As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 4, 2021

Registration No. 333-    

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

 

 

CEREVEL THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   85-3911080
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

222 Jacobs Street, Suite 200

Cambridge, MA 02141

(844) 304-2048

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”)

Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2020 ESPP”)

(Full Title of the Plans)

 

 

N. Anthony Coles, M.D.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

222 Jacobs Street, Suite 200

Cambridge, MA 02141

(844) 304-2048

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

 

 

Copies to:

Stuart M. Cable, Esq.

Arthur R. McGivern, Esq.

Goodwin Procter LLP

100 Northern Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02210

Tel: (617) 570-1000

 

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller reporting company  
     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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Securities
to be Registered

  Amount
to be
Registered(1)
  Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
per Share
  Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price
  Amount of
Registration Fee

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

  29,135,637 shares(2)    $16.84(3)   $490,644,127.08   $53,529.28

Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share

  2,927,163 shares(4)   $14.31(5)   $41,887,702.53   $4,569.95

Total

  32,062,800 shares       $532,531,829.61   $58,099.23

 

 

(1)

Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this registration statement (this “Registration Statement”) shall also cover any additional shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “common stock”) of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (the “Registrant”) which become issuable under the above-named plans by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other similar transaction effected without the receipt of consideration which results in an increase in the number of outstanding shares of common stock. Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act, this Registration Statement shall also cover an indeterminate amount of interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described herein.

(2)

Represents 24,050,679 shares of common stock initially reserved for future issuance under the 2020 Plan plus 5,084,958 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2020 Plan on January 1, 2021. The 2020 Plan provides that the number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 Plan shall be cumulatively increased on January 1 of each year. The number of shares of common stock increased each year will be equal to the lesser of: (i) 4% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) such lesser amount as determined by the Registrant’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).

(3)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) of the Securities Act, and based on $16.84, the average of the high and low sale prices of the common stock as reported on The Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) on December 31, 2020 (such date being within five business days of the date that this Registration Statement was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)).

(4)

Represents 1,655,924 shares of common stock initially reserved for future issuance under the 2020 ESPP plus 1,271,239 additional shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under the 2020 ESPP on January 1, 2021. The 2020 ESPP provides that the number of shares of common stock reserved and available for issuance under the 2020 ESPP shall be cumulatively increased on January 1 of each year. The number of shares of common stock increased each year will be equal to the lesser of: (i) 1% of the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) such lesser amount as determined by the Board.

(5)

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(a) of the Securities Act, and based on 85% of $16.84, the average of the high and low sale prices of the common stock as reported on Nasdaq on December 31, 2020 (such date being within five business days of the date that this Registration Statement was filed with the Commission). Pursuant to the 2020 ESPP, the purchase price of the shares of common stock reserved for issuance thereunder will be 85% of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the first trading day of the offering period or on the exercise date, whichever is less.

Proposed sales to take place as soon after the effective date of the Registration Statement as awards are granted, exercised or distributed under the above-named plans.

 

 

 


Part I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1. Plan Information.

The documents containing the information specified in this Item 1 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.

Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

The documents containing the information specified in this Item 2 will be sent or given to participants as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act.

Part II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement the following documents filed with the Commission:

 

  (a)

The prospectus filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, on December 4, 2020, relating to the Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333- 250964), which contains the Registrant’s audited financial statements for the latest fiscal year for which such statements have been filed;

 

  (b)

The Registrant’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended June 30, 2020 (as filed with the Commission on August 14, 2020) and September 30, 2020 (as filed with the Commission on November 16, 2020);

 

  (c)

The description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-39311), filed by the Registrant with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), on June 4, 2020, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description; and

 

  (d)

The Registrant’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 9, 2020, June 15, 2020, July 22, 2020, July 30, 2020 (Items 1.01, 3.02 and 9.01), October 5, 2020, October  21, 2020, October 26, 2020, November 2, 2020 (as amended on November 16, 2020), November 20, 2020 and December 9, 2020.

