or oral, other than those expressly contained herein, and it supersedes and replaces any other agreements or promises made to Executive by anyone concerning Executive’s employment terms, compensation or benefits, whether oral or written (including but not limited any agreements or promises with or from the Company or any of its affiliates or predecessors). It cannot be modified or amended except in a writing signed by a duly authorized officer of the Company, with the exception of those changes expressly reserved to the Company’s discretion in this Agreement.

15.7. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, any one of which need not contain signatures of more than one party, but both of which taken together will constitute one and the same Agreement.

15.8. Headings . The headings of the sections hereof are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute a part hereof nor to affect the meaning thereof.

15.9. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and the Company, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators, except that Executive may not assign any of Executive’s duties hereunder and Executive may not assign any of Executive’s rights hereunder without the written consent of the Company, which shall not be withheld unreasonably.

15.10. Tax Withholding . All payments and awards contemplated or made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholdings of applicable taxes in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations of all appropriate government authorities. Executive acknowledges and agrees that the Company has neither made any assurances nor any guarantees concerning the tax treatment of any payments or awards contemplated by or made pursuant to this Agreement. Executive has had the opportunity to retain a tax and financial advisor and fully understands the tax and economic consequences of all payments and awards made pursuant to this Agreement.

15.11. Choice of Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

         A RCTURUS T HERAPEUTICS H OLDINGS I NC .   
By:  

/s/ Joseph Payne

   Date: June 13, 2019
  Name: Joseph Payne   
  Title: Chief Executive Officer   
         P ADMANABH C HIVUKULA   
 

/s/ Padmanabh Chivukula

   Date: June 13, 2019
  Padmanabh Chivukula   

Exhibit 10.4

 

ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

2019 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

(Effective June 10, 2019)

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

         PAGE  

Article1. Effective Date, Objectives and Duration

     1  

1.1

  Effective Date of the Plan      1  

1.2

  Objectives of the Plan      1  

1.3

  Duration of the Plan      1  

Article 2. Definitions

     1  

2.1

  Affiliate      1  

2.2

  Award      1  

2.3

  Award Agreement      2  

2.4

  Board      2  

2.5

  Bonus Shares      2  

2.6

  Cause      2  

2.7

  CEO      2  

2.8

  Change in Control      2  

2.9

  Code      2  

2.10

  Committee ” or “ Incentive Plan Committee      3  

2.11

  Compensation Committee      3  

2.12

  Common Stock      3  

2.13

  Corporate Transaction      3  

2.14

  Deferred Stock      3  

2.15

  Disability ” or “ Disabled      3  

2.16

  Dividend Equivalent      3  

2.17

  Effective Date      3  

2.18

  Eligible Person      3  

2.19

  Exchange Act      4  

2.20

  Exercise Price      4  

2.21

  Fair Market Value      4  

2.22

  Grant Date      4  

2.23

  Grantee”      4  

2.24

  Incentive Stock Option      4  

2.25

  Including ” or “ includes      4  

2.26

  Management Committee      4  

2.27

  Non-Employee Director      4  

2.28

  Option      4  

2.29

  Other Stock-Based Award      4  

2.30

  Performance Period      5  

2.31

  Performance Share ” and “ Performance Unit      5  

2.32

  Period of Restriction      5  

2.33

  Person      5  

2.34

  Restricted Shares      5  

2.35

  Restricted Stock Units      5  

2.36

  Rule 16b-3      5  

2.37

  SEC      5  

2.38

  Section 16 Non-Employee Director      5  

2.39

  Section 16 Person      5  

2.40

  Separation from Service      5  

2.41

  Share      6  

2.42

  Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR      6  

2.43

  Subsidiary Corporation      6  

2.44

  Surviving Company      6  

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         PAGE  

2.45

  Term      6  

2.46

  Termination of Affiliation      6  

Article 3. Administration

     6  

3.1

  Committee      6  

3.2

  Powers of Committee      7  

3.3

  No Repricings      9  

Article 4. Shares Subject to the Plan

     9  

4.1

  Number of Shares Available for Grants      9  

4.2

  Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards; Corporate Transaction, Liquidation or Dissolution      10  

Article 5. Eligibility and General Conditions of Awards

     11  

5.1

  Eligibility      11  

5.2

  Award Agreement      11  

5.3

  General Terms and Termination of Affiliation      11  

5.4

  Nontransferability of Awards      12  

5.5

  Cancellation and Rescission of Awards      13  

5.6

  Stand-Alone, Tandem and Substitute Awards.      13  

5.7

  Compliance with Rule 16b-3      13  

5.8

  Deferral of Award Payouts      14  

Article 6. Stock Options

     14  

6.1

  Grant of Options      14  

6.2

  Award Agreement      14  

6.3

  Option Exercise Price      15  

6.4

  Grant of Incentive Stock Options      15  

6.5

  Payment of Exercise Price      16  

Article 7. Stock Appreciation Rights

     17  

7.1

  Issuance      17  

7.2

  Award Agreements      17  

7.3

  SAR Exercise Price      17  

7.4

  Exercise and Payment      17  

Article 8. Restricted Shares

     17  

8.1

  Grant of Restricted Shares      17  

8.2

  Award Agreement      17  

8.3

  Consideration for Restricted Shares      18  

8.4

  Effect of Forfeiture      18  

8.5

  Escrow; Legends      18  

Article 9. Performance Units and Performance Shares

     18  

9.1

  Grant of Performance Units and Performance Shares      18  

9.2

  Value/Performance Goals      18  

9.3

  Earning of Performance Units and Performance Shares      18  

Article 10. Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units

     19  

10.1

  Grant of Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units      19  

10.2

  Vesting and Delivery      19  

10.3

  Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units      20  

Article 11. Dividend Equivalents

     20  

Article 12. Bonus Shares

     20  

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         PAGE  

Article 13. Other Stock-Based Awards

     20  

Article 14. Non-Employee Director Awards

     21  

Article 15. Amendment, Modification, and Termination

     21  

15.1

  Amendment, Modification, and Termination      21  

15.2

  Awards Previously Granted      21  

Article 16. Compliance with Code Section 409A

     21  

16.1

  Awards Subject to Code Section 409A      21  

16.2

  Deferral and/or Distribution Elections      21  

16.3

  Subsequent Elections      22  

16.4

  Distributions Pursuant to Deferral Elections      22  

16.5

  Six Month Delay      23  

16.6

  Death or Disability      23  

16.7

  No Acceleration of Distributions      23  

Article 17. Withholding

     23  

17.1

  Required Withholding      23  

17.2

  Notification under Code Section 83(b)      24  

Article 18. Additional Provisions

     24  

18.1

  Successors      24  

18.2

  Severability      24  

18.3

  Requirements of Law      24  

18.4

  Securities Law Compliance      25  

18.5

  Forfeiture Events      25  

18.6

  No Rights as a Stockholder      26  

18.7

  Nature of Payments      26  

18.8

  Non-Exclusivity of Plan      26  

18.9

  Governing Law      26  

18.10

  Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts      26  

18.11

  Affiliation      27  

18.12

  Participation      27  

18.13

  Military Service      27  

18.14

  Construction      27  

18.15

  Headings      27  

18.16

  Obligations      27  

18.17

  No Right to Continue as Director      27  

18.18

  Stockholder Approval      27  

 

 

iii


ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC.

2019 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

ARTICLE 1.

EFFECTIVE DATE, OBJECTIVES AND DURATION

1.1 Effective Date of the Plan . The Board of Directors of ARCTURUS THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), adopted the 2019 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN (the “Plan”) effective as of June 10, 2019 (the “Effective Date”).

1.2 Objectives of the Plan . The Plan is intended (a) to allow selected employees of and consultants to the Company and its Affiliates to acquire or increase equity ownership in the Company, thereby strengthening their commitment to the success of the Company and stimulating their efforts on behalf of the Company, and to assist the Company and its Affiliates in attracting new employees, officers and consultants and retaining existing employees and consultants, (b) to optimize the profitability and growth of the Company and its Affiliates through incentives which are consistent with the Company’s goals, (d) to provide Grantees with an incentive for excellence in individual performance, (e) to promote teamwork among employees, consultants and Non-Employee Directors, and (f) to attract and retain highly qualified persons to serve as Non-Employee Directors and to promote ownership by such Non-Employee Directors of a greater proprietary interest in the Company, thereby aligning such Non-Employee Directors’ interests more closely with the interests of the Company’s stockholders.

1.3 Duration of the Plan . The Plan shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect, subject to the right of the Board to amend or terminate the Plan at any time pursuant to Article 15 hereof, until the earlier of the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, or the date all Shares subject to the Plan shall have been purchased or acquired and the restrictions on all Restricted Shares granted under the Plan shall have lapsed, according to the Plan’s provisions.

ARTICLE 2.

DEFINITIONS

Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

2.1 “ Affiliate ” means any corporation or other entity, including but not limited to partnerships, limited liability companies and joint ventures, with respect to which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns as applicable (a) stock possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote, or more than fifty percent (50%) of the total value of all shares of all classes of stock of such corporation, or (b) an aggregate of more than fifty percent (50%) of the profits interest or capital interest of a non-corporate entity.

2.2 “ Award ” means Options (including non-qualified options and Incentive Stock Options), SARs, Restricted Shares, Performance Units (which may be paid in cash), Performance Shares, Deferred Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Bonus Shares or Other Stock-Based Awards granted under the Plan.


2.3 “ Award Agreement ” means either (a) a written agreement entered into by the Company and a Grantee setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, or (b) a written statement issued by the Company to a Grantee describing the terms and provisions of such Award, including any amendment or modification thereof. The Committee may provide for the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper Award Agreements and the use of electronic, internet or other non-paper means for the acceptance thereof and actions thereunder by the Grantee.