All documents that the registrant subsequently files pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all of the shares of common stock offered have been sold or which deregisters all of such shares then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents.


Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Under no circumstances will any information filed under current items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K be deemed incorporated herein by reference unless such Form 8-K expressly provides to the contrary.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) authorizes a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against liabilities arising out of actions, suits and proceedings to which they are made or threatened to be made a party by reason of the fact that they have served or are currently serving as a director or officer to a corporation. The indemnity may cover expenses (including attorneys’ fees) judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer in connection with any such action, suit or proceeding. Section 145 permits corporations to pay expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by directors and officers in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding. In addition, Section 145 provides that a corporation has the power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of its directors and officers against any liability asserted against them and incurred by them in their capacity as a director or officer, or arising out of their status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the director or officer against such liability under Section 145.

The Registrant has adopted provisions in the Registrant’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws, which became effective in connection with the completion of the Registrant’s business combination on October 27, 2020, that limit or eliminate the personal liability of the Registrant’s directors to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:

 

   

any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders;

 

   

any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

 

   

any unlawful payments related to dividends or unlawful stock purchases, redemptions or other distributions; or

 

   

any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.


These limitations of liability do not alter director liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or rescission.

In addition, the Registrant’s bylaws provide that:

 

   

the Registrant will indemnify its directors, officers and, in the discretion of its board of directors, certain employees to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it now exists or may in the future be amended; and

 

   

the Registrant will advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees, to its directors and, in the discretion of its board of directors, to its officers and certain employees, in connection with legal proceedings relating to their service for or on behalf of the registrant, subject to limited exceptions

The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with several of its directors and executive officers. These agreements provide that the registrant will indemnify each of its directors and executive officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. The registrant will advance expenses, including attorneys’ fees (but excluding judgments, fines and settlement amounts), to each indemnified director or executive officer in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available and the registrant will indemnify its directors and officers for any action or proceeding arising out of that person’s services as a director or officer brought on behalf of the registrant or in furtherance of the Registrant’s rights. Additionally, certain of the Registrant’s directors may have certain rights to indemnification, advancement of expenses or insurance provided by their affiliates or other third parties, which indemnification relates to and might apply to the same proceedings arising out of such director’s services as a director referenced herein. Nonetheless, the Registrant has agreed in the indemnification agreements that the Registrant’s obligations to those same directors are primary and any obligation of such affiliates or other third parties to advance expenses or to provide indemnification for the expenses or liabilities incurred by those directors are secondary.

The registrant also maintains general liability insurance which covers certain liabilities of its directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.


Item 8. Exhibits.

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
No.
  

Description

4.1    Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Annex C to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus).
4.2    By-laws of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Annex  D to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus).
4.3    Warrant Agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company and ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp II, dated June  9, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on June 9, 2020).
4.4    Specimen Warrant Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Commission on May 29, 2020).
4.5    Amended and Restated Registration and Shareholder Rights Agreement, dated October 27, 2020, by and among the Registrant and the stockholders party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-250964), filed with the Commission on November 25, 2020).
5.1*    Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP.
23.1*    Consent of WithumSmith+Brown, PC, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.2*    Consent of Ernst & Young, LLP, independent registered public accounting firm.
23.3*    Consent of Goodwin Procter LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1*    Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this Registration Statement).
99.1    Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Annex  J to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus).
99.2    Forms of Award Agreements under the Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on November 2, 2020).
99.3*    Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

 

 

*

Filed herewith.

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and


(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) herein do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)) that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, on January 4, 2021.

 

CEREVEL THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
By:   /s/ N. Anthony Coles
Name:   N. Anthony Coles
Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY AND SIGNATURES

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENT, that each individual whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of N. Anthony Coles, Kathy Yi and Mark Bodenrader as such person’s true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for such person in such person’s name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Commission granting unto each said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that any said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities and on the date indicated below.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ N. Anthony Coles

N. Anthony Coles

   Chairman, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   January 4, 2021

/s/ Kathy Yi

Kathy Yi

   Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)   January 4, 2021

/s/ Mark Bodenrader

Mark Bodenrader

   Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer)   January 4, 2021

/s/ Morris Birnbaum

Morris Birnbaum

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Marijn Dekkers

Marijn Dekkers

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Douglas Giordano

Douglas Giordano

   Director   January 4, 2021


Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Christopher Gordon

Christopher Gordon

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Adam Koppel

Adam Koppel

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Ruth McKernan

Ruth McKernan

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Norbert Riedel

Norbert Riedel

   Director   January 4, 2021

/s/ Gabrielle Sulzberger

Gabrielle Sulzberger

   Director   January 4, 2021

Exhibit 5.1

January 4, 2021

Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

222 Jacobs Street, Suite 200

Cambridge, MA 02141

 

Re:

Securities Being Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-8

We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), on or about the date hereof relating to an aggregate of 32,062,800 shares (the “Shares”) of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), that may be issued pursuant to the Company’s 2020 Equity Incentive Plan and Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

We have reviewed such documents and made such examination of law as we have deemed appropriate to give the opinions set forth below. We have relied, without independent verification, on certificates of public officials and, as to matters of fact material to the opinion set forth below, on certificates of officers of the Company.

The opinion set forth below is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law.

For purposes of the opinion set forth below, we have assumed that no event occurs that causes the number of authorized shares of Common Stock available for issuance by the Company to be less than the number of then unissued Shares.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, upon issuance and delivery against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. In giving our consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,
/S/ GOODWIN PROCTER LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. on Form S-8, of our report dated August 5, 2020, relating to the balance sheet of ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp II as of June 9, 2020, and the related statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the period from February 20, 2020 (inception) through June 9, 2020.

 

/s/ WithumSmith+Brown, PC
New York, New York
January 4, 2021

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the 2020 Equity Incentive Plan and Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. of our report dated April 10, 2020, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Cerevel Therapeutics, Inc. included in the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-250964) and related prospectus of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
January 4, 2021

Exhibit 99.3

 

LOGO

CEREVEL THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2020 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

The purpose of the Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Amended and Restated 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is to provide eligible employees of Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) and each Designated Subsidiary (as defined in Section 11) with opportunities to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”). 1,655,924 shares of Common Stock in the aggregate have been approved and reserved for this purpose, plus on January 1, 2021 and each January 1 thereafter until the Plan terminates pursuant to Section 20, the number of shares of Common Stock reserved and available for issuance under the Plan shall be cumulatively increased by the lesser of (i) one percent (1%) of the number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the immediately preceding December 31 or (ii) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as determined by the Board (as defined in Section 1); provided that the total number of shares of Common Stock that become available for issuance under the Plan may not exceed 16,559,240.

The Plan consists of two components: a Code Section 423 component (the “423 Component”) and a non-Code Section 423 component (the “Non-423 Component”). It is intended for the 423 Component to constitute an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the 423 Component shall be interpreted in accordance with that intent. Under the Non-423 Component, which does not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Code, options will be granted pursuant to rules, procedures or sub-plans adopted by the Administrator designed to achieve similar tax, securities, or other objectives for eligible employees as provided by the 423 Component. Except as otherwise provided herein, the Non-423 Component will operate and be administered in the same manner as the 423 Component and will be subject to the same limitations applicable to the 423 Component including, but not limited to, the limitations on purchase set forth in Section 8 of the Plan.

Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms in this Plan shall have the meaning ascribed to them in Section 11.

1. Administration. The Plan will be administered by the person or persons (the “Administrator”) appointed by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) for such purpose. The Administrator has authority at any time to: (a) adopt, alter and repeal such rules, guidelines and practices for the administration of the Plan and for its own acts and proceedings as it shall deem advisable; (b) interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan; (c) make all determinations it deems advisable for the administration of the Plan, including to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws, regulations and procedures for jurisdictions outside the United States; (d) decide all disputes arising in connection with the Plan; and (e) otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan. All interpretations and decisions of the Administrator shall be binding on all persons, including the Company and the Participants. No member of the Board or individual exercising administrative authority with respect to the Plan shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any option granted hereunder.