2.4 “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

2.5 “ Bonus Shares ” means Shares that are awarded to a Grantee with or without cost and without restrictions either in recognition of past performance (whether determined by reference to another employee benefit plan of the Company or otherwise), as an inducement to become an Eligible Person or, with the consent of the Grantee, as payment in lieu of any cash remuneration otherwise payable to the Grantee.

2.6 “ Cause ” means, except as otherwise defined in an Award Agreement:

(a) the commission of any act by a Grantee constituting a felony or crime of moral turpitude (or their equivalent in a non-United States jurisdiction);

(b) an act of dishonesty, fraud, intentional misrepresentation, or harassment which, as determined in good faith by the Committee, would: (i) materially adversely affect the business or the reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates with their respective current or prospective customers, suppliers, lenders and/or other third parties with whom such entity does or might do business; or (ii) expose the Company or any of its Affiliates to a risk of civil or criminal legal damages, liabilities or penalties;

(c) any material misconduct in violation of the Company’s or an Affiliate’s written policies; or

(d) willful and deliberate non-performance of the Grantee’s duties in connection with the business affairs of the Company or its Affiliates;

provided, however , that if the Grantee has a written employment or consulting agreement with the Company or any of its Affiliates or participates in any severance plan established by the Company that includes a definition of “cause,” Cause shall have the meaning set forth in such employment or consulting agreement or severance plan.

2.7 “ CEO ” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

2.8 “ Change in Control ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.4(e).

2.9 “ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. References to a particular section of the Code include references to regulations and rulings thereunder and to successor provisions.

 

2


2.10 “ Committee ” or “ Incentive Plan Committee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).

2.11 “ Compensation Committee ” means the compensation committee of the Board.

2.12 “ Common Stock ” means the common stock, $0.001 par value, of the Company.

2.13 “ Corporate Transaction ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2(b).

2.14 “ Deferred Stock ” means a right, granted under Article 10, to receive Shares at the end of a specified deferral period.

2.15 “ Disability ” or “ Disabled ” means, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, or as otherwise determined under procedures established by the Committee for purposes of the Plan:

(a) Except as provided in (b) below, a disability within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code; and

(b) In the case of any Award that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, a disability as defined in regulations under Code Section 409A. For purpose of Code Section 409A, a Grantee will be considered Disabled if:

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

(ii) the Grantee is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Grantee’s employer.

2.16 “ Dividend Equivalent ” means a right to receive payments equal to dividends or property, if and when paid or distributed, on a specified number of Shares.

2.17 “ Effective Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

2.18 “ Eligible Person ” means any individual who is an employee (including any officer) of, a non-employee consultant to, or a Non-Employee Director of, the Company or any Affiliate; provided, however, that solely with respect to the grant of an Incentive Stock Option, an Eligible Person shall be any employee (including any officer) of the Company or any Subsidiary Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Eligible Person shall also include an individual who is expected to become an employee to, non-employee consultant of or Non-Employee Director of the Company or any Affiliate within a reasonable period of time after the grant of an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option); provided that any Award granted to any such individual shall be automatically terminated and cancelled without consideration if the

 

3


individual does not begin performing services for the Company or any Affiliate within twelve (12) months after the Grant Date. Solely for purposes of Section 5.6(b), current or former employees or non-employee directors of, or consultants to, of an Acquired Entity who receive Substitute Awards in substitution for Acquired Entity Awards shall be considered Eligible Persons under this Plan with respect to such Substitute Awards.

2.19 “ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. References to a particular section of the Exchange Act include references to successor provisions.

2.20 “ Exercise Price ” means (a) with respect to an Option, the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Grantee pursuant to such Option or (b) with respect to an SAR, the price established at the time an SAR is granted pursuant to Article 7, which is used to determine the amount, if any, of the payment due to a Grantee upon exercise of the SAR.

2.21 “ Fair Market Value ” of a Share means a price that is based on the opening, closing, actual, high, low, or the arithmetic mean of selling prices of a Share reported on an established stock exchange which is the principal exchange upon which the Shares are traded on the applicable date or the preceding trading day. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, if the Shares are traded over the counter at the time a determination of its Fair Market Value is required to be made hereunder, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be equal to the arithmetic mean between the reported high and low or closing bid and asked prices of a Share on the applicable date, or if no such trades were made that day then the most recent date on which Shares were publicly traded. In the event Shares are not publicly traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate provided such manner is consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B).

2.22 “ Grant Date ” means the date on which an Award is granted or such later date as specified in advance by the Committee.

2.23 “ Grantee ” means a person who has been granted an Award.

2.24 “ Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

2.25 “ Including ” or “ includes ” means “including, without limitation,” or “includes, without limitation,” respectively.

2.26 “ Management Committee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b).

2.27 “ Non-Employee Director ” means a member of the Board who is not an employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

2.28 “ Option ” means an option granted under Article 6 of the Plan.

2.29 “ Other Stock-Based Award ” means a right, granted under Article 13 hereof, that relates to or is valued by reference to Shares or other Awards relating to Shares.

 

4


2.30 “ Performance Period ” means, with respect to an Award of Performance Shares or Performance Units, the period of time during which the performance vesting conditions applicable to such Award must be satisfied.

2.31 “ Performance Share ” and “ Performance Unit ” have the respective meanings set forth in Article 9.

2.32 “ Period of Restriction ” means the period during which Restricted Shares are subject to forfeiture if the conditions specified in the Award Agreement are not satisfied.

2.33 “ Person ” means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, institution, public benefit corporation, entity or government instrumentality, division, agency, body or department.

2.34 “ Restricted Shares ” means Shares, granted under Article 8, that are both subject to forfeiture and are nontransferable if the Grantee does not satisfy the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such Shares.

2.35 “ Restricted Stock Units ” are rights, granted under Article 10, to receive Shares if the Grantee satisfies the conditions specified in the Award Agreement applicable to such rights.

2.36 “ Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the SEC under the Exchange Act, as amended from time to time, together with any successor rule.

2.37 “ SEC ” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or any successor thereto.

2.38 “ Section  16 Non-Employee Director ” means a member of the Board who satisfies the requirements to qualify as a “non-employee director” under Rule 16b-3.

2.39 “ Section  16 Person ” means a person who is subject to potential liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act with respect to transactions involving equity securities of the Company.

2.40 “ Separation from Service ” means, with respect to any Award that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, a “separation from service” as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h). For this purpose, a “separation from service” is deemed to occur on the date that the Company and the Grantee reasonably anticipate that the level of bona fide services the Grantee would perform for the Company and/or any Affiliates after that date (whether as an employee, Non-Employee Director or consultant or independent contractor) would permanently decrease to a level that, based on the facts and circumstances, would constitute a separation from service; provided that a decrease to a level that is 50% or more of the average level of bona fide services provided over the prior 36 months shall not be a separation from service, and a decrease to a level that is 20% or less of the average level of such bona fide services shall be a separation from service. The Committee retains the right and discretion to specify, and may specify, whether a separation from service occurs with respect to those individuals who are performing services for the Company or an Affiliate

 

5


immediately prior to an asset purchase transaction in which the Company or an Affiliate is the seller and who continue to perform services for the buyer (or an affiliate thereof) immediately following such asset purchase transaction; provided, such specification is made in accordance with the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)(4).

2.41 “ Share ” means a share of Common Stock, and such other securities of the Company, as may be substituted or resubstituted for Shares pursuant to Section 4.2 hereof.

2.42 “ Stock Appreciation Right ” or “ SAR ” means an Award granted under Article 7 of the Plan.

2.43 “ Subsidiary Corporation ” means a corporation other than the Company in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time of granting the Option, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

2.44 “ Surviving Company ” means (a) the surviving corporation in any merger, consolidation or similar transaction, involving the Company (including the Company if the Company is the surviving corporation), (b) or the direct or indirect parent company of such surviving corporation or (c) the direct or indirect parent company of the Company following a sale of substantially all of the outstanding stock of the Company.

2.45 “ Term ” of any Option or SAR means the period beginning on the Grant Date of an Option or SAR and ending on the date such Option or SAR expires, terminates or is cancelled. No Option or SAR granted under this Plan shall have a Term exceeding 10 years

2.46 “ Termination of Affiliation ” occurs on the first day on which an individual is for any reason no longer performing services for the Company or any Affiliate in the capacity of an employee of, a non-employee consultant to, or a Non-Employee Director of, the Company or any Affiliate or with respect to an individual who is an employee of, a non-employee consultant to or a Non-Employee Director of an Affiliate, the first day on which such entity ceases to be an Affiliate of the Company unless such individual continues to perform Services for the Company or another Affiliate without interruption after such entity ceases to be an Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Award constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, Termination of Affiliation with respect to such Award shall mean the Grantee’s Separation from Service.

ARTICLE 3.

ADMINISTRATION

3.1 Committee .

(a) Subject to Article 14, and to Section 3.2, the Plan shall be administered by a Committee (the “Incentive Plan Committee” or the “Committee”) of directors of the Company appointed by the Board from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either the Board or the Compensation Committee may at any time and in one or more instances reserve administrative powers to itself as the Committee or exercise any of the administrative powers of

 

6


the Committee. The number of members of the Committee may from time to time be increased or decreased as the Board or Compensation Committee deems appropriate. To the extent the Board or Compensation Committee considers it desirable to comply with Rule 16b-3, the Committee shall consist of two or more directors of the Company, all of whom qualify as Section 16 Non-Employee Directors.

(b) The Board or the Compensation Committee may appoint and delegate to another committee (“Management Committee”), or to the CEO, any or all of the authority of the Board or the Committee, as applicable, with respect to Awards to Grantees other than Grantees who are executive officers, Non-Employee Directors, or Section 16 Persons at the time any such delegated authority is exercised.

(c) Unless the context requires otherwise, any references herein to “Committee” include references to the Incentive Plan Committee, the Board or the Compensation Committee to the extent Incentive Plan Committee, the Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, has assumed or exercises administrative powers itself as the Committee pursuant to subsection (a), and to the Management Committee or the CEO to the extent either has been delegated authority pursuant to subsection (b), as applicable; provided that (i) for purposes of Awards to Non-Employee Directors, “Committee” shall include only the full Board, and (ii) for purposes of Awards intended to comply with Rule 16b-3, the “Committee” shall include only the Incentive Plan Committee or the Compensation Committee.

3.2 Powers of Committee . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan (including Article 14), the Committee has full and final authority and sole discretion as follows; provided that any such authority or discretion exercised with respect to a specific Non-Employee Director shall be approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board, even if not a quorum, but excluding the Non-Employee Director with respect to whom such authority or discretion is exercised:

(a) to determine when, to whom and in what types and amounts Awards should be granted;

(b) to grant Awards to Eligible Persons in any number and to determine the terms and conditions applicable to each Award (including the number of Shares or the amount of cash or other property to which an Award will relate, any Exercise Price or purchase price, any limitation or restriction, any schedule for or performance conditions relating to the earning of the Award or the lapse of limitations, forfeiture restrictions, restrictions on exercisability or transferability, any performance goals including those relating to the Company and/or an Affiliate and/or any division thereof and/or an individual, and/or vesting based on the passage of time, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee shall determine);

(c) to determine the benefit payable under any Performance Unit, Performance Share, Dividend Equivalent, Other Stock-Based Award or Cash Incentive Award and to determine whether any performance or vesting conditions have been satisfied;

(d) to determine whether or not specific Awards shall be granted in connection with other specific Awards, and if so, whether they shall be exercisable cumulatively

 

7


with, or alternatively to, such other specific Awards and all other matters to be determined in connection with an Award;

(e) to determine the Term of any Option or SAR;

(f) to determine the amount, if any, that a Grantee shall pay for Restricted Shares, whether to permit or require the payment of cash dividends thereon to be deferred and the terms related thereto, when Restricted Shares (including Restricted Shares acquired upon the exercise of an Option) shall be forfeited and whether such shares shall be held in escrow;

(g) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Shares, other Awards or other property, or an Award may be accelerated, vested, canceled, forfeited or surrendered or any terms of the Award may be waived, and to accelerate the exercisability of, and to accelerate or waive any or all of the terms and conditions applicable to, any Award or any group of Awards for any reason and at any time;

(h) to determine with respect to Awards granted to Eligible Persons whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award will be deferred, either at the election of the Grantee or automatically pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement;

(i) to offer to exchange or buy out any previously granted Award for a payment in cash, Shares or other Award;

(j) to construe and interpret the Plan and to make all determinations, including factual determinations, necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan;

(k) to make, amend, suspend, waive and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan;

(l) to appoint such agents as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;

(m) to determine the terms and conditions of all Award Agreements applicable to Eligible Persons (which need not be identical) and, with the consent of the Grantee, to amend any such Award Agreement at any time, among other things, to permit transfers of such Awards to the extent permitted by the Plan; provided that the consent of the Grantee shall not be required for any amendment (i) which does not adversely affect the rights of the Grantee, or (ii) which is necessary or advisable (as determined by the Committee) to carry out the purpose of the Award as a result of any new applicable law or change in an existing applicable law, or (iii) to the extent the Award Agreement specifically permits amendment without consent;

(n) to cancel, with the consent of the Grantee, outstanding Awards and to grant new Awards in substitution therefor;

(o) to impose such additional terms and conditions upon the grant, exercise or retention of Awards as the Committee may, before or concurrently with the grant thereof, deem

 

8


appropriate, including limiting the percentage of Awards which may from time to time be exercised by a Grantee;

(p) to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including events described in Section 4.2) affecting the Company or an Affiliate or the financial statements of the Company or an Affiliate, or in response to changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles;

(q) to correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency, and to construe and interpret the Plan, the rules and regulations, and Award Agreement or any other instrument entered into or relating to an Award under the Plan; and

(r) to take any other action with respect to any matters relating to the Plan for which it is responsible and to make all other decisions and determinations as may be required under the terms of the Plan or as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

Any action of the Committee with respect to the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the Company, its Affiliates, any Grantee, any person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Grantee, and stockholders, except to the extent the Committee may subsequently modify, or take further action not consistent with, its prior action. If not specified in the Plan, the time at which the Committee must or may make any determination shall be determined by the Committee, and any such determination may thereafter be modified by the Committee. The express grant of any specific power to the Committee, and the taking of any action by the Committee, shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Committee. Subject to Section 3.1(b), the Committee may delegate to officers of the Company or any Affiliate the authority, subject to such terms as the Committee shall determine, to perform specified functions under the Plan.

3.3 No Repricings . Notwithstanding any provision in Section 3.2 to the contrary, the terms of any outstanding Option or SAR may not be amended to reduce the Exercise Price of such Option or SAR or cancel any outstanding Option or SAR in exchange for other Options or SARs with an Exercise Price that is less than the Exercise Price of the cancelled Option or SAR or for any cash payment (or Shares having with a Fair Market Value) in an amount that exceeds the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying such cancelled Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR or for any other Award, without stockholder approval; provided, however, that the restrictions set forth in this Section 3.3, shall not apply (i) unless the Company has a class of stock that is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act or (ii) to any adjustment allowed under to Section 4.2.

ARTICLE 4.

SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

4.1 Number of Shares Available for Grants . Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.2 and except as provided in Section 5.6(b), the maximum number of Shares hereby reserved for delivery under the Plan shall be 2,600,00 Shares. Up to a maximum of 2,600,00 Shares may be delivered pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted hereunder.

 

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If any Shares subject to an Award granted hereunder (other than a Substitute Award granted pursuant to Section 5.6(b)) are forfeited or such Award otherwise terminates without payment or delivery of such Shares, the Shares subject to such Award, to the extent of any such forfeiture or termination, shall again be available for grant under the Plan. For avoidance of doubt, however, if any Shares subject to an Award granted hereunder are withheld or applied as payment in connection with the exercise of an Award or the withholding or payment of taxes related thereto (“Returned Shares”), such Returned Shares will be treated as having been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan and shall not again be treated as available for grant under the Plan. Moreover, the number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan may not be increased through the Company’s purchase of Shares on the open market with the proceeds obtained from the exercise of any Options granted hereunder. Upon settlement of an SAR, the number of Shares underlying the portion of the SAR that is exercised will be treated as having been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of Shares available for grant under the Plan and shall not again be treated as available for issuance under the Plan.

Shares delivered pursuant to the Plan may be, in whole or in part, authorized and unissued Shares, or treasury Shares, including Shares repurchased by the Company for purposes of the Plan.

4.2 Adjustments in Authorized Shares and Awards; Corporate Transaction, Liquidation or Dissolution .

(a) Adjustment in Authorized Shares and Awards . In the event that the Committee determines that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse stock split, subdivision, consolidation or reduction of capital, reorganization, merger, consolidation, scheme of arrangement, split-up, spin-off or combination involving the Company or repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that any adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of (i) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, (ii) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, (iii) the Exercise Price with respect to any Option or SAR or, if deemed appropriate, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award, and (iv) the number and kind of Shares of outstanding Restricted Shares, or the Shares underlying any other form of Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such adjustment shall be authorized with respect to any Options or SARs to the extent that such adjustment would cause the Option or SAR to violate Section 424(a) of the Code or otherwise subject any Grantee to taxation under Section 409A of the Code; and provided further that the number of Shares subject to any Award denominated in Shares shall always be a whole number.

(b) Merger, Consolidation or Similar Corporate Transaction . In the event of a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or a sale of substantially all of the stock of the Company (a “Corporate Transaction”), unless an outstanding

 

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Award is assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award granted by the Surviving Company in substitution for such outstanding Award, the Committee shall cancel any outstanding Awards that are not vested and nonforfeitable as of the consummation of such Corporate Transaction (unless the Committee accelerates the vesting of any such Awards) and with respect to any vested and nonforfeitable Awards, the Committee may either (i) allow all Grantees to exercise such Awards of Options and SARs within a reasonable period prior to the consummation of the Corporate Transaction and cancel any outstanding Options or SARs that remain unexercised upon consummation of the Corporate Transaction, or (ii) cancel any or all of such outstanding Awards in exchange for a payment (in cash, or in securities or other property) in an amount equal to the amount that the Grantee would have received (net of the Exercise Price with respect to any Options or SARs) if such vested Awards were settled or distributed or such vested Options and SARs were exercised immediately prior to the consummation of the Corporate Transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Option or SAR is not assumed by the Surviving Company or replaced with an equivalent Award issued by the Surviving Company and the Exercise Price with respect to any outstanding Option or SAR exceeds the Fair Market Value of the Shares immediately prior to the consummation of the Corporation Transaction, such Awards shall be cancelled without any payment to the Grantee.

(c) Liquidation or Dissolution of the Company . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, each Award will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the Committee. Additionally, the Committee may, in the exercise of its sole discretion, cause Awards to be vested and non-forfeitable and cause any conditions on any such Award to lapse, as to all or any part of such Award, including Shares as to which the Award would not otherwise be exercisable or non-forfeitable and allow all Grantees to exercise such Awards of Options and SARs within a reasonable period prior to the consummation of such proposed action. Any Awards that remain unexercised upon consummation of such proposed action shall be cancelled.