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 2 of 10

 

2. Offerings. The Company will make one or more offerings to eligible employees to purchase Common Stock under the Plan (“Offerings”). Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, the initial Offering will begin on February 1, 2021 and end on May 28, 2021 (the “Initial Offering”). Thereafter, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, an Offering will begin on the first business day occurring on or after each June 1 and December 1 and will end on the last business day occurring on or before the following November 30 and May 31, respectively. The Administrator may, in its discretion, designate a different period for any Offering, provided that no Offering shall exceed 27 months in duration or overlap with any other Offering.

3. Eligibility. All individuals who render services as employees pursuant to employment relationships to the Company or any Designated Subsidiary are eligible to participate in any one or more of the Offerings under the Plan, provided that, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, as of the first day of the applicable Offering (the “Offering Date”) they are customarily employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for more than 20 hours a week and have completed at least two (2) months of employment. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, individuals who are not contemporaneously classified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for purposes of the Company’s or applicable Designated Subsidiary’s payroll system are not considered to be eligible employees of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary and shall not be eligible to participate in the Plan. In the event any such individuals are reclassified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary for any purpose, including, without limitation, common law or statutory employees, by any action of any third party, including, without limitation, any government agency, or as a result of any private lawsuit, action or administrative proceeding, such individuals shall, notwithstanding such reclassification, remain ineligible for participation, except to the extent required by Code Section 423 and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the exclusive means for individuals who are not contemporaneously classified as employees of the Company or a Designated Subsidiary on the Company’s or Designated Subsidiary’s payroll system to become eligible to participate in this Plan is through an amendment to this Plan, duly executed by the Company, which specifically renders such individuals eligible to participate herein.

4. Participation.

(a) An eligible employee who is not a Participant in any prior Offering may participate in a subsequent Offering by submitting an enrollment form by the 15th day of the month preceding the Offering Date (or by such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering).

(b) The enrollment form will (i) state a whole percentage to be deducted from an eligible employee’s Compensation (as defined in Section 11) per pay period, (ii) authorize the purchase of Common Stock in each Offering in accordance with the terms of the Plan and (iii) specify the exact name or names in which shares of Common Stock purchased for such individual are to be issued pursuant to Section 10. An employee who does not enroll in accordance with these procedures will be deemed to have waived the right to participate. Unless a Participant files a new enrollment form or withdraws from the Plan, such Participant’s deductions and purchases will continue at the same percentage of Compensation for future Offerings, provided he or she remains eligible.

 

2


Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Page 3 of 10

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, participation in the Plan will neither be permitted nor be denied contrary to the requirements of the Code.

5. Employee Contributions. Each eligible employee may authorize payroll deductions at a minimum of 1 percent up to a maximum of 15 percent of such employee’s Compensation for each pay period. The Company will maintain book accounts showing the amount of payroll deductions made by each Participant for each Offering. No interest will accrue or be paid on payroll deductions.

6. Deduction Changes. Except as may be determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, a Participant may decrease the percentage of Compensation designated to be deducted as payroll deductions during an Offering (but not below 1%) by completing and filing such deduction change forms as the Administrator may require. Unless the Administrator otherwise determines, such decrease shall be effective in the next administratively feasible payroll period after the date that the Administrator receives such forms and shall apply to all remaining Compensation paid during the Offering, as well as to Compensation paid during subsequent Offerings. Except as may be determined by the Administrator in advance of an Offering, the Participant may exercise the right to decrease his or her payroll deductions only once during each Offering. Additionally, a Participant may increase or decrease his or her payroll deduction with respect to the next Offering (subject to the limitations of Section 5) by filing a new enrollment form by the 15th day of the month preceding the next Offering Date (or by such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering). The Administrator may, in advance of any Offering, establish rules permitting a Participant to increase, decrease or terminate his or her payroll deduction during an Offering.