(d) Deferred Compensation . Notwithstanding the forgoing provisions of this Section 4.2, if an Award constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A, no payment or settlement of such Award shall be made pursuant to Section 4.2(b) or (c), unless the Corporate Transaction or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, as applicable, constitutes a Change in Control.

ARTICLE 5.

ELIGIBILITY AND GENERAL CONDITIONS OF AWARDS

5.1 Eligibility . The Committee may in its discretion grant Awards to any Eligible Person, whether or not he or she has previously received an Award; provided, however, that all Awards made to Non-Employee Directors shall be determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

5.2 Award Agreement . To the extent not set forth in the Plan, the terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement.

5.3 General Terms and Termination of Affiliation . The Committee may impose on any Award or the exercise or settlement thereof, at the date of grant or, subject to the provisions of Section 15.2, thereafter, such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the

 

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provisions of the Plan as the Committee shall determine, including terms requiring forfeiture, acceleration or pro-rata acceleration of Awards in the event of a Termination of Affiliation by the Grantee. Except as may be required under the Delaware General Corporation Law, Awards may be granted for no consideration other than prior and future services. Except as set forth in an Award Agreement or as otherwise determined by the Committee, (a) all Options and SARs that are not vested and exercisable at the time of a Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation, and any other Awards that remain subject to a risk of forfeiture or which are not otherwise vested at the time of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation shall be forfeited to the Company and (b) all outstanding Options and SARs not previously exercised shall expire three months after the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation.

5.4 Nontransferability of Awards .

(a) Each Award and each right under any Award shall be exercisable only by the Grantee during the Grantee’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Grantee’s guardian or legal representative or by a transferee receiving such Award pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order (a “QDRO”) as defined in the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder.

(b) No Award (prior to the time, if applicable, Shares are delivered in respect of such Award), and no right under any Award, may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Grantee otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or in the case of Restricted Shares, to the Company) or pursuant to a QDRO, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary to receive benefits in the event of the Grantee’s death shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b) above, to the extent provided in the Award Agreement or as otherwise approved by the Committee, Options (other than Incentive Stock Options) and Restricted Shares, may be transferred, without consideration, to a Permitted Transferee. For this purpose, a “Permitted Transferee” in respect of any Grantee means any member of the Immediate Family of such Grantee, any trust of which all of the primary beneficiaries are such Grantee or members of his or her Immediate Family, or any partnership (including limited liability companies and similar entities) of which all of the partners or members are such Grantee or members of his or her Immediate Family; and the “Immediate Family” of a Grantee means the Grantee’s spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, siblings, grandparents, nieces and nephews. Such Option may be exercised by such transferee in accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement. If so determined by the Committee, a Grantee may, in the manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to exercise the rights of the Grantee, and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the death of the Grantee. A transferee, beneficiary, guardian, legal representative or other person claiming any rights under the Plan from or through any Grantee shall be subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide with respect to such persons, and to any additional restrictions or limitations deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee.

 

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(d) Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring the Committee to honor a QDRO except to the extent required under applicable law.

5.5 Cancellation and Rescission of Awards . Unless the Award Agreement specifies otherwise, the Committee may cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold, or otherwise limit or restrict any unexercised Award at any time if the Grantee is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Award Agreement and the Plan or if the Grantee has a Termination of Affiliation.

5.6 Stand-Alone, Tandem and Substitute Awards .

(a) Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution for, any other Award granted under the Plan unless such tandem or substitution Award would subject the Grantee to tax penalties imposed under Section 409A of the Code. If an Award is granted in substitution for another Award or any non-Plan award or benefit, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or non-Plan award or benefit in consideration for the grant of the new Award. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or non-Plan awards or benefits; provided, however, that if any SAR is granted in tandem with an Incentive Stock Option, such SAR and Incentive Stock Option must have the same Grant Date, Term and the Exercise Price of the SAR may not be less than the Exercise Price of the Incentive Stock Option.

(b) The Committee may, in its discretion and on such terms and conditions as the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances, grant Awards under the Plan (“Substitute Awards”) in substitution for stock and stock-based awards (“Acquired Entity Awards”) held by current or former employees or non-employee directors of, or consultants to, another corporation or entity who become Eligible Persons as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation or other entity (the “Acquired Entity”) with the Company or an Affiliate or the acquisition by the Company or an Affiliate of property or stock of the Acquired Entity immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or acquisition in order to preserve for the Grantee the economic value of all or a portion of such Acquired Entity Award at such price as the Committee determines necessary to achieve preservation of economic value. The limitations in Section 4.1 on the number of Shares reserved or available for grants shall not apply to Substitute Awards granted under this Section 5.6(b).

5.7 Compliance with Rule 16b-3 . The provisions of this Section 5.7 will not apply unless and until the Company has a class of stock that is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

(a) Six-Month Holding Period Advice . Unless a Grantee could otherwise dispose of or exercise a derivative security or dispose of Shares delivered under the Plan without incurring liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, the Committee may advise or require a Grantee to comply with the following in order to avoid incurring liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act: (i) at least six months must elapse from the date of acquisition of a derivative security under the Plan to the date of disposition of the derivative security (other than upon exercise or conversion) or its underlying equity security, and (ii) Shares granted or awarded

 

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under the Plan other than upon exercise or conversion of a derivative security must be held for at least six months from the date of grant of an Award.

(b) Reformation to Comply with Exchange Act Rules . To the extent the Committee determines that a grant or other transaction by a Section 16 Person should comply with applicable provisions of Rule 16b-3 (except for transactions exempted under alternative Exchange Act rules), the Committee shall take such actions as necessary to make such grant or other transaction so comply, and if any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement relating to a given Award does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 as then applicable to any such grant or transaction, such provision will be construed or deemed amended, if the Committee so determines, to the extent necessary to conform to the then applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3.

(c) Rule 16b-3 Administration . Any function relating to a Section 16 Person shall be performed solely by the Committee or the Board if necessary to ensure compliance with applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3, to the extent the Committee determines that such compliance is desired. Each member of the Committee or person acting on behalf of the Committee shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him by any officer, manager or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate, the Company’s independent certified public accountants or any executive compensation consultant or attorney or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.

5.8 Deferral of Award Payouts . The Committee may permit a Grantee to defer, or if and to the extent specified in an Award Agreement require the Grantee to defer, receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of Shares that would otherwise be due by virtue of the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Restricted Stock Units, the satisfaction of any requirements or goals with respect to Performance Units or Performance Shares, the lapse or waiver of the deferral period for Deferred Stock, or the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to Other Stock-Based Awards or Cash Incentive Awards. If the Committee permits such deferrals, the Committee shall establish rules and procedures for making such deferral elections and for the payment of such deferrals, which shall conform in form and substance with applicable regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code and Article 16 to ensure that the Grantee is not subjected to tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code with respect to such deferrals. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, any payment or any Shares that are subject to such deferral shall be made or delivered to the Grantee as specified in the Award Agreement or pursuant to the Grantee’s deferral election.

ARTICLE 6.

STOCK OPTIONS

6.1 Grant of Options . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Options may be granted to any Eligible Person in such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee.

6.2 Award Agreement . Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Exercise Price, the Term of the Option, the number of Shares to

 

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which the Option pertains, the time or times at which such Option shall be exercisable and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine.

6.3 Option Exercise Price . The Exercise Price of an Option under this Plan shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee but may not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date.

6.4 Grant of Incentive Stock Options . At the time of the grant of any Option, the Committee may in its discretion designate that such Option shall be made subject to additional restrictions to permit it to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option. Any Option designated as an Incentive Stock Option:

(a) shall be granted only to an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary Corporation;

(b) shall have an Exercise Price of not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date, and, if granted to a person who owns capital stock (including stock treated as owned under Section 424(d) of the Code) possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary Corporation (a “More Than 10% Owner”), have an Exercise Price not less than 110% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on its Grant Date;

(c) shall be for a period of not more than 10 years (five years if the Grantee is a More Than 10% Owner) from its Grant Date, and shall be subject to earlier termination as provided herein or in the applicable Award Agreement;

(d) shall not have an aggregate Fair Market Value (as of the Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options (whether granted under the Plan or any other stock option plan of the Grantee’s employer or any parent or Subsidiary Corporation (“Other Plans”)) are exercisable for the first time by such Grantee during any calendar year (“Current Grant”), determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 422 of the Code, which exceeds $100,000 (the “$100,000 Limit”);

(e) shall, if the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares (determined on the Grant Date) with respect to the Current Grant and all Incentive Stock Options previously granted under the Plan and any Other Plans which are exercisable for the first time during a calendar year (“Prior Grants”) would exceed the $100,000 Limit, be, as to the portion in excess of the $100,000 Limit, exercisable as a separate option that is not an Incentive Stock Option at such date or dates as are provided in the Current Grant;

(f) shall require the Grantee to notify the Committee of any disposition of any Shares delivered pursuant to the exercise of the Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to holding periods and certain disqualifying dispositions) (“Disqualifying Disposition”) within 10 days of such a Disqualifying Disposition;

(g) shall by its terms not be assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and may be exercised, during the Grantee’s lifetime, only by the Grantee; provided, however, that the Grantee may, to the extent provided in the Plan in any

 

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manner specified by the Committee, designate in writing a beneficiary to exercise his or her Incentive Stock Option after the Grantee’s death; and

(h) shall, if such Option nevertheless fails to meet the foregoing requirements, or otherwise fails to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code for an Incentive Stock Option, be treated for all purposes of this Plan, except as otherwise provided in subsections (d) and (e) above, as an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

Notwithstanding the foregoing and Section 3.2, the Committee may, without the consent of the Grantee, at any time before the exercise of an Option (whether or not an Incentive Stock Option), take any action necessary to prevent such Option from being treated as an Incentive Stock Option.

6.5 Payment of Exercise Price . Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, Options shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice of exercise to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the Shares made by any one or more of the following means:

(a) cash, personal check or wire transfer;

(b) with the approval of the Committee, delivery of Common Stock owned by the Grantee prior to exercise, valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;

(c) with the approval of the Committee, Shares acquired upon the exercise of such Option, such Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise;

(d) with the approval of the Committee, Restricted Shares held by the Grantee prior to the exercise of the Option, valued at Fair Market Value on the date of exercise; or

(e) subject to applicable law (including the prohibited loan provisions of Section 402 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002), through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted an irrevocable notice of exercise and irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company the amount of sale proceeds sufficient to pay for such Shares, together with, if requested by the Company, the amount of federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes payable by Grantee by reason of such exercise.

The Committee may in its discretion specify that, if any Restricted Shares (“Tendered Restricted Shares”) are used to pay the Exercise Price, (x) all the Shares acquired on exercise of the Option shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option, or (y) a number of Shares acquired on exercise of the Option equal to the number of Tendered Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions as the Tendered Restricted Shares, determined as of the date of exercise of the Option.

 

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ARTICLE 7.

STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

7.1 Issuance . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant SARs to any Eligible Person either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Such SARs may, but need not, be granted in connection with a specific Option granted under Article 6. The Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any SAR as it shall deem appropriate.

7.2 Award Agreements . Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve and shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with other provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

7.3 SAR Exercise Price . The Exercise Price of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that the Exercise Price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of the grant of the SAR.

7.4 Exercise and Payment . Upon the exercise of an SAR, a Grantee shall be entitled to receive payment from the Company in an amount determined by multiplying:

(a) The excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over the Exercise Price; by

(b) The number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised.

SARs shall be deemed exercised on the date written notice of exercise in a form acceptable to the Committee is received by the Secretary of the Company. The Company shall make payment in respect of any SAR within five (5) days of the date the SAR is exercised. Any payment by the Company in respect of a SAR may be made in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine or, to the extent permitted under the terms of the applicable Award Agreement, at the election of the Grantee.

ARTICLE 8.

RESTRICTED SHARES

8.1 Grant of Restricted Shares . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Restricted Shares to any Eligible Person in such amounts as the Committee shall determine.

8.2 Award Agreement . Each grant of Restricted Shares shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s) of Restriction, the number of Restricted Shares granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Committee may impose such conditions and/or restrictions on any Restricted Shares granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable, including restrictions based upon the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions on vesting following the attainment of the performance goals, and/or restrictions under applicable securities laws; provided that such conditions and/or restrictions may lapse, if so determined by the Committee, in the event of the

 

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Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or an Affiliate without Cause.

8.3 Consideration for Restricted Shares . The Committee shall determine the amount, if any, that a Grantee shall pay for Restricted Shares.

8.4 Effect of Forfeiture . If Restricted Shares are forfeited, and if the Grantee was required to pay for such shares or acquired such Restricted Shares upon the exercise of an Option, the Grantee shall be deemed to have resold such Restricted Shares to the Company at a price equal to the lesser of (x) the amount paid by the Grantee for such Restricted Shares, or (y) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of such forfeiture. The Company shall pay to the Grantee the deemed sale price as soon as is administratively practical. Such Restricted Shares shall cease to be outstanding and shall no longer confer on the Grantee thereof any rights as a stockholder of the Company, from and after the date of the event causing the forfeiture, whether or not the Grantee accepts the Company’s tender of payment for such Restricted Shares.

8.5 Escrow; Legends . The Committee may provide that the certificates for any Restricted Shares (x) shall be held (together with a stock power executed in blank by the Grantee) in escrow by the Secretary of the Company until such Restricted Shares become nonforfeitable or are forfeited and/or (y) shall bear an appropriate legend restricting the transfer of such Restricted Shares under the Plan. If any Restricted Shares become nonforfeitable, the Company shall cause certificates for such shares to be delivered without such legend.

ARTICLE 9.

PERFORMANCE UNITS AND PERFORMANCE SHARES

9.1 Grant of Performance Units and Performance Shares . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, Performance Units or Performance Shares may be granted to any Eligible Person in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as shall be determined by the Committee.

9.2 Value/Performance Goals . The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number or value of Performance Units or Performance Shares that will be paid to the Grantee.

(a) Performance Unit . Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant.

(b) Performance Share . Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant.

9.3 Earning of Performance Units and Performance Shares . After the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Units or Performance Shares shall be entitled to payment based on the level of achievement of performance goals set by the Committee.

 

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At the discretion of the Committee, the settlement of Performance Units or Performance Shares may be in cash, Shares of equivalent value, or in some combination thereof, as set forth in the Award Agreement.

If a Grantee is promoted, demoted or transferred to a different business unit of the Company during a Performance Period, then, to the extent the Committee determines that the Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period are no longer appropriate, the Committee may adjust, change, eliminate or cancel the Award, the performance goals, or the applicable Performance Period, as it deems appropriate in order to make them appropriate and comparable to the initial Award, the performance goals, or the Performance Period.

At the discretion of the Committee, a Grantee may be entitled to receive any dividends or Dividend Equivalents declared with respect to Shares deliverable in connection with vested Performance Shares which have been earned, but not yet delivered to the Grantee.

ARTICLE 10.

DEFERRED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

10.1 Grant of Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units . Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Person, in such amount and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine. Deferred Stock must conform in form and substance with applicable regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code and with Article 16 to ensure that the Grantee is not subjected to tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code with respect to such Deferred Stock.

10.2 Vesting and Delivery .

(a) Delivery with Respect to Deferred Stock . Delivery of Shares subject to a Deferred Stock grant will occur upon expiration of the deferral period or upon the occurrence of one or more of the distribution events described in Section 409A(a)(2) of the Code as specified by the Committee in the Grantee’s Award Agreement for the Award of Deferred Stock. An Award of Deferred Stock may be subject to such substantial risk of forfeiture conditions as the Committee may impose, which conditions may lapse at such times or upon the achievement of such objectives as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant or thereafter. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination of Affiliation while the Deferred Stock remains subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Deferred Shares shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or an Affiliate without “cause.”

(b) Delivery with Respect to Restricted Stock Units . Delivery of Shares subject to a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall occur no later than the 15 th day of the third month following the end of the taxable year of the Grantee or the fiscal year of the Company in which the Grantee’s rights under such Restricted Stock Units are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture as defined in final regulations under Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, to the extent that the Grantee has a Termination

 

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of Affiliation while the Restricted Stock Units remains subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, such Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines that such substantial risk of forfeiture shall lapse in the event of the Grantee’s Termination of Affiliation due to death, Disability, or involuntary termination by the Company or an Affiliate without “cause.”

10.3 Voting and Dividend Equivalent Rights Attributable to Deferred Stock and Restricted Stock Units . A Grantee awarded Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units will have no voting rights with respect to such Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units prior to the delivery of Shares in settlement of such Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, a Grantee will have the rights to receive Dividend Equivalents in respect of Deferred Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units, which Dividend Equivalents shall be deemed reinvested in additional Shares of Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, which shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Deferred Stock or Restricted Stock Units to which such Dividend Equivalents relate.

ARTICLE 11.

DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

The Committee is authorized to grant Awards of Dividend Equivalents alone or in conjunction with other Awards. The Committee may provide that Dividend Equivalents shall be paid or distributed when accrued or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or additional Awards or otherwise reinvested subject to distribution at the same time and subject to the same conditions as the Award to which it relates; provided, however, that any Dividend Equivalents granted in conjunction with any Award that is subject to forfeiture conditions shall remain subject to the same forfeiture conditions applicable to the Award to which such Dividend Equivalents relate and any payments in respect of any Dividend Equivalents granted in conjunction with any Options or SARs may not be conditioned, directly or indirectly, on the Grantee’s exercise of the Options or SARs or paid at the same time that the Options or SARs are exercised. The timing of payment or distribution of Dividend Equivalents must comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

ARTICLE 12.

BONUS SHARES

Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may grant Bonus Shares to any Eligible Person, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee.

ARTICLE 13.

OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS

The Committee is authorized, subject to limitations under applicable law, to grant such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Shares, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, including Shares awarded which are not subject to any restrictions or

 

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conditions, convertible or exchangeable debt securities or other rights convertible or exchangeable into Shares, and Awards valued by reference to the value of securities of or the performance of specified Affiliates. Subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards. Except as provided by the Committee, Shares delivered pursuant to a purchase right granted under this Article 13 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for by such methods and in such forms, including cash, Shares, outstanding Awards or other property, as the Committee shall determine.

ARTICLE 14.

NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR AWARDS

Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Board may grant Awards to any Non-Employee Director, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the full Board in its sole discretion. Except as otherwise provided in Section 5.6(b), a Non-Employee Director may not be granted Awards with respect to Shares that have a Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) in excess of $500,000 in a single calendar year.

ARTICLE 15.

AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION

15.1 Amendment, Modification, and Termination . Subject to Section 15.2, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan in whole or in part without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, except that (a) any amendment or alteration shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders if such stockholder approval is required by any federal or state law or regulation or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, and (b) the Board may otherwise, in its discretion, determine to submit other such amendments or alterations to stockholders for approval.

15.2 Awards Previously Granted . Except as otherwise specifically permitted in the Plan or an Award Agreement, no termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted under the Plan, without the written consent of the Grantee of such Award.