7. Withdrawal. A Participant may withdraw from participation in the Plan by delivering a notice of withdrawal by no later than the 15th day of the month in which the Exercise Date falls (or such other deadline as shall be established by the Administrator for the Offering). Following a Participant’s timely withdrawal and as soon as administratively feasible, the Company will refund such individual’s entire account balance under the Plan to him or her (after payment for any Common Stock purchased before the effective date of withdrawal). Partial withdrawals are not permitted. Such an employee may not begin participation again during the remainder of the Offering, but, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements under Section 3 of the Plan, may enroll in a subsequent Offering in accordance with Section 4.

8. Grant of Options. On each Offering Date, the Company will grant to each eligible employee who is then a Participant in the Plan an option (“Option”) to purchase on the last day of such Offering (the “Exercise Date”), at the Option Price hereinafter provided for, the lowest of (a) a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing such Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions on such Exercise Date by the Option Price (as defined herein), (b) a number of shares determined by dividing $25,000 by the Fair Market Value on the Offering Date or (c) such

 

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other lesser maximum number of shares as shall have been established by the Administrator in advance of the Offering; provided, however, that such Option shall be subject to the limitations set forth below. Each Participant’s Option shall be exercisable only to the extent of such Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions on the Exercise Date. The purchase price for each share purchased under each Option (the “Option Price”) will be 85 percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the Offering Date or the Exercise Date, whichever is less.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Participant may be granted an Option hereunder if such Participant, immediately after the Option was granted, would be treated as owning stock possessing 5 percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary (as defined in Section 11). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the attribution rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining the stock ownership of a Participant, and all stock which the Participant has a contractual right to purchase shall be treated as stock owned by the Participant. In addition, no Participant may be granted an Option which permits his or her rights to purchase stock under the Plan, and any other employee stock purchase plan of the Company and its Parents and Subsidiaries, to accrue at a rate which exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock (determined on the option grant date or dates) for each calendar year in which the Option is outstanding at any time. The limitation in the preceding sentence shall be applied taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted.

9. Exercise of Option and Purchase of Shares. Each employee who continues to be a Participant in the Plan on the Exercise Date shall be deemed to have exercised his or her Option on such date and shall acquire from the Company such number of whole shares of Common Stock reserved for the purpose of the Plan as his or her accumulated payroll deductions on such date will purchase at the Option Price, subject to any other limitations contained in the Plan. Any amount remaining in a Participant’s account at the end of an Offering solely by reason of the inability to purchase a fractional share will be carried forward to the next Offering; any other balance remaining in a Participant’s account at the end of an Offering will be refunded to the Participant promptly.

10. Issuance of Shares. Certificates or book entry deposits representing shares of Common Stock purchased under the Plan may be issued only in the name of the employee, in the name of the employee and another person of legal age as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, or in the name of a broker authorized by the employee to be his, her or their, nominee for such purpose.

11. Definitions.

The term “Closing Date” means the date of the closing of the transactions contemplated by that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of July 29, 2020, by and among the Company and the other parties thereto.

 

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The term “Compensation” means the amount of base pay, but excluding overtime, commissions and incentive or bonus awards, prior to salary reduction pursuant to Sections 125, 132(f), or 401(k) of the Code, allowances and reimbursements for expenses such as relocation allowances or travel expenses, income or gains on the exercise of Company stock options, and similar items. The Administrator shall have the discretion to determine the application of this definition to Participants outside the United States.

The term “Designated Subsidiary” means any present or future Subsidiary (as defined below) that has been designated by the Board to participate in the Plan. The Board may so designate any Subsidiary, or revoke any such designation, at any time and from time to time, either before or after the Plan is approved by the stockholders, and may further designate such Subsidiaries or Participants as participating in the 423 Component or the Non-423 Component. The Board may also determine which Subsidiaries or eligible employees may be excluded from participation in the Plan, to the extent consistent with Section 423 of the Code or as implemented under the Non-423 Component, and determine which Designated Subsidiary or Subsidiaries will participate in separate Offerings (to the extent that the Company makes separate Offerings). For purposes of the 423 Component, only the Company and its Subsidiaries may be Designated Subsidiaries; provided, however, that at any given time, a Subsidiary that is a Designated Subsidiary under the 423 Component will not be a Designated Subsidiary under the Non-423 Component.

The term “Fair Market Value of the Common Stock” on any given date means the fair market value of the Common Stock determined in good faith by the Administrator; provided, however, that if the Common Stock is admitted to quotation on The Nasdaq Global Market or another national securities exchange, the determination shall be made by reference to the closing price on such date. If there is no closing price for such date, the determination shall be made by reference to the last date preceding such date for which there is a closing price.

The term “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date if the Administrator shortens any Offering then in progress.

The term “Parent” means a “parent corporation” with respect to the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

The term “Participant” means an individual who is eligible to participate in the Plan as determined in Section 3 and who has complied with the provisions of Section 4.

The term “Sale Event” means(i) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company on a consolidated basis to an unrelated person or entity, (ii) a merger, reorganization or consolidation pursuant to which the holders of the Company’s outstanding voting power and outstanding stock immediately prior to such transaction do not own a majority of the outstanding voting power and outstanding stock or other equity interests of the resulting or successor entity (or its ultimate parent, if applicable) immediately upon completion of such transaction, (iii) the sale of all of the Common Stock to an unrelated person, entity or group thereof acting in concert, or (iv) any other transaction in which the owners of the Company’s outstanding voting power immediately prior to such transaction do not own at least a majority of the outstanding voting power of the Company or any successor entity immediately upon completion of the transaction other than as a result of the acquisition of securities directly from the Company.

 

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The term “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation” with respect to the Company, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

12. Rights on Termination or Transfer of Employment. If a Participant’s employment terminates for any reason before the Exercise Date for any Offering, no payroll deduction will be taken from any pay due and owing to the Participant and the balance in the Participant’s account will be paid to such Participant or, in the case of such Participant’s death, to his or her designated beneficiary as if such Participant had withdrawn from the Plan under Section 7. An employee will be deemed to have terminated employment, for this purpose, if the corporation that employs him or her, having been a Designated Subsidiary, ceases to be a Subsidiary, or if the employee is transferred to any corporation other than the Company or a Designated Subsidiary. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a Participant whose employment transfers between, or whose employment terminates with an immediate rehire (with no break in service) by, Designated Subsidiaries or a Designated Subsidiary and the Company will not be treated as having terminated employment for purposes of participating in the Plan or an Offering; provided, however, that if a Participant transfers from an Offering under the 423 Component to an Offering under the Non-423 Component, the exercise of the Participant’s Option will be qualified under the 423 Component only to the extent that such exercise complies with Section 423 of the Code. If a Participant transfers from an Offering under the Non-423 Component to an Offering under the 423 Component, the exercise of the Participant’s Option will remain non-qualified under the Non-423 Component. Further, an employee will not be deemed to have terminated employment for this purpose, if the employee is on an approved leave of absence for military service or sickness or for any other purpose approved by the Company, if the employee’s right to reemployment is guaranteed either by a statute or by contract or under the policy pursuant to which the leave of absence was granted or if the Administrator otherwise provides in writing.

13. Special Rules. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrator may adopt special rules applicable to the employees of a particular Designated Subsidiary, whenever the Administrator determines that such rules are necessary or appropriate for the implementation of the Plan in a jurisdiction where such Designated Subsidiary has employees; provided that such rules are consistent with the requirements of Section 423(b) of the Code. Any special rules established pursuant to this Section 13 shall, to the extent possible, result in the employees subject to such rules having substantially the same rights as other Participants in the Plan.

14. Optionees Not Stockholders. Neither the granting of an Option to a Participant nor the deductions from his or her pay shall constitute such Participant a holder of the shares of Common Stock covered by an Option under the Plan until such shares have been purchased by and issued to him or her.

 

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15. Rights Not Transferable. Rights under the Plan are not transferable by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and are exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant.