ARTICLE 16.

COMPLIANCE WITH CODE SECTION 409A

16.1 Awards Subject to Code Section  409A . The provisions of this Article 16 shall apply to any Award or portion thereof that is or becomes deferred compensation subject to Code Section 409A (a “409A Award”), notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in the Plan or the Award Agreement applicable to such Award.

16.2 Deferral and/or Distribution Elections . Except as otherwise permitted or required by Code Section 409A, the following rules shall apply to any deferral and/or elections as to the form or timing of distributions (each, an “Election”) that may be permitted or required by the Committee with respect to a 409A Award:

 

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(a) Any Election must be in writing and specify the amount being deferred, and the time and form of distribution (i.e., lump sum or installments) as permitted by this Plan. An Election may but need not specify whether payment will be made in cash, Shares or other property.

(b) Any Election shall become irrevocable as of the deadline specified by the Committee, which shall not be later than December 31 of the year preceding the year in which services relating to the Award commence; provided, however, that if the Award qualifies as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 409A and is based on services performed over a period of at least twelve (12) months, then the deadline may be no later than six (6) months prior to the end of such Performance Period.

(c) Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, an Election shall continue in effect until a written election to revoke or change such Election is received by the Committee, prior to the last day for making an Election for the subsequent year.

16.3 Subsequent Elections . Except as otherwise permitted or required by Code Section 409A, any 409A Award which permits a subsequent Election to further defer the distribution or change the form of distribution shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) No subsequent Election may take effect until at least twelve (12) months after the date on which the subsequent Election is made;

(b) Each subsequent Election related to a distribution upon separation from service, a specified time, or a Change in Control must result in a delay of the distribution for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date such distribution would otherwise have been made; and

(c) No subsequent Election related to a distribution to be made at a specified time or pursuant to a fixed schedule shall be made less than twelve (12) months prior to the date the first scheduled payment would otherwise be made.

16.4 Distributions Pursuant to Deferral Elections . Except as otherwise permitted or required by Code Section 409A, no distribution in settlement of a 409A Award may commence earlier than:

(a) Separation from Service;

(b) The date the Participant becomes Disabled (as defined in Section 2.15(b);

(c) The Participant’s death;

(d) A specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule) that is either (i) specified by the Committee upon the grant of the Award and set forth in the Award Agreement or (ii) specified by the Grantee in an Election complying with the requirements of Section 16.2 and/or 16.3, as applicable; or

(e) A change in ownership of the Company or a substantial portion of its assets within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) or (vii) or a change

 

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in effective control of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi) (a “Change in Control”).

16.5 Six Month Delay . Notwithstanding anything herein or in any Award Agreement or Election to the contrary, to the extent that distribution of a 409A Award is triggered by a Grantee’s Separation from Service, if the Grantee is then a “specified employee” (as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(i)), no distribution may be made before the date which is six (6) months after such Grantee’s Separation from Service, or, if earlier, the date of the Grantee’s death.

16.6 Death or Disability . Unless the Award Agreement otherwise provides, if a Grantee dies or becomes Disabled before complete distribution of amounts payable upon settlement of a 409A Award, such undistributed amounts, to the extent vested, shall be distributed as provided in the Participants Election. If the Participant has made no Election with respect to distributions upon death or Disability, all such distributions shall be paid in a lump sum within 90 days following the date of the Participant’s death or Disability.

16.7 No Acceleration of Distributions . This Plan does not permit the acceleration of the time or schedule of any distribution under a 409A Award, except as provided by Code Section 409A and/or applicable regulations or rulings issued thereunder.

ARTICLE 17.

WITHHOLDING

17.1 Required Withholding .

(a) The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that when taxes are to be withheld in connection with the exercise of an Option or SAR, or upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, or upon payment of any other benefit or right under this Plan (the date on which such exercise occurs or such restrictions lapse or such payment of any other benefit or right occurs hereinafter referred to as the “Tax Date”), the Grantee may elect to make payment for the withholding of federal, state and local taxes, including Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes by one or a combination of the following methods:

(i) payment of an amount in cash equal to the amount to be withheld (including cash obtained through the sale of the Shares acquired on exercise of an Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, through a broker-dealer to whom the Grantee has submitted an irrevocable instructions to deliver promptly to the Company, the amount to be withheld);

(ii) delivering part or all of the amount to be withheld in the form of Common Stock valued at its Fair Market Value on the Tax Date;

(iii) requesting the Company to withhold from those Shares that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock, or upon the transfer of

 

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Shares, a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value on the Tax Date equal to the amount to be withheld; or

(iv) withholding from any compensation otherwise due to the Grantee.

The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that the maximum amount of tax withholding upon exercise of an Option or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, to be satisfied by withholding Shares upon exercise of such Option or SAR, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Shares, or upon the transfer of Shares, pursuant to clause (iii) above shall not exceed the minimum amount of taxes, including FICA taxes, required to be withheld under federal, state and local law. An election by Grantee under this subsection is irrevocable. Any fractional share amount and any additional withholding not paid by the withholding or surrender of Shares must be paid in cash. If no timely election is made, the Grantee must deliver cash to satisfy all tax withholding requirements.

(b) Any Grantee who makes a Disqualifying Disposition (as defined in Section 6.4(f)) or an election under Section 83(b) of the Code shall remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy all resulting tax withholding requirements in the same manner as set forth in subsection (a).

17.2 Notification under Code Section  83(b) . If the Grantee, in connection with the exercise of any Option, or the grant of Restricted Shares, makes the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code to include in such Grantee’s gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section 83(b) of the Code, then such Grantee shall notify the Company of such election within 10 days of filing the notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Section 83(b) of the Code. The Committee may, in connection with the grant of an Award or at any time thereafter, prohibit a Grantee from making the election described above.

ARTICLE 18.

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

18.1 Successors . Subject to Section 4.2(b), all obligations of the Company under the Plan with respect to Awards granted hereunder shall 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.

18.2 Severability . If any part of the Plan is declared by any court or governmental authority to be unlawful or invalid, such unlawfulness or invalidity shall not invalidate any other part of the Plan. Any Section or part of 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.

18.3 Requirements of Law . The granting of Awards and the delivery of Shares under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by

 

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any governmental agencies or national securities exchanges as may be required. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or any Award, Grantees shall not be entitled to exercise, or receive benefits under, any Award, and the Company (and any Affiliate) shall not be obligated to deliver any Shares or deliver benefits to a Grantee, if such exercise or delivery would constitute a violation by the Grantee or the Company of any applicable law or regulation.

18.4 Securities Law Compliance .

(a) If the Committee deems it necessary to comply with any applicable securities law, or the requirements of any stock exchange upon which Shares may be listed, the Committee may impose any restriction on Awards or Shares acquired pursuant to Awards under the Plan as it may deem advisable. In addition, if requested by the Company and any underwriter engaged by the Company, Shares acquired pursuant to Awards may not be sold or otherwise transferred or disposed of for such period following the effective date of any registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act as the Company or such underwriter shall specify reasonably and in good faith, not to exceed 180 days in the case of the Company’s initial public offering or 90 days in the case of any other public offering. All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, any stock exchange upon which Shares are then listed, any applicable securities law, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. If so requested by the Company, the Grantee shall make a written representation to the Company that he or she will not sell or offer to sell any Shares unless a registration statement shall be in effect with respect to such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any applicable state securities law or unless he or she shall have furnished to the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to the Company, that such registration is not required.

(b) If the Committee determines that the exercise or nonforfeitability of, or delivery of benefits pursuant to, any Award would violate any applicable provision of securities laws or the listing requirements of any national securities exchange or national market system on which are listed any of the Company’s equity securities, then the Committee may postpone any such exercise, nonforfeitability or delivery, as applicable, but the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to cause such exercise, nonforfeitability or delivery to comply with all such provisions at the earliest practicable date.

18.5 Forfeiture Events . Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, the Committee shall have the authority to determine (and may so provide in any Award Agreement) that a Grantee’s (including his or her estate’s, beneficiary’s or transferee’s) rights (including the right to exercise any Option or SAR), payments and benefits with respect to any Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recoupment (to the extent permitted by applicable law) in the event of the Participant’s termination for Cause; serious misconduct; violation of the Company’s or an Affiliate’s policies; breach of fiduciary duty; unauthorized disclosure of any trade secret or confidential information of the Company or an Affiliate; breach of applicable noncompetition, nonsolicitation, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants; or other conduct or activity that is in competition with the business of the Company or an Affiliate, or otherwise detrimental to the business, reputation or interests of the Company and/or an Affiliate; or upon

 

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the occurrence of certain events specified in the applicable Award Agreement (in any such case, whether or not the Grantee is then an Employee or Non-Employee Director). The determination of whether a Grantee’s conduct, activities or circumstances are described in the immediately preceding sentence shall be made by the Committee in its discretion, and pending any such determination, the Committee shall have the authority to suspend the exercise, payment, delivery or settlement of all or any portion of such Grantee’s outstanding Awards pending any investigation of the matter.

18.6 No Rights as a Stockholder . No Grantee shall have any rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares (other than Restricted Shares) which may be deliverable upon exercise or payment of such Award until such Shares have been delivered to him or her. Restricted Shares, whether held by a Grantee or in escrow by the Secretary of the Company, shall confer on the Grantee all rights of a stockholder of the Company, except as otherwise provided in the Plan or Award Agreement. At the time of a grant of Restricted Shares, the Committee may require the payment of cash dividends thereon to be deferred and, if the Committee so determines, reinvested in additional Restricted Shares. Stock dividends and deferred cash dividends issued with respect to Restricted Shares shall be subject to the same restrictions and other terms as apply to the Restricted Shares with respect to which such dividends are issued. The Committee may in its discretion provide for payment of interest on deferred cash dividends.

18.7 Nature of Payments . Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, Awards shall be special incentive payments to the Grantee and shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the Grantee for purposes of determining any pension, retirement, death or other benefit under (a) any pension, retirement, profit sharing, bonus, insurance or other employee benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate, except as such plan shall otherwise expressly provide, or (b) any agreement between (i) the Company or any Affiliate and (ii) the Grantee, except as such agreement shall otherwise expressly provide.

18.8 Non-Exclusivity of Plan . Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor its submission to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other compensatory arrangements for employees or Non-Employee Directors as it may deem desirable.

18.9 Governing Law . The Plan, and all agreements hereunder, shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, other than its laws respecting choice or conflicts of law rule or principles that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, Participants are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of the State of Delaware, to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or any related Award Agreement.

18.10 Unfunded Status of Awards; Creation of Trusts . The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Grantee pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give any such Grantee any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company; provided, however, that the Committee may authorize the creation of trusts or make other arrangements to meet the Company’s obligations under the Plan to deliver

 

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cash, Shares or other property pursuant to any Award which trusts or other arrangements shall be consistent with the “unfunded” status of the Plan unless the Committee otherwise determines.

18.11 Affiliation . Nothing in the Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Affiliate to terminate any Grantee’s employment or consulting contract at any time, nor confer upon any Grantee the right to continue in the employ of or as an officer of or as a consultant to or Non-Employee Director of the Company or any Affiliate.

18.12 Participation . No employee or officer shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan or, having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.

18.13 Military Service . Awards shall be administered in accordance with Section 414(u) of the Code and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

18.14 Construction . The following rules of construction will apply to the Plan: (a) the word “or” is disjunctive but not necessarily exclusive, and (b) words in the singular include the plural, words in the plural include the singular, and words in the neuter gender include the masculine and feminine genders and words in the masculine or feminine gender include the other neuter genders.

18.15 Headings . The headings of articles and sections are included solely for convenience of reference, and if there is any conflict between such headings and the text of this Plan, the text shall control.

18.16 Obligations . Unless otherwise specified in the Award Agreement, the obligation to deliver, pay or transfer any amount of money or other property pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of a Grantee’s employer; provided that the obligation to deliver or transfer any Shares pursuant to Awards under this Plan shall be the sole obligation of the Company.

18.17 No Right to Continue as Director . Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall confer upon any Non-Employee Director the right to continue to serve as a director of the Company.

18.18 Stockholder Approval . All Incentive Stock Options granted on or after the Effective Date and prior to the date the Company’s stockholders approve the Plan are expressly conditioned upon and subject to approval of the Plan by the Company’s stockholders.

 

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Exhibit 14.1

Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Introduction

Ethics are important to Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “ Arcturus ”) and its directors, officers and employees (each an “ Associate ”). Arcturus is committed to the highest ethical standards and to conducting its business with the highest level of integrity.

The Arcturus Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “ Code ”) has four primary functions:

 

   

To establish and clearly communicate our standards of business conduct, our ethical principles and our expectations;

 

   

To ensure that business policies and practices continue to be aligned with those standards and principles;

 

   

To establish responsibility for monitoring compliance; and

 

   

To set forth the manner in which perceived violations of ethical principles are to be reported. The Code applies to all Associates.

Ethics

Arcturus is committed to the ideals of uncompromising honesty and integrity. As an Arcturus Associate you are expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethics; to be honest and ethical in dealing with each other, with stockholders and with customers, vendors and all other third parties.

You also must respect the rights of your fellow Associates and third parties. Your actions must be free from discrimination, libel, slander or harassment. Each person must be accorded equal opportunity, regardless of age, race, sex, sexual preference, color, creed, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran’s status, handicap or disability.

Misconduct (any violation of the Code) will be addressed as it is identified with appropriate disciplinary action. Misconduct cannot be excused because it was directed or requested by another. You are expected to alert management whenever an unethical, dishonest or illegal act is discovered or suspected, as further provided for in the Code.

The following areas frequently give rise to ethical concerns. A violation of the standards contained in the Code will result in corrective action, including possible dismissal.

Should you have any questions concerning the Code, please direct them to the Chief Financial Officer of Arcturus (the “ CFO ”). The CFO may consult outside counsel with respect to any issue relating to the Code.


Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest arise whenever actions are based on interests other than those of Arcturus. You must avoid any personal activity, investment or association that may interfere with using good judgment concerning Arcturus’s best interests. You may not exploit your position or relationship with Arcturus for personal gain. You should avoid even the appearance of such a conflict. For example, a conflict of interest may arise if you:

 

   

Cause Arcturus to engage in business transactions with relatives or friends;

 

   

Use information of Arcturus, a customer or supplier for your own personal gain, or the personal gain of relatives or friends;

 

   

Have a financial interest in Arcturus’s customers, suppliers or competitors;

 

   

Receive a loan or guarantee of obligations, from Arcturus or from a third party, as a result of your position at Arcturus; or

 

   

Compete, or prepare to compete, with Arcturus while still employed by it.

Employees who are involved in or are aware of a transaction involving any of the relationships described above, must report the transaction to the CFO. Directors and officers shall report such transactions to the Chairman of Arcturus’s Audit Committee. All transactions between Arcturus and any employee or member of the Associate’s immediate family, or any entity in which such employee or a member of his or her immediate family has a significant financial interest, must be approved by the CFO.

Transactions described in the previous sentence between Arcturus and any director or officer or member of such person’s immediate family, or any entity in which such person or member of his or her immediate family has a significant financial interest, must be approved by the Board of Directors.

There may be other situations in which a conflict of interest may arise. If you have any questions or concerns about any situation, follow the guidance outlined in the section below on Reporting Ethical Violations.

Public Reporting of Financial and Non-financial Information

Arcturus, as a publicly traded company, is subject to the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and numerous other laws, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “ Securities Laws ”). The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) requires companies to maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required by the Securities Laws to be disclosed by publicly held companies is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. It is, therefore, imperative that all disclosures contained in Arcturus’s public filings and other public communications are full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable.

 

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Every Associate who participates in the information gathering process for Arcturus’s public filings and other public communications is responsible for the timeliness and accuracy of the information contained therein. Those persons having responsibility for particular areas of Arcturus’s periodic reports such as the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K must report to the Board on an ongoing basis the following matters which come to their attention:

 

   

Deviations from or changes to the current public information available for Arcturus;

 

   

Changes in risks, or new risks, to Arcturus as they are identified; and

 

   

Changes that may affect Arcturus’s financial results.

Arcturus may establish a separate disclosure policy that may provide who may communicate information to the press and the financial analyst community. You should review any applicable disclosure policy and discuss any questions that you may have with the CFO.

Our employees who work in the financial department hold an important and elevated role in corporate governance. They are empowered to ensure that stockholder interests are appropriately balanced, protected and preserved. Accordingly, all financial managers are expected to uphold the following standards:

 

   

To provide information that is accurate, complete, objective, relevant, timely and understandable;

 

   

To comply with laws, rules and regulations of federal, state, provincial and local governments, and appropriate regulatory agencies;

 

   

To act in good faith, responsibly, with due care, competence and diligence, without misrepresenting facts or allowing their independent judgment to be subordinated;

 

   

To respect the confidentiality of information acquired in connection with their activities for Arcturus, except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to disclose;

 

   

To share knowledge and to maintain skills needed to perform their jobs;

 

   

To proactively promote ethical behavior as a responsible partner among peers in the workplace and community; and

 

   

To achieve responsible use of and control over all assets and resources employed by or entrusted to them.

Compliance with all governmental laws, rules and regulations applicable to Arcturus is mandatory and any violations thereof are considered violations of the Code. Mistakes should never be covered up, but should be immediately fully disclosed and corrected, if possible.

If you have any questions about your duties with regard to public reporting, please ask the CFO.

 

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Bribes and Kickbacks

A kickback or bribe includes any item intended to improperly obtain favorable treatment. Other than for modest gifts given or received in the normal course of business (e.g., coffee mugs, pens and other logoed promotional materials or business lunches), neither you nor your relatives may give gifts to, or receive gifts from, Arcturus’s customers and suppliers. Other gifts may be given or accepted only with prior approval of the CFO. In no event should you put Arcturus or yourself in a position that would be uncomfortable if knowledge of the gift was made public. Dealing with government employees is often different than dealing with private persons. Many governmental bodies strictly prohibit the receipt of any gratuities by their employees, including meals and entertainment. You must be aware of and strictly follow these prohibitions.

Conducting Business Outside of the United States and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Certain Associates or other affiliates of the company may find it necessary to interact with foreign governments or officials in the furtherance of Arcturus’s business activities. In any dealings with foreign officials, candidates, or political parties, Arcturus and its Associates, consultants, agents, subsidiaries, distributors, resellers, and representatives, must comply with the following policy.

Generally, Arcturus policies, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “ FCPA ”), and applicable foreign laws prohibit payments to, and business relationships with, government officials (“government officials” may include employees of entities that are state-owned, in whole or part, public international organizations and political parties or political candidates) that could be construed as bribes or attempts to influence government behavior.

You may not give, offer, promise, or authorize direct or indirect payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business for Arcturus. Payments include money, gifts, or anything of value, and need not actually be delivered, but merely have been intended for a corrupt purpose, to violate the FCPA. It is therefore illegal and against Arcturus policy for any Associate or other Arcturus representative to offer or give anything of value that is intended to:

 

   

influence any act or decision of a foreign official in his or her official capacity;

 

   

induce the official violate a lawful duty of his position or to use his influence improperly; or

 

   

obtain an improper advantage for Arcturus.