16. Application of Funds. All funds received or held by the Company under the Plan may be combined with other corporate funds and may be used for any corporate purpose.

17. Adjustment in Case of Changes Affecting Common Stock. In the event of a subdivision of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the payment of a dividend in Common Stock or any other change affecting the Common Stock, the number and class of shares approved for the Plan and the share limitation and Option Price set forth in Section 8 shall be adjusted by the Administrator in such manner as it deems equitable. In the case of and subject to the consummation of a Sale Event, the Administrator, in its discretion, and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions whenever the Administrator determines that such action is appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any right under the Plan or to facilitate such transactions or events:

(a) To provide for either (i) termination of any outstanding Option in exchange for an amount of cash, if any, equal to the amount that would have been obtained upon the exercise of such Option had such Option been currently exercisable or (ii) the replacement of such outstanding Option with other options or property selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion;

(b) To provide that the outstanding Options under the Plan shall be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for similar options covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

(c) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Options under the Plan and/or in the terms and conditions of outstanding Options and Options that may be granted in the future;

(d) To provide that the Offering with respect to which an Option relates will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date on which such Offering will end. The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Sale Event. The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing or electronically prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering as provided in Section 7 hereof; and

(e) To provide that all outstanding Options shall terminate without being exercised and all amounts in the accounts of Participants shall be promptly refunded.

 

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18. Amendment of the Plan. The Board may, at any time, amend the Plan in any respect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following amendments by Board action shall have no effect unless stockholder approval is received within 12 months of such Board action: (a) amendments increasing the number of shares approved for the 423 Component of the Plan, or (b) amendments making any other change that would require stockholder approval in order for the Plan, as amended, to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423(b) of the Code.

19. Insufficient Shares. If the total number of shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be purchased on any Exercise Date plus the number of shares purchased under previous Offerings under the Plan exceeds the maximum number of shares issuable under the Plan, the shares then available shall be apportioned among Participants in proportion to the amount of payroll deductions accumulated on behalf of each Participant that would otherwise be used to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date, in as uniform a manner as practicable and as the Administrator determines to be equitable.

20. Termination of the Plan. The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Board. If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or once shares of Common Stock have been purchased on the next Exercise Date (which may, in the discretion of the Administrator, be accelerated) or permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment in accordance with Section 17). If any Offering Period is terminated before its scheduled expiration, all amounts in the accounts of Participants shall be promptly refunded. The Plan shall automatically terminate on the ten-year anniversary of the Closing Date.

21. Governmental Regulations. The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver Common Stock under the Plan is subject to obtaining all governmental approvals required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such stock.

22. Governing Law. This Plan and all Options and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

23. Issuance of Shares. Shares may be issued upon exercise of an Option from authorized but unissued Common Stock, from shares held in the treasury of the Company, or from any other proper source.

24. Tax Withholding. Participation in the Plan is subject to any minimum required tax withholding on income of the Participant in connection with the Plan. Each Participant agrees, by entering the Plan, that the Company and its Subsidiaries shall have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant, including shares issuable under the Plan.

 

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25. Notification Upon Sale of Shares under the 423 Component. Each Participant agrees, by participating in the 423 Component of the Plan, to give the Company (if so requested by the Company) prompt notice of any disposition of shares purchased under the Plan where such disposition occurs within two years after the date of grant of the Option pursuant to which such shares were purchased or within one year after the date such shares were purchased.

26. Effective Date and Approval of Shareholders. The Plan shall take effect on the date immediately preceding the Closing Date, subject to approval by the holders of a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present or by written consent of the stockholders within 12 months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.

27. Entire Plan. This Plan constitutes the entire plan with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior plans with respect to the subject matter hereof.

28. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and the Plan shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.

Date Approved by Board of Directors: July 28, 2020

Date Adopted by Stockholders: October 26, 2020

Date Amended and Restated by Board of Directors: December 4, 2020

 

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APPENDIX A

Designated Subsidiaries

Cerevel Therapeutics, LLC

 

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