Arcturus and individuals may face significant civil and criminal punishment in both the United States and in other countries, including imprisonment, for violating the FCPA and local laws.

Acknowledging that in certain foreign localities, payments to local government officials may be customary to expedite processes such as the granting of a business license or similarly routine governmental action, the FCPA contains a narrow exception for such payments. In every case, prior to making, promising, or offering any such payment, any Associate or affiliate of Arcturus must consult with the CFO should uncertainties arise. Furthermore, if it is determined that a payment meets this narrow exception, it must be recorded accurately by the accounting department, as it is an independent violation of the FCPA to mischaracterize any such payment in the financial

 

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records. Both the consultation with the CFO and the accounting treatment of the payment must be documented in writing.

Quality and Regulatory Compliance

Arcturus is subject to numerous international, federal and state laws concerning the design, clinical development, manufacture, distribution and promotion of its products. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “ FDC Act ”) is the primary regulatory statute governing Arcturus’s activities. The FDC Act is implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “ FDA ”) through the promulgation of regulations and by the issuance of guidelines and other informal notices regarding compliance requirements. FDA regulations applicable to medical devices, biologics and pharmaceuticals encompass a wide variety of activities including: product clearance; labeling, advertising, and promotion; reporting requirements; establishment registration and product listing; current good manufacturing practices; and preclinical studies and clinical studies. Other federal agencies also have applicable laws, regulations and guidelines, as do individual state governments. Arcturus has established policies and procedures to ensure that our activities are conducted in compliance with the federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to FDA-regulated products.

In addition to legal compliance, you are required to maintain the highest ethical and scientific standards in researching and developing Arcturus’s products. Associates are further required to be scrupulously accurate in data submitted to FDA, publications, or any other party. You will adhere to all standards and procedures necessary to ensure rigorous scientific inquiry and will interact with federal and state agencies in a forthright manner designed to ensure the safe and effective use of its products. Additionally, in accordance with Arcturus’s objective, Associates are required to manufacture Arcturus’s products in a manner designed to ensure their safety, integrity, and suitability for patients, and to market and sell its products in an honest and balanced manner that provides health professionals with the information necessary to use its products appropriately. Clinical studies will be conducted in such a fashion as to safeguard the welfare of subjects and ensure the scientific integrity of the research.

Associates will maintain accurate and complete records of all data related to FDA-regulated products in order to comply with FDA regulations. This work includes research and development, preclinical and clinical studies, manufacturing, marketing, quality control and quality assurance, regulatory and other activities as determined by our Chief Executive Officer (“ CEO ”). As part of Arcturus’s quality system, Associates are required to maintain reliable documentation. The accuracy of data in our records, including full disclosure, lack of material omission, and integrity of the data is your priority.

Any Associate who alters or falsifies data, destroys or fails to maintain product related data, or omits data from records that are needed to provide full information regarding a commercial or development stage product is acting in violation of the Code. If you have questions related to quality and regulatory compliance, you should consult with your supervisor, or the CEO.

Improper Use or Theft of Arcturus Property

Every Associate must safeguard Arcturus property from loss or theft, and may not take such property for personal use. Arcturus property includes such items as biological materials, chemicals,

 

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laboratory equipment and machinery, inventory, vehicles, software, computers, office equipment, and supplies as well as confidential information such as non-public personal information about customers, customer lists, and proprietary product information, to name a few. You must appropriately secure all Arcturus property within your control to prevent its unauthorized use.

Fair Dealing

No Arcturus Associate should take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of facts, or any other unfair-dealing practice.

Fair Competition and Antitrust Laws

Arcturus must comply with all applicable fair competition and antitrust laws. These laws attempt to ensure that businesses compete fairly and honestly and prohibit conduct seeking to reduce or restrain competition. If you are uncertain whether a contemplated action raises unfair competition or antitrust issues, you should raise the issue with the CFO.

Insider Trading

If an Associate has material non-public information relating to Arcturus, it is our policy that neither that person (nor any of his/her relatives) may buy or sell any Arcturus securities or engage in any other action to take advantage of, or pass on to others, that information. This policy also applies to information relating to any other company, including our customers, partners or suppliers, obtained in the course of employment. Officers, directors and employees should carefully review and comply with Arcturus’s separate Insider Trading Policy. Questions regarding insider trading should be addressed to the CFO.

Waivers and Amendments of the Code

Any waiver of any provision of the Code for any of our directors or executive officers, or any amendment of the Code, must be approved in writing by our Audit Committee and must be disclosed to stockholders and to others, along with the reasons for such waiver, as required by applicable laws and regulations in the manner or manners required thereby. Any waiver of any provision of the Code with respect any other Associate must be approved in writing by our CFO. Waivers will be granted only as permitted by law and in extraordinary circumstances.

Reporting Ethical Violations

Your conduct can reinforce an ethical atmosphere and provide influence on the conduct of fellow Associates. Associates are empowered by the Code to act in situations where they have the authority or feel comfortable enough to stop unethical behavior. If the unethical behavior is prevented by your actions, then no report is necessary. However, if you are aware of any violations of the Code and feel powerless to stop them, you must report them to the CFO or to your direct supervisor. You also may contact the Chief Executive Officer of the company.

If you are still concerned after speaking with Arcturus officers or feel uncomfortable speaking with them (for whatever reason), you may contact the Chairman of Arcturus’s Audit Committee at the following address:

 

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Chairman of the Audit Committee

Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc.

10628 Science Center Drive,

Suite 250

San Diego, CA 92121

You may write anonymously and you should include copies of relevant documents.

Arcturus’s policy prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation against any Associate who in good faith provides any information or otherwise assists in any investigation or proceeding regarding any potential violation of the Code.

Accountability for Adherence to the Code

The CFO shall report to our Audit Committee on all material issues relating to the Code. Our Audit Committee enforces the Code by evaluating all alleged violations of the Code after all of the pertinent information has been gathered and appropriate action will be determined with the involvement of counsel. If an alleged violation of the Code has been reported to it, the Audit Committee shall determine whether that violation has occurred and, if so, shall determine the disciplinary measures to be taken against any Associate who has violated the Code.

The disciplinary measures, which may be invoked at the discretion of the Audit Committee, include, but are not limited to, counseling, oral or written reprimands, warnings, probation or suspension without pay, termination of employment or other relationship with us and restitution.

Arcturus is committed to upholding the Code and is supporting all Associates who aid in this endeavor. Arcturus will not tolerate any form of retaliation for reporting suspected violations of the Code. All questions and reports of known or suspected violations of the law or the Code will be treated with sensitivity and discretion. The Company will protect Associates’ confidentiality to the extent possible consistent with the law and the Company’s need to investigate questions and reports of known or suspected violations of the law or the Code.

Seeking Help and Information

This Code does not replace your responsibility for making good judgments and using common sense. It is not intended to be a comprehensive rulebook and cannot address every situation that you may face. In some areas, the Code is supplemented by additional policies that address specific topics in more detail. While the Code is designed to provide an overview of relevant subject matter, it is not as comprehensive as these supplemental policies and therefore does not supersede them or act as a substitute for reviewing each such supplemental policy. If you encounter a difficult business decision that is not addressed in the Code, you should consult the Company’s policies and procedures, or contact your supervisor or the CFO.

 

7

Exhibit 99.1

 

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Arcturus Therapeutics Announces Redomiciliation to the United States as a Delaware Corporation

June 13, 2019

SAN DIEGO, June 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCT) (the “Company”), a leading messenger RNA medicines company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics for rare diseases, today announced that it has obtained approval from the Israeli Court to complete the redomiciliation process to the United States as a Delaware corporation, which was approved by the Company’s shareholders on May 17, 2019 (99.7% votes in favor).

“We are pleased to have re-established our corporation in the United States, where our headquarters, operations and most of our shareholders are located,” said Joseph Payne, President & CEO of Arcturus Therapeutics. “This action will streamline our corporate structure, increase efficiency and provide corporate flexibility that puts us in the best position to manage our business and create long-term shareholder value.”

All issued ordinary shares and options to purchase ordinary shares in the capital of Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd. have been exchanged on a one-for-one basis for shares of common stock and options to purchase shares of common stock, respectively of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. The shares will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “ARCT.” No action is required by shareholders.

About Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc.

Founded in 2013 and based in San Diego, California, Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ARCT) is an RNA medicines company with enabling technologies - UNA Oligomer chemistry and LUNAR ® lipid-mediated delivery. Arcturus’ diverse pipeline of RNA therapeutics includes programs pursuing rare diseases, Hepatitis B, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cystic fibrosis, and vaccines. Arcturus’ versatile RNA therapeutics platforms can be applied toward multiple types of RNA medicines including small interfering RNA, messenger RNA, replicon RNA, antisense RNA, microRNA and gene editing therapeutics. Arcturus owns LUNAR lipid-mediated delivery and Unlocked Nucleomonomer Agent (UNA) technology including UNA Oligomers, which are covered by its extensive patent portfolio (152 patents and patent applications, issued in the U.S., Europe, Japan, China and other countries). Arcturus’ proprietary UNA technology can be used to target individual genes in the human genome, as well as viral genes, and other species for therapeutic purposes. Arcturus’ commitment to the development of novel RNA therapeutics has led to partnerships with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Synthetic Genomics Inc. and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For more information, visit www.Arcturusrx.com , the content of which is not incorporated herein by reference.

Contact

Neda Safarzadeh

Arcturus Therapeutics

(858) 900-2682

IR@ArcturusRx.com

Arcturus Investor Contacts

Michael Wood

LifeSci Advisors LLC

(646) 597-6983

mwood@lifesciadvisors.com

 

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Source: Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.